Winter School is a rare opportunity to learn from some of the best players and the most creative instructors of Celtic music, while spending time in community with fellow musicians and music appreciators.
Learn MoreWinter School is one of the flagship programs of the Celtic Arts Foundation. Each year, we bring some of the world’s most accomplished Celtic musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the US to teach aspiring musicians. The Winter School is opportunity to learn tunes from some of the best players and the most creative instructors of Celtic music, while spending time in community with fellow musicians and music appreciators, to be inspired, and just have fun! The schedule includes group classes, evening sessions and ceilidhs, and more. We welcome all ages to participate in the program. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. Adults and kids attend classes together as groups are based on speed of learning and not age. Winter School classes are not designed for those who are complete beginners on their instrument, but rather continuing learners who want to expand their knowledge and skill.
Winter School takes place at Seabeck Conference Center in Seabeck, WA. All housing and classrooms are on-campus and walkable. Students have the option of selecting one of three types of housing packages:
There is not a no room + no meals option. Students can also make requests for specific houses and/or rooms at Seabeck using our tiered housing options. The Celtic Arts Foundation will do all we can to meet these requests, although we cannot guarantee them. Priority for housing requests is granted in order of student registration; early registration is encouraged for students with specific requests.
Seabeck can accommodate a limited number of specialty diets: vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and non-Celiac gluten free. Please note that Seabeck is also a completely nut free facility. Students will indicate any dietary restrictions during the checkout process. For students with allergies or dietary restrictions not listed above, options exist for storage of food brought from home. Chaperones who are not attending classes can register to accompany a student at a reduced rate. Email Cayley@CelticArts.org for pricing.
Early arrival is available for some programs, and includes one additional night of lodging at Seabeck. This add-on is for accommodation only, costs $130 and no meals or programing will be provided on that day. Early arrival is not available for all programs and housing options.
Students have the option of paying for Winter School over three installments if preferred. All payments must be completed before the first day of Winter School; exact installment dates can be determined between the Celtic Arts Foundation and the student. If you would like to pay in installments, please follow the invoice instructions described above in the Scholarship section, and contact Roberta Bjorling (Roberta@CelticArts.org or 360-416-4934) to arrange payment details.
Winter School t-shirts and hoodies are available for pre-order during registration. We won’t be printing any extra, so this is your only chance to order one! You will be asked for your shirt size during check-out. A limited selection of other Celtic Arts Foundation merchandise including mugs, hats, and pins will be available for purchase at Winter School. Cash, check, or card are accepted for any merchandise purchases made at Winter School.
A concert featuring many of the Winter School Highland Pipes, Drums, Scottish Fiddle, Accompaniment, and Smallpipes instructors will take place on Friday, February 9th at 7:30PM at the Edmonds Center for the Arts in Edmonds, WA. Students of those programs will receive a ticket to the concert as part of their registration, and have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets for their friends and family at a discounted rate.
Please note that by registering to Winter School, you are agreeing to our waiver and policies. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Celtic Arts Foundation at 360-416-4934 or events@celticarts.org. Registration ends on December 31st, 2023.
Gary is a musician, academic and broadcaster who specializes in researching, teaching and performing the cultural traditions of Scotland. He spent 27 years as the Professor of Scottish Ethnology at the University of Edinburgh, and is in high demand as a lecturer, piper and singer. Originally from Pitlochry in Perthshire, Gary played with the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band, winning the Scottish and European Championships, and played for two seasons with the Grade 1 Glasgow Police Pipe Band. In addition to his work in music and media, Gary is a former Director of the European Ethnological Research Centre, a board member of Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, and a board member of the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust. For many years, Gary has hosted Pipeline, a weekly program on BBC Radio Scotland. He has recently begun his own piping podcast called ‘Enjoy Your Piping.’
Angus MacColl, who hails from Benderloch, Scotland, comes from an illustrious piping family and is the great grandnephew of legendary piper and composer John MacColl. With years of piping still ahead, Angus’s contribution to the MacColl dynasty is certain t orival that of his forebears. Angus has won virtually every award in piping, including the Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness, the Glenfiddich Championship twice, the Clasp at Inverness three times, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban three times, the Silver Star for former winners MSR at Inverness, and the former winners MSR at Oban on several occasions.
