Bagpipes beginners to half advanced – Wouter Kuyper (NL)

Wouter Kuyper will give an interesting course especially for players who have been playing the bagpipes for a little while, but are not yet ready for the (semi) advanced workshop.

Wouter is a great musician and an experienced teacher. Together with the participants, he will go deeper into their own playing technique, variations and ornaments using old and new repertoire.

Let yourself be challenged by this experienced bagpipe player!

Level of playing

This workshop is especially for beginners to intermediate players, so participants already have some experience with the bagpipes. For example, they participate in the Saturday course, have already taken lessons. They have been playing for about a year, maybe even longer.

In comparison with our monthly Saturday course: this workshop is intended for about the same level as the beginners to intermediate course that Dorine currently teaches, but the more fluent players from Menno’s beginners groups are also welcome. You are expected to be able to play the major notes on your scale fluently.

Maximum number of participants: 12

Wouter Kuyper

‘I was born musically in Gooik’
Wouter is not only a fantastic bagpipe player, he also plays the accordion very beautifully. At the age of 10, his parents took Wouter to Gooikoorts in Gooik (Belgium) for the first time. There he was introduced to folk music, and he developed an addiction that has not gone away to this day. Wouter has been dancing Bal Folk since his first visit to Gooik and started playing the bagpipes at the age of eleven.

At the age of fifteen, he added the accordion. From the age of seventeen, he played in his first band. Regular visits to other festivals and workshops (Saint Chartier, Schier, etc.) kept the fire going. He makes no secret of why he was inspired by old Flemish, French and Dutch dance music: ‘I love balfolk, I love dancing, the festivals like in St Chartier and Gooik. The choice for balfolk repertoire is easily made.’

After his education in a completely different direction (biogeology, communication and education direction) he started working full-time with music. Now he teaches and plays in different bands and music groups, such as Androneda, Wouter en de Draak and BmB

Listen on youtube:
• BmB – Lou diziou bè / Bourrée a Ribeyrolle
• BmB -Les Vignerons & le menage a trois
• BmB – De edele wijn
• Wouter en de Draak- Dusgemint
• De Vliering – Fredoline (Wouter speelt vanaf 1:39)
• BmB – L’Impasse
• BmB – Dejeuner sur l’herbe
• Wouter test een doedelzak van Tetz Dudelsackbau
With Wouter on accordion:
• Lirio – Mazurka voor een mus
• Wouter en de Draak – Fireflies and Mosquitoes
• Wouter en de Draak – New Horizons, New adventures
• Wouter en de Draak – Werkelijk waar?
• Wouter Kuyper – Witte Wilco