Classes

Instrumental, singing, and dancing classes are offered to students and invited youth. Classes for many traditional instruments such as:

Anglo Concertina | Bodhran | Bouzouki | Button Accordion | Dancing | Fiddle | Flute | Guitar | Harp | Mandolin | Piano Accordion | Singing | Tenor Banjo| Uilleann Pipes | Whistle

See SCHEDULE for the times, days and locations of these classes.

Anglo Concertina

Anglo Concertina (All Levels) — Brenda Castles
This class is best suited for students who already play the Anglo concertina and are skilled enough to play common Irish traditional tunes (jigs, reels, polkas, hornpipes, etc.) to a reasonable standard and tempo. The course will center on best fingering styles, rhythm and musicality. As the course progresses, emphasis will be placed on the development of style through chord use, addition of ornamentation and the expansion of a musical repertoire. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

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Bodhran

Bodhran (Fundamentals) — Michelle Hedden
This class will introduce the rudiments of Irish music as applied to the bodhran. Class discussions will include such topics as session etiquette, care and feeding of the bodhran, rim shots, top end and Kerry styles and basic left-hand techniques to adjust the tone. The class will also include an overview of the principal dance tune forms including jigs (double and slip), reels, hornpipes, polkas, slides, etc. Emphasis will be placed on variations of rhythm and style and using both hands to support and “play” the melody along with melody instruments. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

Bodhran (Intermediate & Advanced) — Anna Colliton
This class is for bodhran players who have intermediate to advanced skills. Students will begin by reviewing basic techniques briefly, and then move on to ways to further enhance tune accompaniment with ornamentation, tonal variation, and developing both space and energetic tension between melody and rhythm in the music. Also, students will learn how to break out of ruts and patterns that get ingrained in all of us. The class will explore elements of tune accompaniment, session playing, and modern style bodhran playing according to the wishes of the class.  The goal of the class is to help students become versatile, creative, and sensitive players who are able to accompany tastefully in whatever style they choose. Students are strongly encouraged to bring questions, ideas, favorite recordings, and topics of discussion to class. It is recommended that you bring a recording device. Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.

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Bouzouki

Bouzouki (All Levels) — Owen Marshall
The bouzouki class will cover techniques of tune accompaniment, song accompaniment and melody playing. We will explore chord shapes, strumming patterns, basic counter-melody and a versatile method for choosing what chords to play and how to add interest. We will also discuss tunings, capo use, and choosing an instrument. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

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Button Accordion

Button Accordion (All Levels) — Derek Hickey
This class will explore the button accordion played in the Irish style. The focus will be on maneuvering over the keyboard, bellows control, fingering, ornamentation, phrasing, dynamics, chording, etc. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

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Dancing

Sean-Nós Dancing (All Levels) – Samantha Harvey
Sean-nós (“old style”) Irish dance is a joyful expression of movement and sound. Considered to be one of the earliest forms of Irish dancing, sean-nós is an improvised solo style, with footwork danced close-to-the-floor, a relaxed upper body, and a playful dialogue between the dance and the music. In this class, students will enjoy listening and responding to traditional Irish music while gaining confidence as percussive dancers. The class will focus on timing, technique, building a body of basic steps, and developing a personal style. Please wear comfortable shoes with a smooth hard sole (leather or hard rubber soles are preferred — please no taps or fiberglass). Dancers are encouraged to bring water, a notebook, and a recording device.

