Music workshops and tuition

A fully qualified and registered Primary school teacher in Scotland, I offer workshops and lessons to groups and individuals, to children and adults alike. I am a member of MusicLeader, have signed up to its Code of Practice and have public liability insurance.

There is now a dedicated web site for my music tuition. For further information see The Flow Music Workshops.

Fun Flute (formerly Portobello Flute Group) (Adults)

I run classes for adults in traditional music on the flute and tin whistle in the Portobello area of Edinburgh. The focus is on learning new tunes, developing technique and playing with others. Set in an informal atmosphere, tuition is by ear, music is provided online and recording is encouraged.

Contact me for details of the next dates or visit The Flow Music Workshops.

Other Workshops and Individual Tuition for Traditional Flute and Whistle (all ages)

Other formats of workshop for traditional flute and whistle are also also available, for both adults and children.

I also offer tuition in traditional flute and whistle for individuals. Please contact me for prices and availability.

You can get in touch with me at
gordon[dot]turnbull[at]theflow[dot]org[dot]uk

Scots Music Group Beginners Whistle (Adults)

I teach Beginners Tin Whistle at the Scots Music Group in Edinburgh. Music and resources for my classes can be found here.

If you are interested in joining, please contact the Scots Music Group directly.

The Border Gaitherin' 2011

Tunes taught at the Border Gaitherin' 2011 in Coldstream. These MP3s are released under a Creative Commons licence and you are free to download and share them. Please ask me if you are not sure. ABCs and PDFs of the music will follow on.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic License

The Wild Hills o' Wannies
This version is from the Northumbrian Pipers' Tunebook and may have been devised by Billy Pigg from what I understand. It is a version of The Hills of Glenorchy and probably played slower than I play it here.
The Hills of Glenorchy
A Highland pipe jig related to a good number of other tunes. I originally learned this from the playing of Sprangeen, but may have changed it since then. Played fast and slow in this recording.
The Rollicking Boys of Tandragee (slow version here)
An Irish version of the tune, which has lyrics as well. The biggest departure from the other versions is in the B part.
Gillean Nan Drobher (The Drover Lads, Gillan the Drover) (slow version here)
A four-part jig with a Highland piping feel and structure, but in G, this flute-friendly tune appears in various collections. The Gaelic title translates as The Drover Lads and Gillan the Drover is one of many corruptions of the title. There are two closely-related phrases common to each part that help unlock the tune.
The Laurel Bush (The Laurel Tree)
I will be adding this in due course, but in the meantime, here is a version that I recorded as part of the Flutility project a few years ago.

Creative music workshops for schools and community groups

I also deliver creative music workshops in schools and the community. Current and previous engagements include East Lothian Arts Services, Artlink Central, Portobello Music School, Historic Scotland and Scottish Borders Council.

Contact me directly or visit The Flow Music Workshops for further information.

Notes on a Story (P1-3)

Using instruments that are available in the school, the children explore sounds, rhythms and textures over three 1-hour workshops to help tell a story, learn to read a graphic score and conduct a musical ensemble. These workshops are suitable for both complete beginners and those with some musical experience alike.

Follow-up teaching ideas are provided.

This workshop has cross-curricular themes and involves group work, peer appraisal, literacy, PSD, listening and performance skills.

Surround Sound (P4-P6)

Over the course of a single 1.5-2 hour workshop, children respond to and learn about music inspired by nature and form their own ensemble using natural instruments, ending in a performance and recording.

Follow-up and related teaching ideas are provided.

This workshop has cross-curricular themes and involves group work, peer appraisal, listening and performance skills, PSD, art, writing, science and history.

Strolling on Song (P4-P7)

Over the course of three 2-hour workshops, children learn to write a song that they then put to music, perform and record. The topic can be agreed beforehand with the class teacher. The workshop uses instruments available in the school, but children may also bring in instruments they are already learning to play — electric and acoustic guitars, fiddles, chanters, English horns and trombones have all featured in the past. However, please check at the first workshop for suitability.

Follow-up teaching ideas are provided.

This workshop has cross-curricular themes and involves group work, peer appraisal, literacy, listening and performance skills and ICT.

The MusicLeader.net Code of Practice.