Northumbrian Pipers Weekend
6th – 9th March 2009

Pauline is widely recognized as one of the leading performers of the Northumbrian Pipes. She took up the pipes at the age of thirteen and over the next few years won all the major competitions for the instrument. She has been a professional musician since 1993 and has performed all over the world - both solo and in a highly successful duo with fiddler Tom McConville. Her style is traditional, but she is also well known for expanding the repertoire of the pipes and is often in demand for new projects.

Pauline’s virtuoso playing is not only exciting and accurate, but also extremely musical. She is a highly respected teacher of the instrument and has given tuition on countless piping courses over the last 20 years

Chris started experimenting with wind instruments from a very early age, teaching himself by reproducing TV theme tunes on the recorder. He progressed onto the clarinet and was awarded a music scholarship to Bryanston School.

He still plays clarinet and saxophone professionally but was drawn to the Northumbrian Smallpipes after hearing them on a BBC broadcast in around 1990. He acquired a set in 2003 and has since won two Open competitions and tutored on the Halsway, Oxford and Manchester courses.

Francis has taught beginners’ groups at the courses at Halsway Manor and Oxford since their inception. Originally from Berwickshire, he now lives in London. Francis first trained as a teacher and subsequently as an instrument maker.

Until recently he was Head of Learning Support in a secondary school in Peckham He has now returned to making and researching into historical smallpipes.