Here is a summary of everything you can expect from our virtual O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat. Please understand that changes may be made as we create this unique, online music community.
Period: Sunday, October 18th through Sunday, November 8th
PLEASE NOTE: All recorded content will be accessible for viewing until Dec. 8th.
Start of Online Enrollment: August 22nd at 9 a.m. (CDT)
Classes and Instructors
| Bodhran (Fundamentals) – Cara Wildman | Guitar (Fundamentals) – Jeff Moore |
| Bodhran (Int. & Adv.) – Paddy League | Guitar (Int. & Adv.) – Jim Murray |
| Bouzouki (All Levels) – Eoin O’Neill | Harp (All Levels) – Eileen Gannon |
| Button Accordion – Colm Gannon | Mandolin/Tenor Banjo (Fundamentals) – John Morrow |
| Concertina (Fundamentals) – Kelly Gannon | Mandolin (Int. & Adv.) – Brian McGillicuddy |
| Concertina (Int. & Adv.) – Cormac Begley | Piano Accordion (All Levels) – Mirella Murray |
| Dancing – Sean-Nós – Jackie O’Riley | Singing (All Levels) – Liz Hanley |
| Fiddle (Fundamentals) – Chris Buckley | Tenor Banjo (Int. & Adv.) – Gerry O’Connor |
| Fiddle (Intermediate) – Eimear Arkins | Uilleann Pipes (All Levels) – Joey Abarta |
| Fiddle (Intermediate) – Liz Doherty | Whistle/Flute (Fundamentals) – L.E. McCullough |
| Fiddle (Intermediate) – Manus McGuire | Whistle (Int. & Adv.) – Joanie Madden |
| Fiddle (Advanced) – Zoë Conway | Honored Guest – James Keane |
| Flute (Intermediate & Advanced) – Harry Bradley | Melody Player for Classes — fiddler Haley Richardson. |
Registration
- The retreat will use the RegFox online enrollment platform.
- Tuition will be as follows:
- Core Course — $150.00 per adult student and $100.00 for youth (ages 12-17 by invitation.) Includes nine pre-recorded lessons and access to the “Commons” student activities (see below).
- Instructor Q&A Forums — $50.00 per student per forum. Includes three live, interactive meetings with the instructor. Enrollment will be limited to 20 students per forum, and students must be enrolled in that instructor’s Core Course.
- Extras Package — $50.00 per student. Includes enrichment classes, informances, workshops and instructor concerts and access to the “Commons” student activities (see below).
Core Courses
- A Core Course consists of nine pre-recorded lessons each up to 30 minutes in length.
- Three lessons will be distributed every Sunday night for three weeks.
- Lesson videos will be available on our server for viewing for one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed. This will enable students to practice the content at their own pace.
- Students may enroll in multiple Core Courses but must pay the $150.00 tuition for each one.
- Students who enroll in the Core Courses will also be able to access the “Commons” student activities (see below).
Instructor Q&A Forums
- Following each week of lessons, a one-hour, live, interactive “forum” will occur using Google Meet. These forums will occur either on a Saturday or Sunday and will be scheduled to permit enrolled students and instructors to discuss that week’s lessons and other relevant questions.
- To encourage meaningful interaction, forums will be limited to 20 students. Note that the instructor may agree to schedule additional forums to satisfy demand. A first come, first serve waiting list will be used.
- You must be enrolled in instructors’ Core Courses to enroll in their respective forums.
- Forums will be recorded and available on our server for viewing by students enrolled in the forums for one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed.
- For the times and dates of these forums, see SCHEDULE.
Extras Package
- The Extras Package will include enrichment classes and informances by Core Course instructors, workshops by selected students and guest presenters, and instructor concerts.
- Those who enroll in Extras will also have access to the “Commons” student activities (see below).
- Many activities within Extras will be recorded and available on our server for viewing for one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed.
- All of the content and links for the activities in the Extras Package will be housed in the “Trad Hall” area in Google Classroom.
- For the times and dates of these events, see SCHEDULE.
Enrichment Classes
- Enrichment Classes will be one-hour, live events conducted by select instructors using Google Meet. These classes will focus on topics of interest related to Irish music.
- The Enrichment Classes will be available to students enrolled in the Extras package and will permit students to view these events on our server up to one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed.
- If time allows, instructors will take questions at the end of their Enrichment Classes.