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Fiddle

Fiddle (Fundamentals) — Andrew Finn Magill
This class is intended for fiddlers who are already familiar with their instruments and comfortable playing tunes. It is not a class for students new to the fiddle, but rather, those who may be new to Irish music or want to become more proficient in the fundamentals of Irish fiddling. The class will focus on holding the fiddle and bow, playing in tune, controlling the bow and keeping the rhythm steady and taking technique to the next level. The class will also cover learning tunes by ear and the specifics of the Irish style (bow speed and ornamentation.) Students will learn several tunes of various types. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

Fiddle (Intermediate) — Colin Farrell, Rose Conway Flanagan and Liz Knowles
This class is intended for fiddlers who are familiar with Irish style fiddle playing and are at an intermediate level of ability. Students will learn Irish fiddle technique including ornamentation (rolls, grace notes and bowed triplets), tone, rhythm and the more common bowing patterns used in Irish style playing. Because of class limits, students are required to take all of their fiddle classes with the teacher whose classes they initially enrolled. Also, it is recommended that you bring a recording device. Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.

Fiddle (Advanced by Invitation Only) — Oisín Mac Diarmada
This class is intended for fiddlers who have significant familiarity with Irish style fiddle playing and are at an advanced level of ability. Students and teacher will discuss regional styles and take a close look at the fiddling techniques of some Irish fiddlers who represent their particular regional styles, e.g., Kerry, Clare and Donegal. The class will examine each player in detail, discuss their use of ornaments, bowing, melodic variation, and the ways they bring expression to a tune. It is recommended that you bring a recording device. Students for this class must submit audition videos showing them performing one jig and one reel each played twice through. Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.

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Flute

Flute & Whistle (Fundamentals) — Grey Larsen
At the beginning level, we combine whistle and flute because of the similarity in fingering and ornamentation. Bring a “D” pitched whistle and/or wood or metal flute. Students will learn easy tunes using basic fingering and ornamentation. We’ll also examine breathing and explore strategies for creating breathing places in tunes. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

Flute (Intermediate & Advanced) — Brian Finnegan
This class is for flute players who have intermediate to advanced skills and play tunes in a variety of rhythms (jigs, reels, etc.), with good technique and at a reasonable tempo. This course will expand on the skills and topics introduced in the fundamentals class, with more attention given to ornamentation, breathing, style and repertoire, while continuing to emphasize rhythm and phrasing in the music. Tunes will be taught using a D flute. It is recommended that you bring a recording device. Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.

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Guitar

Dropped-D Guitar (All Levels) — John Doyle
In this class, students will learn to accompany Irish traditional music on guitar using the dropped-D tuning. The class will explore a variety of types of tunes, dynamics through syncopation and emphasis, chord substitutions and common progressions. Students should be comfortable with basic strumming. Melodies will be provided by Haley Richardson. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

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Harp

Harp (All Levels) — Sue Richards
In these workshops, we will learn a variety of Irish dance tunes, as well as a slow air if time allows. The workshops will include learning different ways of approaching both ornamentation and accompaniment for the music covered. The music will be taught by ear, and you may use an audio recording device. No video recording by students permitted. Sheet music may be provided by the instructor as a tool for some of the tunes learned. This class is for all levels – everyone from beginners (with some harp experience) to professionals is welcome to join us!

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Mandolin

Mandolin & Tenor Banjo (Fundamentals) — Frances Cunningham
These classes for mandolin and tenor banjo do not focus on the learning of tunes. Rather, they teach the stylistic elements of playing melodies (not chords) in Irish traditional style and the techniques to produce them, plus how and when to incorporate them into the “tune book” version of any given tune. The idea is that students come away with a box of tools that they can apply to all the tunes they already know and the tunes they have yet to learn, to produce a traditional Irish sound. The classes also feature how to get the best tone and volume from the instrument while avoiding painful problems, by holding and fingering the instrument and picking in the best manner. The classes apply equally to tenor banjo, mandolin, tenor guitar and octave mandolins and the similarities and differences of approach are included. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

Mandolin (Intermediate & Advanced) — Dave Curley
This class is for mandolin players who have intermediate to advanced skills and will focus on getting the feel, pulse and flow of Irish music into your mandolin playing. We’ll work on both right and left hand techniques to develop the distinctive rhythmic forms that deliver the pulse of the music.  Building on those key basics, we’ll focus on musicality — we’ll look at phrasing and ornamentation, as well as using dynamics and variation, applying the unique qualities of the mandolin to Irish music, and respecting the core of the tradition on this ‘newcomer’ of an instrument. We’ll learn tunes together (by ear) and explore different ways to give those tunes life and lift, applying the concepts and techniques that we learn in class. We’ll also look at tunes you already know, but feel ‘stuck’ on, perhaps unable to take them beyond the way you learned them, and try to push open a few doors for you to take your playing to the next level. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.   Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.

