Student Testimonials
"Taking instruction from John has helped me on many levels. First, he has
helped rekindle the love I have for piping. Everything, through his system
of teaching, seems much simpler than it should be or ever has been. This, in
return with all the positive feedback , is very encouraging and is a great
confidence builder. Everything I've learned from John I've tried to show to
my students, the local band I instruct and I've used in both solo and band
arenas. Once a certain task is overcome I'm amazed at new ways I'm showed to
approach the music. The music...this is something I've only been taught to
bring out at the very end. John's approach, however, is different where
music is and as it should be, the focus of attention. I would recommend lessons with John to anybody, no matter how accomplished. Even if simply for the wonderful approach he has to the music and other people." Justin Howland
"I am a phone student of John's all the way down in south Mississippi. If I were to give a testimonial about taking lessons from John, I would say that it is worth every penny! I haven't been taking long but EVERY time I hang up the phone after a lesson, I feel like a better piper and musician!! As for his books- Why didn't someone think of this sooner!! They are the most complete bagpipe tutors I have ever seen! Music theory, technique, instrument maintenence, ... nothing is missing!! Many thanks
Jessie Langham "Here is the truth and nothing but the truth!! I feel very fortunate to have John as my teacher. His achievements in the world of piping are remarkable and his expertise is world renown. While I was very intimidated by all of these accomplishments, I have found him to be exceedingly patient and generous with his time and knowledge. He inspires success and fosters confidence." Alex Jablonsky
"In the two plus years that I have studied under John Cairns I have developed a deeper appreciation and understanding of Scottish light music. What separates John Cairns from other instructors is a layered approach in which specific goals are established and a framework is put in place to acheive said goals. I find this approach helpful because it gives the student a reference point in which conveys and illustrates John's lesson. Strong weak medium weak doesn't mean a hill of beans if your not even playing in time. Thanks John!!!!!" Mike O'Donnell
"My tuition with John began at a time when he was coming Denver on a monthly basis to teach. I was keen to keep my relationship with him alive when the trips to Colorado finally became unfeasible but I was somewhat skeptical of telephone lessons. However, my time as a “distance student” has been a critical part of my development as a piper. John’s no-nonsense approach provides me with accountability as a soloist, and he skillfully balances demanding and nurturing attitudes to effectively get the most out of me as a musician. I am indebted to John for his teaching, and I would highly recommend him to anyone who is passionate about pursuing this challenging instrument." Doug Yates
Boulder, CO "I have been taking piping lessons from John for one and a half years. His teaching style is disciplined, yet he is remarkably patient and has a keen ability to provide explanations to help his students understand certain aspects of piping which they may be having difficulty with. He is able to bring out the best possible piper in each of his students. The Bagpipe Solutions tutor books are clear, thorough and well-written. The progression through the steps involved in learning to pipe correctly are deliberate, methodical and straight-forward enough for the student to notice progress as a piper. I wish these books had been available when I first learned to pipe!" Teresa McNeill
"I have been taking lessons with John for a few years now, and have found his teaching style to be the best for me. I am an adult learner, and wandered through the books and internet information as well as a few live teachers before John was recommended to me by a student of his. John's attention to solid fundamentals and sound technique coupled with his commitment to his students has been just the thing that I needed. Right away John recognized the deficiencies in my playing, as well as the strengths, and he began to systematically dismantle the bad blocks, while strengthening the good ones. The net result has been consistent progress for me, and a confidence in my playing that I did not have before. I think that all players looking for a solid bagpipe education owe it to themselves to either use John's methods, or look him up personally. It's worth the time and effort." Cailean Lenover
 "John is an excellent teacher both in person and over the phone. His
teaching techniques have helped me fine-tune my execution, control my
expression of idioms, establish my musicality, and improve my overall
performance. The improvement to my playing has increased my confidence
and
enjoyment of this instrument. With John's encouragement and instruction,
I've succeeded where I never thought I would in piping both competitively
and artistically."Thanks!
