Sound Advice tunes into FM for annual piping/drumming summer school

Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe-Major Richard Parkes and Leading Drummer Gareth McLees are on board as instructors at the annual “Sound Advice” piping and drumming summer camp from Sunday, July 7th, until Friday, July 12th, in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Joining the FM leaders will be Sean Somers, Glenna Mackay-Johnstone, Jacquie Troy-Carter, Jessica Featherstone and more local regional instructors Barbara MacDonald, Iain MacDonald and Michelle Gallagher.

“We can’t believe our luck to have Richard Parkes back to Regina, and we’re excited to meet and learn from Gareth McLees,” said school director Wayne Rempel. “This is such an outstanding opportunity for anyone who attends. We have a good representation of students from the region, and look forward to an outstanding week of tuition, performance and fun.”

The school is coordinated by the Saskatchewan Pipe Band Association, one of the most successful piping and d drumming associations in sourcing funding for teaching initiatives.

The 2024 Sound Advice summer camp received a Saskatchewan Community Initiatives Fund grant, allowing it to sponsor tuition for students from smaller communities outside Regina and Saskatoon. The SPBA has raised more than $11,000 in scholarships this year.

The Conservatory of Performing Arts teaching and pipe band program is one of North America’s most successful publicly funded programs. Over the years, it has introduced dozens of young players to piping and drumming.

“I’d strongly encourage people living in the area to come hear the instructor and student recitals in the evenings,” Rempel added.

More information on Sound Advice and various public recitals can be found at the SPBA’s website.