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Piano Accordion

Piano Accordion (All Levels) – Karen Tweed
This class will explore piano accordion technique as applied to traditional Irish music. The various dance and song/air forms will be explored as well as fingering technique and ornamentation (triplets, grace notes).  Chording and variation tips will also be covered as well as looking at taking non-accordion tunes (e.g. fiddle or flute tune/song settings) and making them work lyrically on the piano accordion. Oh! And how to make the most of your basses and bellows too. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

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Singing

Singing (All Levels) — Pat Broaders
The  Gaelic translation of “sing a song” is “Abair Amhrán” … literally “tell” a song. The incredible story of Ireland is written in song, and this class will help students explore the importance of song in the Irish music tradition. There are no prerequisites, and if you simply want to sing in private or public, then this class is for you. A variety of songs in English will be covered. The aim of the class is to develop enough confidence to feel comfortable singing with others and performing solo. It is a good idea to bring a recording device to help memorize melody. This is a progressive class so it’s best to attend the full series. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

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Tenor Banjo

Tenor Banjo & Mandolin (Fundamentals) — Frances Cunningham

These classes for mandolin and tenor banjo do not focus on the learning of tunes. Rather, they teach the stylistic elements of playing melodies (not chords) in Irish traditional style and the techniques to produce them, plus how and when to incorporate them into the “tune book” version of any given tune. The idea is that students come away with a box of tools that they can apply to all the tunes they already know and the tunes they have yet to learn, to produce a traditional Irish sound. The classes also feature how to get the best tone and volume from the instrument while avoiding painful problems, by holding and fingering the instrument and picking in the best manner. The classes apply equally to tenor banjo, mandolin, tenor guitar and octave mandolins and the similarities and differences of approach are included. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

Tenor Banjo (Intermediate & Advanced) — Brian McGrath
This class is for tenor banjo players who have intermediate to advanced skills and will focus entirely on the four-string banjo tuned in Irish style – GDAE. Students will learn plectrum techniques, ornamentation, chord enhancements and, most importantly, melodic variation. Students will also learn simple playing styles, rhythm and syncopation, and pick tricks.
It is recommended that you bring a recording device. Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.

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Uilleann Pipes

Uilleann Pipes (All Levels) — Brian McNamara
These classes will examine what makes the uilleann pipes special. Why are they different from other woodwind instruments used in Irish music? How can the piper maximize the benefit? This class will expand and illustrate these concepts. The class will explore the techniques that make the sound of good piping so appealing. Students should bring, at a minimum, a practice set with a satisfactory playing chanter reed and a recording device.

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Whistle

Whistle & Flute (Fundamentals) — Grey Larsen
At the beginning level, we combine whistle and flute because of the similarity in fingering and ornamentation. Bring a “D” pitched whistle and/or wood or metal flute. Students will learn easy tunes using basic fingering and ornamentation. We’ll also examine breathing and explore strategies for creating breathing places in tunes. It is recommended that you bring a recording device.

Whistle (Intermediate & Advanced) — Kevin Crawford
This class is for whistle players who have intermediate to advanced skills and can play tunes in a variety of rhythms (jigs, reels, etc.), with good technique and at a reasonable tempo. This course will expand on the skills and topics introduced in the beginners class, with more attention given to ornamentation, breathing, style and repertoire, while continuing to emphasize rhythm and phrasing in the music. Tunes will be taught using a D whistle but low whistle playing will also be covered. It is recommended that you bring a recording device. Before enrolling, please review the placement guidelines for this class.