Palmer S
5.0
(28)
Instruments: Clarinet
Styles: Classical
Palmer S
5.0
(28)
Instruments: Clarinet
Styles:
Classical
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
Soloist at 2021 Virginia International Tattoo and 2022 Cleveland International Tattoo
Performed for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in June of 2016
2013, 2014, and 2015 World Pipe Band Championships with Toronto Police Pipe Band – Glasgow, Scotland
2010 United States Piping Foundation Overall Amateur Champion
Recipient of Scottish Arts Scholarship from the College of Wooster
I consider myself to be a technical musician and I enjoy passing on knowledge about bagpipes to beginners and experienced players alike. I grew up playing pipes in Pennsylvania and began on the practice chanter at 10 years of age. Growing up near Pittsburgh, I happened to be in an area of the U.S. that had many good pipers as well as a successful summer camp program. This allowed me to receive fantastic instruction as a teenager, and I always found it to be very motivating to be around some of the top pipers in the world. I played with a junior-oriented pipe band as a teenager and continued to play in college. While in college I traveled to Toronto, CA to play with one of the top pipe bands in the world, from which I learned so much.
I have been teaching bagpipes since 2017 and thoroughly enjoy passing along my knowledge to new eager students. I'm always looking for new ways to explain things and pass along information in different ways depending on a student's ability and aptitude. I enjoy meeting different types of students with varying experiences playing a musical instrument. As long as they are willing to work consistently, I will help them to be competent on the bagpipes. This instrument can be challenging along the way, but I work to make it rewarding and fulfilling at each stage of the process. Since 2020 I have been invited to teach at summer bagpipe camps which has also exposed me to more types of personalities and learning styles. This lets me try different approaches on the fly to get feedback from a student. If something isn't working I'll try to instruct in a different manner!
Each brand new bagpiping student will have to start with the practice chanter. This small instrument is how we bagpipers learn, rehearse, memorize, and re-learn all music before attempting it and perfecting it on the full bagpipes. Bagpipers have to know what they are doing with their hands so when they add the full instrument, they are almost on "auto-pilot" and can focus on blowing good tone into the bagpipe. I work with students to slowly but surely build their basic skills by taking them through progressively more difficult exercises and tunes so they can build confidence as they go.
I am generally laid back and understanding of a student's wishes and goals when learning a new instrument. Most folks are not trying to become world-class players on the bagpipe and I recognize that. The more laid back my student is, the more laid back I am. If a student is very serious, then I will match that and be very serious as an instructor. I think it's important to understand why a person is learning, and what they wish to get out of it. I generally use either the PCP method (praise/criticize/praise) or, for more serious students, the CPC method (criticize/praise/criticize) when providing feedback. I feel those approaches provide balance, and it's always important to let someone when they are doing something right!
Chris Nolin
Palmer is an excellent teacher, especially for beginners on the bagpipes. He is patient, and worked with me on fundamental skills and technique to improve my performance, and he found different ways to explain a new movement until we landed on some that worked for me. Over zoom, Palmer makes sure that you can see his hands in order to learn the correct method of playing, and will take the time necessary to ensure you understand everything and can express it in your playing. I think he'd be wonderful with young beginners, as his patient, supportive style would help them make progress in a positive way. I highly recommend Palmer S. as a bagpipe instructor!
Gary
Palmer is awesome!! Super patient and helpful, can’t praise him enough!! He’s been our pipe instructor for several years.
Patty
He taught me personally and has instructed our band for a number of years. I’m impressed with Palmer’s ability to move a beginner from the practice instrument to full pipes. He is also very clear about what a student needs to do to improve. And he’s patient, which is important with an instrument as challenging as the pipes!
Betsy Bethel-McFarland
Palmer S. is a brilliant piper and a fantastic teacher. He has experience working with individuals of all ages and competencies. He is the epitome of a professional, and I highly recommend him.
Sean McCarthy
Palmer is really knowledgeable, makes things easy to explain, and tailors the lesson to your skill level. Would highly recommend if you wanted to start learning bagpipes, or if you wanted lessons to continue to improve your skill set.
David K
Palmer has been my instructor for 2 1/2 years. In that time, he helped me move from playing scales on the practice chanter to being comfortable on a full set of bagpipes to passing my band audition to playing parades and events with our band. He is masterful in noticing errors and developing practice routines to correct them. Palmer has the calm demeanor of someone who is a true master at their craft.
Jim A
Palmer is an excellent bagpipe teacher and has instructed the band I am in for years. I'm hoping my kids will take lessons from him someday.
Mary Gottschalk
Palmer is fantastic as an instructor. He's extremely patient and motivating. Learning to play the bagpipes was a dream of mine for years, and thanks to his lessons I've gone from never playing an instrument in my life to actually playing the pipes!
Ann Trondle-Price
Palmer has been my bagpipe teacher for 5 years, as well as our pipe band's instructor. Besides being extremely patient and willing to go over things many times (which I needed, since I was starting from scratch), he's excellent at being able to gauge what kind of learner you are and tailor the lesson and method to what you need to be successful. I learned pipes later in life and have a hectic schedule and demanding job, but he helped me make it work. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
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