GMM Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band - Southern Highlands Chapter

24/04/2026

🎶🔥 HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT LEARNING THE BAGPIPES? NOW IS THE TIME! 🔥🎶
If it’s been sitting in the back of your mind… stop putting it off.
👉 NOW is the perfect time to start your bagpipe journey.
With Term 2 kicking off at Moss Vale Services Club, we’re making it even easier to begin:
💥 NEW “LEARN THE BAGPIPES” GROUP CLASS
🕢 Tuesday evenings | 7:15pm – 8:00pm
💲 Introductory Offer: $15 per week (normally $20)
👉 Save $5 every week this term!
🎓 WHY LEARN THE BAGPIPES (OR ANY INSTRUMENT)?
Learning a musical instrument is one of the most powerful tools for personal development:
🧠 Improves memory & concentration – proven to enhance learning and academic performance
📚 Boosts study skills – develops discipline, focus and problem-solving
🎯 Builds confidence – achieve goals and perform with pride
🤝 Encourages social connection – meet like-minded people and be part of a team
🎵 Reduces stress & improves wellbeing
For young learners, it’s a huge advantage in school.
For adults, it’s a rewarding challenge and a lifelong skill.
🎶 HOW YOU START
Learning the bagpipes is a structured and achievable journey:
👉 You begin on a practice chanter (a quieter, easy-to-learn instrument)
👉 Learn the fundamentals and build your skills step-by-step
👉 Master a number of tunes
👉 Then progress confidently onto the full bagpipes
With the right guidance, you’ll be amazed how quickly you improve.
🏴 WHY OUR PROGRAM WORKS
At the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming, we combine:
✔ Expert instruction
✔ A supportive, fun environment
✔ Clear goals and structured learning
Whether you want to play for enjoyment, perform, or even join a pipe band — we’ll help you get there.
🚨 DON’T WAIT ANOTHER YEAR WONDERING “WHAT IF?”
Take advantage of our Term 2 discount and get started today.
📞 Call: 02 8678 8376
📧 Email: [email protected]
👉 Your bagpipe journey starts NOW — let’s make it happen.

21/04/2026

🔥🎶 TERM 2 IS HERE – AND SOMETHING EXCITING IS HAPPENING IN MOSS VALE! 🥁🔥
If you’ve ever thought about learning the bagpipes or Scottish drums, now is the time to stop thinking and start doing.
At the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming, we offer individual tuition for pipers, snare and tenor drummers…
👉 BUT we’re now proud to introduce something NEW…
🎯 BEGINNER GROUP BAGPIPE CLASS
📍 Moss Vale Services Club
🕢 Tuesdays | 7:15pm – 8:00pm
💲 Just $15 per week
🏴 BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL – A LOCAL PIPE BAND
Our vision is to establish a Chapter of the Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band Chapter here in Moss Vale —
a band built on:
✨ Inclusion
✨ Fun
✨ Passion
✨ Energy
With expert instruction, we aim to create a group that both players and the local community can be proud of.
While not compulsory, we strongly encourage students to set goals and perform, including solo competitions — one of the fastest ways to improve and build confidence.
🏆 LOCAL SUCCESS – BUNDANOON HIGHLAND GATHERING RESULTS
On the weekend, many of our students (including local players) and tutors achieved outstanding results:
🥇 Practice Chanter – Clementine Blom (1st)
🥇🥈 Novice 2/4 March – Pheenyx McPake (1st), Josh Grassick (2nd)
🥇🥈 Novice Piobaireachd – Pheenyx McPake (1st), Josh Grassick (2nd)
🏆 Champion Novice Piper – Pheenyx McPake
🥇🥈🥉 D Grade March – Josh Grassick (3rd)
🥈🥉 D Grade Piobaireachd – Keehan Chisholm (2nd),
🥇🥉 C Grade March – Elijah Gesling (1st), William Cavanough (3rd)
🥈 Veterans March – Barry Gray (2nd)
🥈 A Grade March – Barry Gray (2nd)
🥇 A Grade Strathspey & Reel – Barry Gray (1st)
🥈 A Grade Hornpipe & Jig – Barry Gray (2nd)
🌍 PATHWAYS TO BIG OPPORTUNITIES
Students in the region also have the chance to play with the
🎶 Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band
— one of Australia’s largest bands, heading to the World Championships in the UK this year with two competing bands in Grade 4B and 3B.
🎓 WHY LEARN A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT?
Learning pipes or drums offers lifelong benefits:
🧠 Improves concentration, memory & discipline
🎯 Builds goal-setting and achievement habits
🤝 Develops teamwork and social confidence
🎵 Encourages creativity and self-expression
💪 Boosts resilience and performance skills
And perhaps most importantly…
👉 it connects you to a community and a tradition like no other.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 OPEN TO EVERYONE
✔ Beginners to advanced
✔ Children and adults
✔ Even players from other bands looking to improve
Many of our local students play with Oxley College Pipe Band, so if your child is heading there, this is a fantastic head start.
📞 READY TO START?
Call: 02 8678 8376
📧 Email: [email protected]
👉 Join our Tuesday lessons at Moss Vale Services Club
👉 Or jump straight into our $15 beginner group class y7.15pm - 8pm
🎶 Don’t wait another day, dont put it off for another year… your journey starts NOW.

