- When:
- March 28, 2026
- Registration 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
- 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- March 28, 2026
- Where:
- The Canal Street Church
- 4302 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119
- Music: To be announced...
- Topics:
- For pipers:
- How to hold a practice chanter and play basic scales
- How to read the music
- How to listen to the different sections of the band (pipes/snare/tenor/bass)
- How this will enhance your playing in a band setting
- Work on expression of tunes as a group
- Reed maintenance
- How to tune a chanter
- Basic drone tuning (with demonstrations)
- Solo competition for pipers and drummers
- why it's important
- what do I do?
- what if I mess up?
- For drummers:
- What is Scottish Style Drumming
- How to hold the drum sticks
- Drum rudiments - say what?
- Playing in a drum corps
- How to listen to the different sections of the band (pipes/snare/tenor/bass)
- Whatever else Ed sees (through questions asked) that the group needs.
- For pipers:
- NOTE:
- You are welcome to send suggestions for topics to Steve by clicking here
- Cost:
- $75 per person if paying cash or check.
- $78 if paying using Venmo
- Please bring cash or check with you to the workshop.
- Breakout sessions based on experience if possible.
- we are bringing in Pipe Major Matthew Beall (Hub City Highlanders) and Pipe Major Steve Brownlee (Kilts of Many Colours) to work with beginners.
- More playing with drums.
- This depends on the drummers that show up. We'll do what we can.
- two instructors, one for beginners, and one for intermediate/advanced so that the latter could have the opportunity to get everything they can from the
speaker without the instructor having to pull back the reigns in orderto give very new pipers basic instruction.
- Yup, How about 3 piping instructors? See #1.
- I would like to see bagpipe maintenance expanded on next year and not be a complete repeat.
- We've never seen two pipers that do it exactly the same. Every piper has his own methods, and we can all get tidbits from different people.
- Some house rules and guidelines set out in the beginning to help with good order and discipline maximizing quality time with the instructors.
- Absolutely! We picked up on that right away, too.
KOMC is sponsoring The Big Easy 2026 Pipe Band Workshop
We heard you: you want....
And now, meet this years instructors!
Dr. Patrick Regan - Piping (EUSPBA Ohio Valley Branch)
Patrick Regan the Bagpiper - (a lighthearted biography)
Patrick Regan the Bagpiper first took to the stage at age three, but it took another eight years to convince the bagpipe to come onstage with him. Since then, he has been regaling audiences, annoying bagpiping judges, frightening music teachers, and inspiring students with his mix of music, humor, and a "terrier-like" determination to take over the world with the bagpipe.
As an entertainer, Patrick has performed in 45 States, and 14 countries, including "command performances" for the Royal Families of Jordan and Qatar. Closer to home, this Native Texan was honored to be a member of the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Artist Roster for more than 25 years, appearing at such venues as the Galveston Opera, the National Museum of the Pacific War, in Fredericksburg, The Texas Folklife Festival, in San Antonio, The North Texas Irish Festival, in Dallas, and the Kerrville Folk Festival. With more than 200 theatrical productions to his credit, Patrick brings practical experience as a director, actor, producer, and technical director to the position of Artistic Director.
Although Patrick has one foot firmly planted on the stage, his other foot rests solidly in the classroom. As an educator, Patrick first developed a love of teaching after being tricked into learning by instructors who were later to become his lifelong mentors. From them he developed his teaching philosophy: "Education is serious, but it doesn't have to be somber." Students who attend Patrick's classes achieve far more than their minimum requirement of laughter. While beginners come away with a solid knowledge of the basics, advanced players are treated to deep insight and understanding of piobaireachd, the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe. Students entering Edinboro University as bagpipe majors can expect to learn four things: how to teach; how to perform; how to win competitions; and most importantly, how to survive as a professional musician.Academically, Patrick holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music (Bagpipe) from Carnegie Mellon University (he was the first survivor of the degree program), along with minors in Drama and Conducting, a Master of Arts in Adult and Community Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Teacher's Certificate from the Scottish Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board, and the Graduate Certificate from the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (EUSPBA). In 2016 he was awarded his PhD in Music History and Pedagogy at Durham University in England. Patrick is also a member of the EUSPBA adjudicator's panel.
And when he grows up, he wants to be a bagpiper.
Patrick is EUSPBA certified in all aspects of piping.
Ed Best Snare Drumming and Rhythm Instructor - (WUSPBA and EUSPBA Unafilliated)
Ed Best is a qualified, professional educator with over 40 years of successful pipe band experience and has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. He has held many band and solo titles in all grades including North American Champion, East Coast Champion Supreme, Ontario Champion Supreme, West Coast Champion of Champions, and Canadian Champion. Ed also spent 10 years as a School Music Teacher in all grades from Elementary through the University level. Ed has competed in, and placed at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland in many grades up to and including Grade I. Ed is active as an adjudicator at Highland Games throughout the United States. He is an "A" panel drumming and ensemble judge in the WUSPBA and a drumming judge in the EUSPBA. He also serves on the Music Board of WUSPBA, where his primary functions are grading of bands and soloists and Adjudicator training/education and certification. He recorded a DVD for adjudicator training, available to the general public here http://www.wuspba.org. Ed is a regular instructor for bands and schools across the country. He provides instruction to the drummers, helps with music composition and arranging. He also provides instruction in band ensemble. His individual students and bands regularly appear in the prize lists at highland games across the country. Ed understands that everyone is different and has different strengths and goals. He works hard to be sure that your needs are met. He has experience teaching ages 4 through 80. For more information about Ed, please click HERE Ed is EUSPBA certified in Snare. He is certified by WUSPBA in all aspects of drumming. Ed joined
the Drummers Dojo team as their rhythm guru in 2020.
Pipe Major Matthew Beall- Piping (EUSPBA Southwest Branch)
Matthew Beall was taught by John Cairns and competed solo up to Grade 2.
After years of band competition he started a juvenile band that worked its way up to competition level.
He is currently the PM of Hub City Highlanders.
He worked in film for 20 years, loves the 80s, loves teaching, has a great sense of humor, and owns a retro laser tag arena.
Pipe Major Steve Brownlee - Piping (EUSPBA Southwest Branch)
Steve Brownlee started his piping journey in 1998, getting a foundation in the teaching line
of John MacFayden. (In the 1970s, MacFayden was one of the best pipers of his day, and had a strong influence on today's piping world.)
Living in the wilds of Louisiana in the days before online lessons, Steve turned to competing to continue learning, both from judges' comments
and any advanced piper he could arrange a lesson with during his travels. With the advent of online lessons, he became a student of Bob Worrall in Toronto,
studying with Bob for more than 5 years, and ultimately making it to the top of Grade 3 as a solo competitor.
In 2002 Steve co-founded the Kilts of Many Colours Bagpipes and Drums as the pipe major, and has led KOMC in more than 120 parades and other events,
taught more than 45 people to play pipes, and ran the Battle of the Bayou competition for 10 years.
Teaching is one of the things Steve enjoys most, especially when the subject is bagpipes!
