Learning to play the bagpipes and drums is challenging, but it can be a very fun and rewarding hobby. We provide beginner lessons on Thursday nights at the Irish Center to adult and children groups (see our JOIN page for directions). Our instruction programs are carefully designed for all learning levels and encourage players to advance in a comfortable environment at their own speed. Lessons are free, but we charge a small fee to help defray the cost of uniforms.

Adult Instruction:
The majority of pipers and drummers in this band started as adults with no prior musical experience, so what are you waiting for?

Juvenile Instruction:
Beginning at age 7 and going up to age 17, the band has developed a special instruction program for youth to both have fun, and carry forward the tradition. Youths learn faster than adults and are much better served when learning within their own age-specific groups. In the USA, several colleges and universities, as well as the service academies, have pipe bands affiliated with them, and some even offer scholarship money.

Instructors:
The Philadelphia Emerald Society Pipe Band is fortunate to have several experienced and accomplished instructors, including Pipe Major Rich Hall and Piper Mark O'Donnell. Please contact Pipe Major Emeritus & President Joe Tobin (home: 215-487-0166, cell: 215-990-0457) or Pipe Sergeant John Collins (cell: 484-557-5069) regarding instruction.

Biographies of Instructors:
Rich Hall came to the Philadelphia Emerald Society Pipe Band in 2006 as piping instructor. He became Pipe Major when Joe Tobin retired as Pipe Major in 2008. Richard is an accomplished Grade 1 piper and has been a competitive piper since age 12. Both as a bandsman and an individual piper, Rich has excelled. He comes from a family tradition of piping; his father was a piper in Ireland and the USA. Rich’s instructors have included Donald Leslie, Pipe Major of McGregor Pipe Band; John Rae Miller of Kearney, N.J.; and Bob Gilchrist, Pipe Major of the City of Wilmington Pipe Band. In addition to his duties as Pipe Major, Rich also teaches piping to interested individuals.

Mark O'Donnell ... coming soon