St. Edmund's Pipes and Drums Presents CT Piping and Drumming Workshop
With Nancy Tunnicliffe, Nicholas Hudson, Derek Cooper, Alastair Murray, William McCallum, Bruce Gandy, Andrew Elliot, Alex Gandy, Eric Ouellette and Kate Cushing
April 28 - 30, 2023


Join Us…
For the fifth annual
Connecticut Piping and Drumming Workshop
April 28-30,2023 at Enders Island in Mystic, CT.
Walk-ins Welcome!
This workshop kicks off on Friday evening with a reception here on Enders Island where you will meet the other workshop participants and get to know the Instructors. You will enjoy classes with world class drumming and piping instructors throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday morning. You will find classes that fit all levels in both piping and drumming, from beginner to those wishing to hone their skills for competition. Enders Island is an 11 acre island off the coast of Mystic, CT. Mystic is a popular tourist destination filled with restaurants, quaint shops and things to do.
This will be the second year this workshop has been hosted by St. Edmund’s Retreat on Enders Island in Mystic, CT. Last years workshop was a resounding success and we are again working on a dynamic schedule of classes for this year. One of the highlights of the workshop is an instructors recital which will take place on Saturday night.
Prices for the workshop are:
$295 for the Full 2 day workshop
$175 for a single day workshop.
The workshop price includes a continental breakfast and a boxed lunch. Costs for accommodations are not included in the price of the workshop and must be booked separately. Accommodations are available here on Enders Island.
Here is a tentative:
- Evening reception in the Enders House beginning 6:00pm
- Check-in and breakfast starts at 7:45am
- Welcome meeting at 8:30am
- Classes from 9:00am – noon
- Lunch from noon – 1:00pm
- Classes from 1:00pm – 4:00pm
- Mass at 4:30pm (optional event)
- Instructors’ Recital from 7:30 – 9:00pm.
- Check-in and breakfast starts at 7:45am
- Classes from 9:00am – 1:05pm
To book overnight accommodations on Enders Island please call to check for availability – 860-536-0565
Cost;
$300/ Single room, two nights
$240/ Shared Room, per person , two nights
Due to our limited space and availability, we maintain a strict cancellation policy.
• Deposits for the CT. Piping and Drumming Workshop are refundable if cancellation is made on or prior to April 21, 2023.
• For cancellations after April 21, 2023 deposit will be non-refundable.
Click HERE to see the overall class schedule
Click HERE to see the class descriptions
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR: THE PIPER’S HUT
Workshop FAQ’s
About the Leaders

Nancy Tunnicliffe
Nancy Tunnicliffe is a professional bagpiper, teacher, and performer. She plays a variety of programs and events, and especially enjoys taking the bagpipe outside of its usual boundaries and venues. He has appeared as a guest soloist with many of the country’s top orchestras, such as the Boston Pops with John Williams, the National Orchestra […]
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Nicholas Hudson
Nick Hudson teaches piping at St. Thomas' Episcopal School in Houston and plays with the St. Thomas Alumni Pipe Band in Grade 1. He received a BFA in Music Performance under Jimmy McIntosh and Alasdair Gillies from Carnegie-Mellon University. Performance highlights include winning the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in Inverness, the Braemar Gold […]
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Derek Cooper
Derek has been the leading drummer for the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band since 2003. Derek also has played with Oran Mor and with Simon Fraser University. He joined Inverary and District in 2015. Over those years, Derek has won four World Pipe Band Championships and three World Championship Drum Corps titles. Some highlights of Derek’s […]
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Alastair Murray
Alastair been a consistent prize winner in games in Scotland, Ireland and North America. He won the North American the b grade Piobaireachd at the Ligonier Highland Games five times, and the American Piobaireachd at Alma. He is a five-time Ohio Piobaireachd champion, and a gold medal winner for Piobaireachd at Ligonier Highland games. Most […]
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William McCallum
Willie McCallum is one of the foremost competing pipers in the world today. A native of Campbeltown, Kintyre, Willie has won almost very prize in solo piping and several times over. A few of his individual and band achievements include the Genfiddich World Championship eight times, Gold Medal Northern Meeting, Inverness, Gold Metal Argyllishire Gathering, […]
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Bruce Gandy
Bruce has spent most of his life in top-level pipe bands, and the last 35 years teaching students and classes all over as he continues to be in high demand for both his individual work and band/group work. In his 15 years as a competitive band player in the 78th Fraser Highlanders, Bruce was often called upon […]
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Andrew Elliot
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Andrew joined his first Grade 1 band at age 13. He teaches drumming at the Saint Thomas Episcopal school in Houston Texas. Andrew has been the lead tenor of the World Champion Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band since 2013. He has won every RSPBA major title, including four World Pipe Band […]
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Alex Gandy
Alex has been piping since he was 10 years old and has had the good fortune of growing up in a piping family. Since starting he has been taught primarily by his father, Bruce Gandy. More recently he started receiving piobaireachd tuition from Colin MacLellan, his Godfather. Alex is a multiple prize-winner in the Silver […]
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Eric Ouellette
Eric began playing pipes 20 years ago under the tutelage of his uncle, Don Dixon, and then studied with Mike MacNintch, Chuck Murdoch and Nancy Tunnicliffe. He was promoted to the professional grade at age 16. His most notable accomplishments are winning the B strathspey and reel at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2014, the overall […]
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Kate Cushing
Kate Cushing has been making kilts since 2004 when she had the good fortune to sit with Ann Stewart in her booth in between piping competitions at the Schenectady games. “Let me see your stitch’in, she said, handing her a pleated piece of tartan. After that Kate made the 3-hour trip from Ithaca to Ann’s […]
Learn more about Kate CushingCategories : Piping and Drumming, Sacred Art Workshops, Special Event, Weekend