A Dojo U Premium Exclusive
The Gary West Sessions:
Tunes That Tell Stories
An exclusive series exploring piping, performance, and audience with Gary West
Sundays, November 8–29 at 12:00 PM US Eastern / 5:00 PM UK
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Open to all levels. No instrument requirements.
A Good Set Is More Than a Row of Good Tunes
You can play several good tunes and still not have a good set.
The notes may be right. Every tune may be worth hearing. But without shape, contrast, context, and a reason for one tune to follow another, a performance can still feel like a list.
This four-week series with Gary West is about what happens beyond the notes.
How do you understand the character of a tune? How do you choose what comes next? Which music makes the most of Highland pipes or smallpipes? And how do you tell just enough of the story to make listeners care before you play?
Gary will help you approach piping as a storyteller, set-builder, and host—not simply someone playing the next tune on the list.
Is This Series for You?
This series is for pipers who want to develop their musicianship and think more deeply about the music they play.
You'll get plenty from it if you want to:
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Understand the background, character and stories behind your tunes.
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Choose repertoire with greater thought and purpose.
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Build sets with flow, contrast and direction.
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Explore the different musical possibilities of Highland pipes and smallpipes.
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Introduce tunes naturally and help audiences connect with your playing.
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Develop a deeper appreciation of Scottish piping and traditional music.
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Find fresh ideas for recitals, band performances, informal gatherings or your own practice.
The series is open to all playing levels, including beginners. You don't need to prepare a particular tune, perform publicly or own a specific instrument.
This isn't a technique course. It's an opportunity to broaden your musical perspective and explore what makes a performance memorable.
Gary is a piper, broadcaster, writer, and former Professor of Scottish Ethnology at the University of Edinburgh. He presented BBC Radio Scotland's Pipeline for 20 years and now hosts the weekly Enjoy Your Piping! podcast.
Originally from Pitlochry, Gary played for many years with the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band and is now Pipe Major of the Atholl Highlanders.
That is a rare combination of experience.
Gary knows the Highland pipes and smallpipes. He understands the people, places, and culture carried by the repertoire. And after decades of broadcasting and podcasting, he knows how to give an audience a way into a story.
We saw that combination firsthand when Gary taught at our Edinburgh School. We and the students absolutely loved the workshop, and we have wanted to do more with him ever since.
This November, we finally are.
Four Weeks With Gary West
All four Sunday classes begin at 12:00 PM US Eastern / 5:00 PM UK.
Sunday, November 8: Tell and Show
Gary will tell the story of a tune and then teach it.
You will go beyond the notes into its background, phrasing, colour, character, and what the piper can bring out of the music.
Sunday, November 15: Choosing Tunes for a Captivating Set
Learn how to pick and order tunes so a set has flow, contrast, lift, and purpose.
Drawing on his experience as a performer, radio presenter, and podcast host, Gary will explore how individual tunes become a coherent musical journey.
Sunday, November 22: Highland Pipes and Smallpipes
The same tune does not always do the same job on a different instrument.
Explore how to choose music that suits the power and public voice of the Highland pipes, the intimacy and nuance of smallpipes, and the setting in which each will be heard.
You do not need to own either instrument to take part.
Sunday, November 29: Presenting Your Piping
Learn how to introduce tunes naturally, tell just enough of the story, engage an audience, and shape a performance into something memorable.
 Monday, November 30: BONUS CLASS | Brave New Music—The Martyn Bennett Story
The bonus class begins at 12:00 PM US Eastern / 5:00 PM UK.
Join Gary for a bonus one-hour live class about his biography of Martyn Bennett, the visionary Scottish piper, violinist, composer, producer, and DJ whose music brought tradition and technology together in a voice entirely his own.
Gary will take us further into Bennett's story, his music, and the cultural world around one of Scotland's most original modern artists.
 Purchasing the book is not required to attend the bonus class.
Start Exploring Before November
You don't have to wait for the first class to start thinking about the stories behind your piping.
Gary's weekly Enjoy Your Piping! podcast explores bagpipe music from Scotland and beyond, alongside news, reviews, interviews, live sessions and conversations about the piping world.
It's a great way to hear Gary's approach to music, culture and communication in practice — and a worthwhile companion to the November series.
Listen to Enjoy Your Piping! and bring your curiosity to class – search for it wherever you listen to podcasts!Â