Virginia Franklyn "I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you so very much for giving me the confidence and desire to succeed in playing the Bagpipe. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I ever would be able to put together a recognizable tune, but I was willing to try. I consider myself to be extremely lucky, in stumbling across your number in the local telephone directory, I had absolutely no idea, who John Cairns was, but you lived around the corner, so I called and spoke to Deb about lessons, you called me back and that was the start of a great journey, and very difficult one at times, but you have made it possible. Trying to teach an older student with absolutely no musical ability, no sense of rhythm, and with no understanding of pitch, tone or tune must have been a painful experience, not only for you, but for Deb, and your family, I thank you all. Your Tutor books are fantastic; they explain every step, with a simple logical approach. Link that with your Knowledge, skill, patience, (of a saint) and understanding of how students learn, and you have a very Powerful and Dynamic learning tool for anyone of any age with the desire to play the bagpipes. Your one-on-one lessons are Fun, Relaxed, Informative; and they give me the drive to succeed, • Over the counter teach yourself books $ expensive • Years of poor practice and techniques $ expensive • Bagpipe Solutions by John Cairns $ PRICELESS I thank you again, for sharing your vast knowledge, and by helping me reach an impossible dream. " Yours Sincerely Ian Mahoney  "Over the five years that I've been playing the bagpipes, I've had many
wonderful teachers. For the last two years, John has been my primary mentor
through lessons over the phone. I feel so fortunate to be able to take lessons from one of the best pipers and bagpipe teachers in the world. At
first, I was skeptical about the value of lessons over the phone, but
quickly realized that John was able to catch every crossing noise and wrong
grace note as if I were performing right in front of him - and John has no
tolerance for either! Since starting phone lessons two years ago, my
playing has taken off. I have seen strong and steady improvement in my
execution, timing, confidence, and ability to take on more challenging
tunes. Taking lessons with John has been an extremely rewarding experience
for me and I would wish the experience on anyone."
John Rogers  "As an instructor, John has the remarkable ability to support his students while challenging them to improve. His precise feedback lets you know exactly what you need to do to grow as a piper, and he pushes you to achieve that growth." Margaret Imler
 "As a student of John's for several years I have found the Bagpipe Solution's Tutors to be a valuable learning tool for the piper. The detailed step by step approach allows the student to overcome each hurdle in learning to become a better piper." Rob McRae  "I competed at Hudson Gardens today and did pretty well. I received another
first place ( out of 16) in piobaireachd, a first place ( out of 10) in slow
march, and a second ( out of 10) in 2/4, which qualified me as the Grade 4
aggregate winner. I tell you what, that week of taking lessons from you in
London, the last few months of phone lessons and following along in your
tutor books has made a world of difference. Thank you and Bagpipe Solutions
for getting me on the right track. After all these years of attending summer
schools, buying tutor books, and taking lessons from countless instructors,
I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to do so well. Where in the
world was BAGPIPE SOLUTIONS 10 years ago????
Travis Roberts 
I have been a student of John Cairns now for over
three years and what a fantastic experience it has
been. I began with face to face lessons but now take
lessons over the phone. Under John's expert guidance
I have had to go through a relearning period and I am
a better piper for it! I still have a lot to learn
but I am advancing rapidly now. As a teacher, John is
demanding and pushes for perfection. As I student, I
appreciate that and wish I had been held to this level
form the start. If you want to be the best piper you
can, take lessons from John.Kent Killgore  I've been taking lessons with John via phone for over a year now and I have
found a great improvement in not only my technique and confidence in playing
but also in my understanding of what quality piping is and how a good
bagpipe should sound. My visit to Ontario last summer for in-person lessons
really made a big difference and I am looking forward to even more
improvement in the future."Virginia Smith
 "When I came to John Cairns had brought over 20 years of piping, but little
of it was directed, shaped, and formed for performance from a technical or
expressive standpoint. Through Cairns's instruction, I went from a
struggling grade-4 piper to grade-3. I learned how to listen to myself and
to understand the mechanics of bagpipe playing. His encouragement gave me
the confidence needed to boost me to a higher level."Craig Livingston
Stay Tuned……. More to Come! |
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