04/02/2026

🎶 New year. New hobby. A world of opportunity. 🎶
4
Have you got a child (or maybe you yourself) who’s looking for something exciting, meaningful, and a little bit different this year?
The Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band in conjunction with the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming hold lessons with the view of establishing a local branch band in the Southern Highlands on Tuesday afternoons and evenings at the Ex Services Club.

We have started a practice chanter group for learners on Tuesday at 7.15pm - 8pm and the cost is only $15 per week. We also offer one to one lessons in piping, snare and tenor drumming and these are 30 minutes for $45.00. ZOOM lessons are available at a time that suits you.

If you have a child interested who may eventually go to Oxley College this is a great way to get a head start before moving to the school. Every member currently in the school band has been taught by our tutors.

Once we establish enough people to start performing locally - not only will it be a team that performs locally, interstate, and internationally, but also with International artist such as we done a few years back, when taking 5 local pipers to play at the AFL Grand Final in front of 100,000 people with Robbie Williams in Melbourne.

This August GMMPB , are heading to Scotland to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships, and planning is already underway for our next UK tour in 2028.
With the right start, you or your child could absolutely be part of that journey.
Before you know it, you might be marching in Christmas parades this December, playing on ANZAC Day in 2027, or performing at major events around Australia.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who’s in the band?
Our members range from 10 years old to 70+, with children, parents, and grandparents all playing side by side. Several families have multiple generations performing together — it’s music, mateship, and memories rolled into one.
🌍 What we stand for
A Youth Safe organisation
Proudly inclusive and diverse
Supportive, structured, and community-focused
Big opportunities for those willing to give it a go
Whether you’re dreaming of overseas travel, love the sound of the pipes and drums, or just want to be part of something bigger than yourself — this is worth thinking about.
📞 Want to know more?
If Tuesday evenings don’t suit, or you’d like to explore lesson options, contact Barry on 0412 602 983 for a friendly chat about how to get started.
✨ New year. New skills. New adventures.

16/09/2025

We’re excited to let you know that the Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band will be holding a Bunnings BBQ on Saturday, 20th September 2025 to help raise funds for our trip to Scotland for the World Pipe Band Championships.

Location: Bunnings Hoxton Park (Corner Cowpasture Road & Airfield Drive)

Time: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Not only will there be a delicious BBQ to enjoy, but Bunnings Spring Fair will also be happening in the car park from 10 am - 2 pm! Bring the whole family along to enjoy fun activities, giveaways, DIY, and more!

Your support will help us on our journey to represent our community on the world stage in Scotland.

We’d love to see you there—come hungry, bring the kids, and enjoy a wonderful spring day with us!

31/01/2025

Term 1 Begins this Tuesday – Enroll Now!

