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> Away, away with a pipe and drum one of SFU’s newest summer camps
Away, away with a pipe and drum one of SFU’s newest summer camps
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May 16, 2002
Beginning July 8, members of the award-winning SFU Pipe Band http://www.sfupipeband.com will teach children ages eight to 13 the bagpipe basics; at a second camp the following week, they will offer instruction in Scottish snare-drumming.
Long-time pipe band member Rob MacNeil is coordinating the program, which he hopes will inspire some campers to join the junior band that feeds into SFU’s world-class troupe. MacNeil, who was introduced to piping at age 10 by his Polish mother, says the camps would suit "any boy or girl with an interest in music or dance, especially Celtic music or dance. It’s a good introduction to bands, and it’s just a whole lot of fun to make music with a bunch of kids your own age."
MacNeil says the pint-sized pipers will start on practice chanters—"the part you play the melody on"—to learn the fundamentals of bagpipe technique. "At the end of the week, they’ll be able to play simple tunes, and if they choose to stay with it, they’ll be playing real bagpipes in eight or nine months." Drummers will learn rudimentary rhythms on practice pads, and will be able to accompany a simple musical score by the end of the week. "I think a lot of kids might want to try both camps. We’re seeing a lot of crossover in bands: kids who play both pipes and drums."
Last year more than 6,500 kids and teens took part in SFU’s summer camps which cater to a broad range of skills and interests. In addition to the ever-popular sports, swimming and science camps, this year’s roster will also include a new "Rescue Academy" camp, aimed at teens interested in pursuing a career in emergency services.
The camp will be led Dean Badminton, a paramedic with the B.C. Ambulance Service, and will include search and rescue training, a mock emergency drill, and a modified version of the fireman’s "combat challenge". SFU aquatic programmer Melanie Klapstock, who is helping to organize the camp, expects it to be well subscribed, noting that the events of last September "were a real eye-opener for people about the importance of emergency services."
Registration is already underway for SFU’s summer camps, and enrolment is on a first-come-first-served basis. For more information, call 604-291-4307, e-mail summer_camps@sfu.ca, or visit http://www.sfu.ca/athletics-rec.
Contact:
Rob MacNeil, 604.279.5422 (ex 326); Melanie Klapstock, 604.291.4050
Long-time pipe band member Rob MacNeil is coordinating the program, which he hopes will inspire some campers to join the junior band that feeds into SFU’s world-class troupe. MacNeil, who was introduced to piping at age 10 by his Polish mother, says the camps would suit "any boy or girl with an interest in music or dance, especially Celtic music or dance. It’s a good introduction to bands, and it’s just a whole lot of fun to make music with a bunch of kids your own age."
MacNeil says the pint-sized pipers will start on practice chanters—"the part you play the melody on"—to learn the fundamentals of bagpipe technique. "At the end of the week, they’ll be able to play simple tunes, and if they choose to stay with it, they’ll be playing real bagpipes in eight or nine months." Drummers will learn rudimentary rhythms on practice pads, and will be able to accompany a simple musical score by the end of the week. "I think a lot of kids might want to try both camps. We’re seeing a lot of crossover in bands: kids who play both pipes and drums."
Last year more than 6,500 kids and teens took part in SFU’s summer camps which cater to a broad range of skills and interests. In addition to the ever-popular sports, swimming and science camps, this year’s roster will also include a new "Rescue Academy" camp, aimed at teens interested in pursuing a career in emergency services.
The camp will be led Dean Badminton, a paramedic with the B.C. Ambulance Service, and will include search and rescue training, a mock emergency drill, and a modified version of the fireman’s "combat challenge". SFU aquatic programmer Melanie Klapstock, who is helping to organize the camp, expects it to be well subscribed, noting that the events of last September "were a real eye-opener for people about the importance of emergency services."
Registration is already underway for SFU’s summer camps, and enrolment is on a first-come-first-served basis. For more information, call 604-291-4307, e-mail summer_camps@sfu.ca, or visit http://www.sfu.ca/athletics-rec.
Contact:
Rob MacNeil, 604.279.5422 (ex 326); Melanie Klapstock, 604.291.4050