Born in New Zealand and an emigrant to Scotland, Murray Henderson has won an amazing number of top awards. His accomplishments include prizes and Gold Medals at Oban and Inverness, six Clasps at Inverness, five Silver Chanters at Dunvegan Castle, London’s Bratach Gorm five times, the Former Winners MSR at London five times, and four-time Glenfiddich champion. In 2016 he was honored by being inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Senior adjudicator for the Solo Piper’s Judges Association for both Piobaireachd and light music, Murray has judged Internationally, and at all major events in Scotland. Spanning five decades, his competitive and mentoring record has made him one of the world’s most successful, and knowledgeable pipers.
Roddy MacLeod MBE, Glasgow, Scotland is considered to be one of the most accomplished pipers of his generation and a highly regarded teacher, recitalist and adjudicator. Uniquely, he is a Grade 1 Championship winning Pipe Major and a five time Glenfiddich World Solo Piping Champion and in 2012 he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Awards Hall of Fame. Throughout his career as a piper Roddy has become renowned for his sound and is a dedicated ambassador of the instrument.
Fred Morrison was born and raised near Glasgow, but it’s the celebrated Gaelic piping tradition of his father’s native South Uist, in the outer Hebrides, that forms the bedrock of his intensely expressive, uniquely adventurous style. His outstanding technical prowess saw him winning many top competition prizes while still at school, meanwhile being inspired by pioneering acts like the Bothy Band and the Tannahill Weavers. Although his first-love instrument remains the great Highland bagpipes, over the years his mastery has expanded to encompass whistles, Scottish small pipes, or reel pipes – Morrison being a pivotal popularizer of this once-rare variety – and Irish uilleann pipes. He was also one of the first Scottish artists to forge dynamic links with his Celtic cousins in Brittany and north-west Spain, adding further to his repertoire of influences and tunes, and has long been renowned as an outstanding tune composer.
The early part of Eric’s career was spent cutting his teeth as a mandolinist in the rich local folk and roots music scene in Boston MA. Later Eric attended Berklee College of Music where he studied under world renowned mandolinist & guitarist John McGann, as well as gaining a practical knowledge of music in many styles. His education continued post Berklee and he soon found a gateway into the realm of traditional music through playing for contra dances, a native form of New England folk dance derived primarily from a combination of English, Scottish, Irish and Acadian traditions. Eric found himself quickly in demand as a DADGAD guitar accompanist for musicians playing traditional music, finding a particular niche in the Scottish & Cape Breton realm. Now well established he maintains an active touring schedule, supplemented by recording sessions and a variety of teaching endeavors. In addition to Eric’s current projects some of his touring credits include celtic supergroup The Outside Track, hodge podge folk band The Dave Rowe Trio, up and coming Scottish fiddler Katie McNally, New England contra dance band Matching Orange, folk-pop outfit Pesky J. Nixon and renowned Cape Breton fiddlers Andrea Beaton & Wendy MacIsaac.
Ross is a founding member of Gaelic supergroup, Daimh, based in the Scottish Highlands. Beyond Daimh’s busy schedule, Ross has chalked up recording and touring credits with artists such as Julie Fowlis, Bonnie Prince Billy, Muireann Nic Aomhlaoibh, Karan Casey, Finlay MacDonald and the inimitable Vallely brothers from Armagh. Time at home is spent heavily involved in teaching the joys of traditional Scottish music to young people in the area through the Feisean movement and volunteering with the local Coastguard Search and Rescue team.
Raised in Lanark, Nova Scotia, his musical prowess can be attributed to an especially rare combination of commitment and bloodline. By the age of six, Troy was already impressing audiences with his step dancing skills. By 13 he was teaching piano at the renowned Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts in St. Anne’s, Cape Breton. He has completed grade seven of the Toronto Conservatory of Music for classical piano, has spent four years in a stringed orchestra and has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music from St. Francis Xavier University.
Jenna is from Lakewood, New York and is a graduate of Berklee College of Music. While studying, she was selected to receive the Fletcher Bright Award & and The American Roots Music Award – two honors given annually to one outstanding string player. She performs in a duo with Scottish harpist, Mairi Chaimbeul, Seamus Egan Project, & the Hanneke Cassel Band, and has performed with The Milk Carton Kids, Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards Darol Anger & The Furies, Old Blind Dogs and as a soloist at Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops. In addition to a busy touring schedule, Jenna teaches at music camps & courses throughout the year and is Assistant Professor in the String Department at Berklee College of Music.
