Kate Dudek

After playing tenor for several years with the City of Regina Pipe Band in Grade 2, Kate Dudek (then Kate Rennie) competed in Grade 1 with the 78th Fraser Highlanders. Being a part of the Best Drum Corps and Best Bass wins in Grade 1 at the World Pipe Band Championships in 2007 was a particular career highlight.

She has been instructing, composing, and choreographing for tenor and bass drummers in private lessons and bands in Southern Ontario since 2008. The bands she works with are regular recipients of the Bass Bass Section awards in the Ontario games circuit, including the Guelph Pipe Band, Grade 3 North American Champions and Best Bass Section in 2019. Several of Kate’s drumming students have gone on to play in and lead grade 1 bands: in 2017, the lead tenor drummers of all three GTA Grade 1 bands were Kate's former students from her days teaching and composing/choreographing for Paris Port Dover Pipe Band in grades 5, 4, 3 and 2.

Kate has Intermediate and Advanced Theory and Harmony Certifications from the Royal Conservatory of Music and has been certified to judge bass and tenor for the PPBSO since 2014.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has continued to work with the band midsections, running online practices via a combination of asynchronously recorded video/audio compilations and self-analysis over Zoom calls. All midsection players get to be the Ensemble Judge as they view an accurate integrated video with sound of the corps playing. This work transfers brilliantly to work with distance players and those who can not all meet regularly in person.

Kate is available to write scores for band midsections or solo tenor/bass, group workshops as well as instruction for bands (ongoing or workshops), and solo lessons. Due to the pandemic, she is currently working primarily via online sessions.