The
College Of Piping
The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada has been actively promoting and preserving Celtic culture and heritage by offering instruction in traditional Celtic disciplines. The College is the only year-round institution of its kind in North America and is affiliated with the College of Piping in Glasgow, Scotland. Prince Edward Island is a particularly appropriate setting for this unique educational facility given that seventy percent of the Island's population are descendants from Scots and Irish settlers.
The College of Piping facilities include practice rooms, a dance studio, a board room, and offices for administration and events management. A 600-seat outdoor amphitheatre compliments the extensive grounds. Recent renovations made room for a retail outlet expansion and new accommodations for students. Annual events and activities continue to quite steadily. The Highland gathering, concert series, and main stage performances are proven favorites for Celtic enthusiasts.
The College of Piping Dance Company was created to give Highland dancers at the College an opportunity to perform within their community and surrounding areas. It also gives the dancers the option of learning choreographed dances along with traditional dances. The Dance Company offers the dancers an opportunity to improve presentation as well as technique and helps dancers learn to work together. The dancers range from 7 through 18 years of age and have been studying Highland dancing up to seven years. Some of the dancers are competitive although others choose to focus on performance.
An extra amount of commitment is required form each of these dancers. They have all of their regular classes and commitments but are expected to rehearse choreographies out side of class time. All of these dancers are extremely dedicated and talented.
The College of Piping Dance Company have recently performed for HRH Prince Edward and on a separate occasion, Adrienne Clarkson, the Governor General of Canada. They have performed in the Charlottetown Festival at the
Confederation Center, at the Jubilee Theatre in Summerside and have won several choreography awards.
The purpose of the College Of Piping Dance Company is to provide College dancers with an opportunity to perform as a group, to develop a group of committed and professional performers, to represent the College of Piping at concerts and special events, to ensure a consistently high standard of performance, to create a healthy and fun team spirit, and to give a dancers a chance to learn new repertoire.
The general guidelines for the College of Piping Dance Company are: a) all experienced Highland dancers and step dancers have the opportunity to audition for the Dance Company, b) experience is defined as the amount of dancing knowledge the dancer possesses, not necessarily the competitive category acceptance into the Company is at the discretion of the dance
instructor(s), and c) dancers will be expected to attend rehearsals and performances as scheduled.
Acceptance and continued membership in the Dance Company is contingent upon several important elements:
each dancer is expected to display commitment, effort and a positive outlook throughout rehearsals, meetings, and performances.
each dancer is expected to behave, practice, and perform in a manner befitting a member of a professional team.
each dancer is asked to participate in or sit out shows as requested-shows are designed to provide the best quality of performance. possible, not the most dancers possible.
transportation to rehearsals and shows (on or off Island) will be the responsibility of the dancer/parent, unless otherwise organized.
Celtic Gift Shop and Highland Supply Outlet specializes in Celtic recordings and houses a wide range of Highland supplies, music books, clan regalia, jewellery and Celtic souvenirs. College of Piping custom goods are popular with both students and visitors.
The College offers instruction in Highland bag piping, Scottish-style snare drumming, Highland dancing and step dancing. Curriculums are developed for adults and youth at all levels of ability. Summer schools, workshops and a piping internship program give out-of-province students an opportunity to develop their skills.
The College Of Piping Pipe Band
The College of Piping Pipe Band dates back to the Summerside Presbyterian Pipe Band which was founded in 1963 by Don Groom and the late Reverend Donald MacKay. The Band went through many changes before becoming known as the College Of Piping Pipe Band in 1993. They went on to win many championships and awards.
Membership in the band provides a unique opportunity for experiencing first-hand the importance of a structured practice regimen, goal setting, time-management and team spirit.
The band is in charge of its own fundraising The band plays regularly at weddings, funerals, concerts, parades, festivals and competitions. The Pipe Band also provides many opportunities for personal growth, and to make friends.