Alasdair White is an exceptional exponent of west coast Scottish music and is widely regarded as one of the foremost Scottish fiddler players of his generation. He was born and brought up on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands of singular importance to Gaelic Scotland’s musical heritage and is perhaps best known as having been a member of Scotland’s seminal Battlefield Band for over 16 years, touring extensively in that time throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Now resident in New York, Alasdair has performed and recorded as a guest with many of the best-known names in Scottish, Irish and Breton traditional music including Kathleen MacInnis, Julie Fowlis, Eddie Reader, Allan MacDonald, Manus Lunny, Nuala Kennedy, and Arnaud Ciapolino. Current ongoing projects include Daimh, the Alan Kelly Gang and of course, Battlefield Band. Alasdair also recently premiered a major commission at the Hebridean Celtic festival in Stornoway, an hour-long original piece entitled An Iuchair.
Wendy MacIsaac is a renowned fiddler from Cape Breton who has been playing music for more than 30 years. She is recognized as one of the “old school” style of players who has kept the traditional sound going and has a deep respect for it. Wendy is also a sought after piano accompanist and step dancer. Besides performing as a solo artist, Wendy records and tours in a critically acclaimed and award-winning band with Mary Jane Lamond and Cathy Porter. She is a founding member of Beólach, and has also performed with The Cape Breton Summertime Revue, Capercaillie, The Chieftains, Ashley MacIsaac, and toured with Heather Rankin and The Rankin Sisters. Wendy has recorded on more than 20 albums (including four of her own, two with Beólach, and one with her and Mary Jane), and is in high demand for her skills at teaching the Cape Breton style of fiddling.
Ailis Sutherland is from Kirriemuir, Angus and grew up playing in her local pipe band. As a soloist and as part of a range of ensembles including folk band Hecla, Ailis has a diverse performance history with festival appearances in Australia, Brittany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway and Romania. She has delivered workshops as part of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland’s outreach program, developed her teaching repertoire and technique classes on the Curso Internacional de Música Tradicional (Asturias) and appeared a regular Fèis tutor in Uist and Barra. Ailis graduated with a BA (Hons) in Applied Music from the University of the Highlands and Islands in 2018 and now works at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, teaching in a primary school in the city as well as covering lessons on the intensive courses and seasonal schools.
Finlay MacDonald has blazed a trail as one of Scotland’s finest exponents of contemporary and traditional Piping. He has worked with many leading artists in the traditional music scene including Fred Morrison, The Unusual Suspects, La Banda Europa, Old Blind Dogs and Chris Stout. As a soloist, he has collaborated with many world famous ensembles including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and the RTE Philharmonic. In the Pop and Rock world there have been unique performances with such diverse artistes such as Bryan Adams, Biffy Clyro and the rap artist P.Diddy. Always driven by collaboration and innovation, Finlay’s passion for the music he has grown up with has led him to the post of “Head of Piping Studies” at the National Piping Centre and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he continues to inspire and develop the very best of new Piping talent.
Callum Beaumont currently resides in Guardbridge, Scotland. Callum is a bagpipe instructor at Dollar Academy. In a professional capacity he is a much sought after and highly rated instructor prominent around the world. With regard to band history, at twelve years of age Callum joined the Grade 1 Lothian & Borders Police, moving on to Shotts & Dykehead, Simon Fraser University and Inveraray & District, winning four World Championship titles. In 2018 and 2022, as Pipe Major of Dollar Academy Novice A, he led the band to all five major titles, including being named World Champions. Callum has now progressed on to winning many of the most prestigious titles in world piping including five Clasps, two Gold Medals, The Silver Chanter, The Silver Star and winning The Overall Title at The Glenfiddich Piping Championship in 2023.
