PIPING CERTIFICATES

Piping Certificate Levels

Level One – Elementary – Fee: $20
Basic Music Theory Part One in conjunction with practice chanter movements. Cassette involved. History of noted pipers in the piping world. On the Practice Chanter Doublings on all notes; G, D, and E notes. Name and play all notes on practice chanter.

Level Two – Intermediate – Fee: $20
Written Music Theory Part Two. Writing time signatures, written embellishments. Cassette involved. On the Practice Chanter All doublings, grips, taorluaths, birls, tac-cums. Play three tunes (two parts each): one 6/8, one 2/4, and one 4/4. The student may submit one tune of a different time signature at the discretion of the examiner.

Level Three – Advanced – Fee: $35
Ability to read music accurately. On the Practice Chanter Ability to play twelve (four-part) tunes. This must include: one 6/8 jig, strathspey, and reel. On the Pipes Play six (four-part) tunes: one slow air; one 6/8 march; one 2/4 march; one 6/8 jig; one strathspey; one reel. Candidate must march in proper time to marching tunes. Slow air may be two parts.

Level Four – Senior – Fee: $50
On the Pipes Ability to play eight tunes: two marches, two strathspeys, two reels, and two jigs. Candidate must march in proper time to marching tunes. Candidate must set up and tune own pipes. Candidate must accurately perform: taorluath, taorluath a mach, crunluath, crunluath a mach, darodo, and hibaba.

Level Five – Piobaireachd – Fee: $75
Ceol Mor Ability to write piobaireachd and play two piobaireachds in full. Candidate must set up and tune own pipes.

Level Size – Graduate – Fee: $100
On the Pipes Candidate must compose six tunes in any variation of time signature. Candidate must play twelve tunes: three marches, three strathspeys, three reels, two jigs, and one hornpipe. Candidate must tune pipes accurately. Ceol Mor Candidate must play four piobaireachds in full.

Level Sevel – Diploma of Piping – Fee: $150
On the Pipes Submit the following four-part tunes: six slow airs; six marches; six 2/4 marches; six strathspeys; six reels; two hornpipes; four retreats; four jigs. Examiner will select the tunes to be played. Ceol Mor Submit six piobaireachds. Examiner may request candidate to play parts of more than one piobaireachd. Write music in full detail. Submit seven original tunes created by student.

Level Eight – Classical Music of Bagpipes – Fee: $40
Learn between seven to eight piobaireachds. History of noted players. Instrument itself in this field.

Level Nine – Pipe Band Strategies – Fee: $40
Writing of music and harmony blending pipes. Correlation to drums. History of bands and world championship titles. Theories and standards.

Level Ten – History of Piping – Fee: $40
Background of the bagpipes. What the bagpipe is all about; its origin. On the Pipes Play two tunes twice through.