- All of the content and links for Enrichment Classes will be housed in the “Trad Hall” area in Google Classroom.
- For the times and dates of these events, see SCHEDULE.
Informances
- Informances will consist of one-hour, live events featuring select instructors using Google Meet to discuss their musical journeys and may include performances.
- The Informances will be available to students enrolled in the Extras package and will permit students to view these events on our server up to one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed.
- If time allows, instructors will take questions at the end of their Informances.
- All of the content and links for Informances will be housed in the “Trad Hall” area in Google Classroom.
- For the times and dates of these events, see SCHEDULE.
Instructor Concerts
- A mix of pre-recorded and live performances by instructors will be presented during three Friday evening concerts on Oct. 23rd, 30th and Nov. 6th. For the listing of concerts, go to CONCERTS.
- The concerts will be available to students enrolled in the Extras package and will permit students to view these events on our server up to one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed.
- A Farewell Concert will be held on Sunday, Nov. 8th and will be available for viewing by any enrolled student.
- Concert access via livestream with the exception of the Farewell Concert will be available to the general public through separate purchase at https://timesconcerts.com/. The concerts will be livestreamed on Oct. 23rd, 30th and Nov. 6th and available for viewing afterwards.
- All of the content and links for Instructor Concerts will be housed in the “Trad Hall” area in Google Classroom.
Workshops
- Workshops will be one-hour, live events and will be presented through Google Meet by selected students and guests on a variety of topics related to Irish music.
- The workshops will be available to students enrolled in the Extras package and will permit students to view these events on our server up to one month after the retreat ends and then will be removed.
- If time allows, presenters will take questions at the end of their presentations.
- All of the content and links for Workshops will be housed in the “Trad Hall” area in Google Classroom.
- For the times and dates of these events, see SCHEDULE.
Community Activities
- Breakout rooms or “channels” will be provided in Slack for discussing different interests, e.g., instruments, tunes/songs/dance steps, recording and sound methods, organizing informal sessions, etc.
- Retreat Tunes Played Slowly sessions will be offered once per week at scheduled times.
- Contests will be organized and prizes awarded for:
- Best original Irish tune.
- Best original Irish song.
- Best original Irish dance.
- Best homemade Irish halloween costume.
- Students and instructors will be invited to submit their top ten tunes list and top ten recordings list. The results will be posted.
- Select instrument makers will present demonstrations and clinics about their products, e.g., how they build, repair and restore their instruments.
- For the times and dates of these events, see SCHEDULE.
Sessions
- Two-hour sessions will be offered two nights per week for three weeks at select times via Zoom in the “Commons.”.
- Slow, Moderate and Lively tune sessions and Song sessions will be offered each scheduled night.
- Some sessions will be “play along” meaning there is a leader, co-leaders or an ensemble playing tunes with students muted and playing along and others will be “open” meaning students will take turns starting tunes individually with all others muted.
- Guest players, current and former instructors and ensembles from throughout the U.S. and Ireland will lead the “play along” sessions.
- Tune or song requests will be submitted via the Chat feature within Goggle Meet during the sessions.
- Everyone but the session leaders or the individual starting a set of tunes or singing a song will be muted with attendees playing/singing along.
- Other “informal” sessions will be organized and scheduled by students in Slack and hosted in Google Meet or Zoom as the organizers choose.
- For the times and dates of these events, see SCHEDULE.
O’Flaherty Marketplace
- An online retreat market will be available for branded merchandise and instructional CDs and tune books. Go to MARKETPLACE.
- Links to purchase instructors’ merchandise will be provided in The Commons area.
- A number of luthiers will give clinics during the retreat. For a listing, go to CLINICS.
Technology
- The retreat will use the “Google Classroom” platform for Core Courses and will host live events via “Google Meet” with the exception of the sessions which will be hosted in Zoom.
- Access to Google Classroom and Google Meet is free to use by our participants, and Google Meet offers live automatic captions.
- The application “Slack” will be used for communicating with students, instructors and volunteers.
- Student/instructor guidelines and tutorial videos will be produced and distributed in advance of the retreat.
- “Test drives” of both Google Classroom, Google Meet and Slack will be held before the retreat begins.
- An online “Tech Support Center” will be available for students or instructors experiencing technical difficulties during online activities.
- Download and upload speeds of 4 mbps or greater are recommended.