Bruce Gandy grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, where his father was pipe-major of the local Canadian Scottish Regiment pipe band, and he learned to play from notable pipers James W. Troy and Hal Senyk. After several years in the City of Victoria Pipe Band, Bruce moved to Ontario, where he married into the piping Rollo family, and established himself as a top solo and band competitor as a member of the 1987 World Champion 78th Fraser Highlanders. Bruce also established himself as a composer of note, with many of his tunes being played by the 78th Frasers and other top bands. Bruce moved to Prince Edward Island to became Head Piping Instructor at the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts, and later he took the position of Piping Instructor at the Halifax Citadel, where he remains today. For the last 20 years, Bruce has been one of the dominant players on the World scene, winning the Gold Medals for Piobaireachd at The Northern Meeting (Inverness) and the Argyllshire Gathering (Oban), the Bratach Gorm (Blue Banner) in London, The Silver Star for Former Winners March, Strathspey and Reel and having been 2nd prize winner at the Glenfiddich Championships . As well, Bruce has published four books of music, produced online teaching and workshops that reach around the world, developed his own pipe chanter with McCallum Bagpipes and he is in regular demand as a tutor and performer.
From Inveraray, started piping at the age of nine and was originally taught by his grandfather, the late Pipe Major Ronald McCallum M.B.E. and later, Arthur Gillies. He has also had tuition from Jim Henderson and Hugh MacCallum. For seven years he was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band thereafter joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Vancouver, Canada with whom he played for eleven years. A piano tuner by trade, he is also a piping instructor at Mid Argyll Primary and Lochgilphead High Schools. Stuart is the Founder and Pipe Major of the World Champion Pipe Band, Inveraray and District. He is one of the world’s most exciting pipers and is noted for his excellent solo performances and recordings at numerous Simon Fraser University Pipe Band concerts. His truly brilliant solo performances have inspired many to take up this most difficult of all instruments. Students, young and older have benefited from his incredible ability to motivate and influence their journey and stimulate creativity.
A native of Campbeltown, Kintyre, Willie received his main tuition from his uncles Ronald McCallum and Hugh A. McCallum and also came under the guidance of Ronald McCallum, MBE, Piper to The Duke of Argyll. The McCallum family can trace their piping back to John McAlister (Willie’s 4-times great-grandfather) who won the prize pipe in 1782 at the Falkirk Tryst. Willie’s development as a youngster included not only these formal family influences but the less tangible, equally important impressions made by countless visits to the Kintyre Piping Society. Here he heard all the experts of the era, including legends such as Donald MacLeod, Donald MacPherson, and John Burgess. Willie McCallum is one of the foremost competing pipers in the world today. He is in demand as a recitalist, adjudicator, and teacher. He has five solo recordings to his credit, in addition to his appearance on a number of compilation albums recorded live at recitals and competitions. In recent years, several of his students have gained high placings at the major piping gatherings at Oban, Inverness, and London. He also has long and successful pipe band experience and was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band winning three major championships.
For more than three decades, Jack Lee has been regarded as one of the world’s leading pipers. His accomplishments as a solo piper, pipe band leader, and teacher cause him to be much sought after as a performer, lecturer, and teacher throughout the world. For nearly forty years, Pipe-Sergeant Jack Lee has been ranked among the world’s most accomplished pipers. He has won all the top solo prizes available: The Glenfiddich Championship, Gold Medals at both Oban and Inverness, the Clasp at Inverness (2), the Silver Star at Inverness (4), the Bratach Gorm at London (3) the Open Piobaireachd at Oban (2), the Silver Star at Oban and the Masters Invitational (2). Jack teaches many piping schools and workshops each year as well as numerous private students around the world via Skype.In October 2017, Jack won the coveted Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship in Blair Atholl, Scotland, considered the top prize in piping. Jack is also the pipe sergeant and co-founder of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, which has been a consistent prize-winner at the World Championships in the past 20 years.
Blair began drumming in 1992 under the instruction of Doug Stronach. Blair is a sought after educator. He regularly conducts workshops and teaches at piping and drumming schools worldwide. He is a certified judge with the Pipers’ and Pipe Band Society of Ontario, and the British Columbia Pipers’ Association. He is currently based in Vancouver, BC. Blair is one of the top solo drummers in the world. He is a consistent prize winner at the World Solo Drumming Championships. He has won the Gold Medal at the prestigious Winter Storm event, in Kansas City, a record 5 times.