We currently have spaces for:
3 Bagpipe learners

Private Bagpipe Lessons Available:
📍 Tuesdays at Moss Vale Ex-Services Club – $45 per 30-minute session (available between 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM)

For those who may visit this site our tutors also have the fowling lessons available for those who do not reside in the Highlands.
📍 Tuesdays in the Eastern Suburbs (In-Home Lessons) – $88 for a 45-minute session
📍 Wednesdays at Greenacre – 1 spot available at 8:00 PM ($45 per 30 minutes)
📍 Saturdays at Jordan Springs – $45 per 30-minute session
or Online (via Zoom) – $36 per 30-minute session

Drum Lessons:
🥁 Our drum tutor offers Zoom lessons and has a few limited house call sessions for Snare, Tenor, and Bass drumming.

If you have any questions about the learning process or would like to book a lesson, feel free to reach out!

Sydney School of Piping and Drumming Our staff and students perform at many different event styles, from local community engagements to grand state functions to being on stage with world-renowned artists. They have also performed or recorded with: Catering for the ever growing interest and demand of...

15/01/2025

Lesson resume for 2025 the first week of February.

If you would like lessons in Piping, Snare Drumming, Tenor Drumming, Bass Drumming or Drum Majoring please drop us a line at:

[email protected]

or phone 0412 602 983

Send a message to learn more

18/11/2024

Yesterday was the NSW State Solo Championships for held at North Ryde.

Members of GMM and learners connected with our tutorial partner The Sydney School of Piping & Drumming picked up the following prizes. Congratulations to Southern Highland members Thomas Adamson and Sapphire Spark for picking up prizes at a State Championship level.

Learner Practice Chanter : 2nd Keehan Chisholm 3rd Ellen O’Rourke

Novice 2/4 March:
3rd Thomas Adamson (Southern Highlands Chapter Member)

Novice AIr
2nd: Thomas Adamson (Southern Highlands Chapter Member)

Novice Piobaireachd
2nd Thomas Adamson. (Southern Highlands Chapter Member)

C Grade Piobaireachd 1st Poppy Middleton .

C Grade Jig: 3rd Poppy Middleton .

D Grade Snare 6/8 March: 2nd Michael Smith

D Grade 2/4 Bass
1st Lachlan Watts
2nd: Murray Matthews

D Grade 2/4 Tenor
1st Rhiannon Watts

D Grade 6/8 Tenor
1st: Rhiannon Watts
2nd: Sapphire Spark.
Overall D Grade State Tenor Champion: Rhiannon Watts

C Grade Tenor MSR:
1st: Sapphire Spark (Southern Highlands Chapter Member)

C Grade Tenor 6/8 March:
2nd Sapphire Spark(Southern Highlands Chapter Member)
Overall C Grade Tenor Champion: Sapphire Spark

C Grade Snare 6/8 March 3rd Michael Smith

C Grade Snare MSR: 2nd Michael Smith.

A Grade Tenor Hornpipe and Jig 1st Michael Smith

A Grade Tenor MSR: 1st Michael Smith
Overall A Grade Champion Tenor: Michael Smith

Also a big mention to Pipe Sergeant Riordan Drake who accompanied our drummers 15 times in their solo endeavours .

Send a message to learn more

07/11/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14YakKDFh7/

16/10/2024

Hi if any of my friends would like to buy a ticket and support the Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band.

Contact me at [email protected] and let me know how many tickets you would like and I will send you some direct deposit details for however many tickets you wish to buy, and fill in the raffle butts with your name and phone.

And I will be wishing you all the best and hoping you win this great Christmas Hamper.

It is drawn on Dec 16th.

29/09/2024

Ever thought about getting you kilt on and rocking to the PIPES?
We have our last three week ZOOM course on offer for 2024, details below.
We also have a face to face introductory course on Tuesday 8th October from 12.30pm - 3pm. Cost $33 at the Moss vale Ex Services Club. .
For new students you will be supplied with a practice to loan, and a folder of our basic starter course to take home and keep.
A great school holiday activity if you or your child are looking for something different to try.
For experienced pipers there is also a ping workshop being conducted on the same day. Cost $33 (inc.GST) where we will cover off learning a new tune, basic embellishments exercises and music reading ad bagpipe maintenance.
Booking are essential, spaces are limited - secure your spot now!

03/08/2024

If you did not book in for the current course and felt you "missed out" we are running it again see below.