Fall Fusion Workshop - we need more of these!

This year marks PPBSO member pipe band, Paris Port Dover’s 25th anniversary and to mark this milestone the band sponsored and ran a day long workshop involving an amazing line-up of instructors. 

In the last 25 years the band has valiantly nurtured piping and drumming in their many teaching programs; they’ve played countless community events, competed and laid out their artistry at events like our Ontario Highland Games and, at many international tattoos like the Basel Tattoo and, most recently, the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo!

Our very own Blair Brown going through the paces

With a view to continue to fire up piping and drumming in Ontario, this past Saturday the band successfully presented a revitalised version of a long-standing southwestern Ontario piping and drumming workshop. At one time known as the “Cambridge Sessions" and then the “Stratford Sessions”, this past Saturdays "Fall Fusion" was a great success.  

Craig Muirhead leading a session

80 participants took part, all attendees looking to be inspired and learn something from some of the worlds best, including Ontario-based Jamie Alfred, Michael Grey, Ian K MacDonald and Johnny Rowe, BC-based Blair Brown and outstanding exponents of the art from the UK and Ireland: Ewan Glenny, Craig Muirhead and Steven McWhirter.

Current world snare drumming champion, Steven McWhirter

The event proved to be an inspirational success, based alone on comments from participants - and one that is sure to grow from strength to strength.

Well done and congratulations to the Paris Port Dover PB organization on this outstanding initiative! If your looking for a Fall workshop next October, keep the 2026 version of “Fall Fusion” in mind.

The PPBSO is striving to find ways to encourage more teaching workshops and programs to inspire our current youth and to get more "sticks and chanters in hands".

Check out the PPBSO and BCPA joint teachers symposium coming up on November 1st - it's open to anyone teaching or who wants to teach. Come out and hear ideas from experts and help build a stronger teaching culture.