Steven began drumming in 1993 at the age of 10, with initial lessons from his father, Dessie. Steven joined the local Cullybackey Pipe Band in 1994, receiving snare instruction from Adrian Hoy. In 1995 Steven progressed into the snare line where he remained until Cullybackey won the Grade 2 World Drumming title in 2001. It was then that J. Reid Maxwell approached him to join the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band in Vancouver, Canada. Between the years of 2002 – 2008 he travelled from his home in Northern Ireland to compete, teach and perform with the band in British Columbia, Canada. September 2008 saw the next chapter of Steven’s drumming career develop when he and World renowned piper, Stuart Liddell joined forces to take the Inveraray & District Juvenile program into Grade 2. Since 2009 the Inveraray & District has risen to become one of the world’s most prominent pipe bands winning the World Pipe Band Championships and Champion of Champions title in 2017, both in drumming and the overall prize. Some highlights of Steven’s drumming career have been winning the World Solo Drumming Championships, the Grade 1 World Drum Corps Championships and the overall World Pipe Band Championships with Inveraray and District.
Michael Cole, from Chicago, Illinois, began his pipe band career in 1987. In addition to bass drumming, Mike has experience as a leading drummer as well as a rhythm tenor drummer. In 1998, he won the Best Bass award in Grade 2 at the World Pipe Band Championships. His bass sections have won he Grade 1 North American titles in Maxville, Ontario in 2006, 2007, and 2011. Mike won the 2007 and 2012 Mid-West Highland Arts Gold Medal in the professional bass drumming competition in Kansas City. In 2010, Mike guested as the bass drummer for the Grade 1 Inveraray and District Pipe Band and played all the major contests with them. A retired professional educator, Mike instructs at workshops, seminars, and summer camps in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Scotland. He also serves as drumming adjudicator at competitions.
Tyler Fry is the recognized world leader in the art of pipe band tenor drumming. By the age of 15, he had won every major professional solo tenor drumming event in North America, including the Canadian, United States, and North American Championships. Tyler is a three-time winner of the Grade 1 World Bass Drum Section Championship with the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band of Toronto, as well as countless Scottish, British, European, and World band and drum corps titles with Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band under the leadership of the legendary Drum Major Jim Kilpatrick MBE. Tyler travels extensively conducting masterclasses and seminars, and regularly tours with the Red Hot Chili Pipers.
Please scroll down for more information on scholarships, transportation, and other helpful details!
All Winter School activities take place at the Seabeck Conference Center in Seabeck, WA. Once you arrive at Seabeck you will not need a vehicle. Here is a more in-depth look at transportation to and from Winter School in Seabeck, WA, and to and from the Masters of Scottish Arts Concert in Edmonds, WA.
Seabeck Conference Center: 13395 Lagoon Dr NW, Seabeck, WA 98380
This information is for those flying in to Seattle and then heading directly to Winter School. Please note that if you are flying in the day before your program starts, that lodging at Seabeck may not be available. If you indicated ‘Early Arrival’ on your registration we will do our best to accommodate that request.
If you are not renting a car, there is a shuttle called the Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter that leaves from the Seatac Airport and will take you to Silverdale, WA. You can’t make reservations on this shuttle in this direction, but this is the best option. You can find more details and a timetable for that on their website. When you arrive in Silverdale, you can take a 15-minute taxi or Uber to Seabeck Conference Center.
If you are renting a car, you can put Seabeck Conference Center, 13395 Lagoon Dr. NW, Seabeck, WA 98380 into your map (about 1.5 hours of driving).
If your early arrival request is not possible for us to grant (this is based on housing availability), then we recommend staying the night in Silverdale (the shuttle drops folks of at the Best Western Plus Silverdale Beach Hotel). Then doing the taxi or Uber in the morning, or driving if you have a car.
This information is for those departing Winter School and heading directly to Seatac airport. Please note that different programs end at different times, feel free to reach out to Cayley@CelticArts.org if you have questions about the schedule.
There is a shuttle called the Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter that leaves from Silverdale and heads to the Seatac Airport every day. We recommend making reservations on this shuttle in this direction. You can find more details and a timetable for that on their website. You can take a 15-minute taxi or Uber to the Best Western Plus Silverdale Beach Hotel in Silverdale, WA from Seabeck Conference Center to catch the shuttle.
This information is for those who are in the Highland Pipes & Drums program and are leaving Winter School to attend the Masters of Scottish Arts (MSA) concert in Edmonds, WA on Friday, February 9th.
If you are driving, you can drive from Seabeck Conference Center to the Kingston ferry terminal in about 45 minutes. You are not able to make reservations on this ferry, but you can see the timetable by clicking here. We recommend arriving to the terminal with plenty of time to spare. The ferry takes 30 minutes to cross and you’ll be 5 minutes away from the Edmonds Center for the Arts (concert venue) when you get off the ferry.
If you do not have a car, you can take the Winter School shuttle from Seabeck Conference Center to the Edmonds Center for the Arts (please purchase tickets in advance). This departs from Seabeck around 1pm and arrives in Edmonds around 3:30pm. You’ll have plenty of time to wander around Edmonds and get something to eat before the concert.
This information is for those who are attending the Masters of Scottish Arts (MSA) concert in Edmonds on Friday, February 9th, and then heading to Seabeck Conference Center that night.
If you are driving, you can catch the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston. You cannot make reservations on this ferry so we recommend getting there a bit early. The last ferry is usually around 11pm, but check out the timetable here. Once you get of in Kingston, you’ll drive 45 minutes to Seabeck Conference Center. Please note that if you this is the day before your program starts, that lodging at Seabeck may not be available. If you indicated ‘Early Arrival’ on your registration we will do our best to accommodate that request. If Seabeck lodging is not available that night, you can also stay in Edmonds or Silverdale that night and drive to Seabeck in the morning.
If you are not driving and need help getting from the MSA to Seabeck, you can take the Winter School shuttle from Edmonds to Seabeck (please purchase tickets in advance). Note that if you this is the day before your program starts, that lodging at Seabeck may not be available. If you indicated ‘Early Arrival’ on your registration we will do our best to accommodate that request. If Seabeck lodging is not available that night, you can also get a ride to a hotel in Silverdale that night, and get a taxi or Uber to Seabeck in the morning.
This information is for those who are attending the Masters of Scottish Arts concert in Edmonds on Friday, February 9th, and need to get to the Seatac airport without a car. Please purchase a ticket on the Winter School shuttle bus that will depart the Edmonds Center for the Arts at 11:30pm and drive to the Radisson Seattle Airport, arriving around 12:30am. The Radisson has a free shuttle that goes between the hotel and the Seatac airport terminal which is convenient for those departing the next day. The address of the Radisson Seattle Airport Hotel is: 18118 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188.
The Celtic Arts Foundation is pleased to offer a limited number of scholarships for Winter School 2023. If you are in need of financial assistance to attend, we hope you will apply for a scholarship using the following form. Please read the following guidelines before applying for a scholarship to Winter School:
Scholarship applications have now closed. Please contact Cayley@CelticArts.org with any questions.
The Winter School prides itself on the variety of demographic groups represented at each session. In 2008, a scholarship fund was created in memory of Mr. Jay Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a Spokane, WA native and keen adult-learner of the Great Highland Bagpipe. This scholarship is awarded at Winter School, made available for the following year’s tuition and room and board. The Celtic Arts Foundation continues raising funds and soliciting contributions to grow the Jay Johnson Scholarship Fund to a $20,000-$30,000 level, which will generate one full-tuition, room and board scholarship each year.
In 2013 a new Winter School Piping Scholarship was created in honor of the late Jeremiah MacKay, a piper and Sheriff Deputy in California who was tragically killed in the line of duty. The Jeremiah MacKay Scholarship is a full scholarship that is awarded with a preference to individuals actively involved in public safety or military service.
In 2017, a Winter School Smallpipe Scholarship was established by Mr. Joe Roberts, called the Fred Morrison Smallpipe Scholarship, which is scholarship for smallpipe student awarded based on merit and need.
The Mike Yachanin Memorial Scholarship was established in 2022 to honor Mike’s legacy and presence in the piping community. It is awarded to a piping student who is either school-aged or a veteran, and is a full scholarship for the Highland Pipes program.
The Emerald Isle Scholarship was established in 2018 by Irish culture enthusiasts and is a full scholarship for either uilleann pipes, smallpipes or fiddle.
The Maureen Lee Scholarship was established in 2019 to honor Maureen’s legacy in the Pacific Northwest Celtic community and is a full scholarship for Highland pipes.
The Jerry Holland Memorial Scholarship is in honor of the late, great Cape Breton fiddling master. This scholarship, established in 2017 for fiddling, is sponsored by anonymous donors. The Jerry Holland scholarship is based entirely on merit and is annually awarded to outstanding fiddlers to attend the Winter School Scottish fiddle program.
The Celtic Arts Foundation Scholarships are need-based scholarships, focused on helping young students who may not otherwise be able to attend because of financial circumstances.