Why Learn from Us?

Introduction

As a student of the program, you will learn the foundations of Irish trad music. Depending on your experience, you can either start from the ground floor with your instrument of choice or build upon what you have already learned. Our approach, based on Brendan's tradition, is to develop holistic musicians via a pragmatic approach centered around the oral tradition. Although we relate teaching to some music theory, such as scale modes and chord transitions, we focus upon building up the student's ear and body rhythm, with the ultimate goal that a student can learn and master traditional tunes by hearing and interpreting them with their instrument and body.

Learning Tunes

Irish tunes are one of the most recognizable melodies the world over. From the iconic jig (6/8 time), to driving reels (4/4 time), one associates these melodies as the motor behind Irish dance, bands and sessions in pubs, films, and the overall soundscape of Ireland. In addition to jigs and reels, hornpipes (counted as a swung 4/4 or 2/4 rhythm), marches, polkas, slides (a fast jig), slip jigs (a 9/8 jig), slow-airs, and waltzes make up the bulk of the repertoire. One of the elements that stuns musicians of other genres is that there are literally thousands of Irish tunes that are commonly played in sessions. This attests to a 400-year history of the earliest tunes, and the prolific nature of Irish tune writing and playing in Ireland and its diaspora in North America and elsewhere. Tunes have also been richly imported from neighboring folk genres, such as Scottish, English, and Cape Breton.

The quantity and variety of Irish tunes may sound intimidating at first—which is exactly why learning together in a group class can make such a difference. Playing alongside others at your own level helps you develop your tune playing skills naturally in a community environment without feeling overwhelmed. We will build up your repertoire of trad tunes, beginning with those that you have heard and enjoy or are most likely to encounter at a session. In parallel, we will give you listening exercises to experience tune interpretations by the greatest soloists and trad groups of the 20th century, such as Michael Coleman, Mary Bergin, The Chieftains, Bothy Band, Planxty, as well as contemporary artists performing today.

Our instructors teach tunes by slowly building up speed via rhythm and a mastery of your instrument technique. Using the tin whistle as an example, students learn to blow every note cleanly, transition smoothly between notes and master the techniques of ornamentation—an essential asset for Irish trad music. The same applies for all other melody instruments no matter how they produce sound. You will learn to play in rhythm by feeling the beat in your body and tapping your foot along, making it possible to lead a group of musicians with confidence.

One of the themes of our music program is, quoting from bluegrass guitar master Brian Sutton, going from "doing music work" of getting the right notes in the right spot to "being musical". Sutton's three cornerstones of playing are rhythm, tone, and musicality. Rhythm is about predictability and trustworthiness, since many folk tunes and virtually all Irish tunes were written for dancing to. Tone means getting the best quality out of your instrument. Musicality refers to interpreting and expressing music artistically, not just reading or reciting a series of notes or chords.

Playing in Sessions

At first, a session might appear to range from a friendly, disorganized group of folk musicians where anything goes to an exclusive, perplexing environment where hundreds of tunes are played at high tempos with no explanation of how one can possibly begin to participate. Indeed, some sessions are closed to the public and require an invitation. Some sessions have etiquette rules for entering, such as sitting on the outside of the circle until being invited to join. Others allow anyone to sit down and participate, although it's wise to introduce yourself to somebody and ask if you can join.

It is normal for beginners to latch onto a few session tunes that are catchy and use that as a springboard for learning how to master more and more tunes. For some, it can take several months to reach their technical limitations and realize the need for private or group instruction. Some folk music stalwarts actually see no need for any instructor and believe in absorbing informally. Many younger players likewise swear by online videos instead of having direct exchanges with a teacher. We believe that neither of these strategies is optimal for learning, though supplementing in-person lessons with learning at sessions and from videos is an excellent strategy.

New musicians often show up to a session for a few weeks or months and learn a few tune sets that are common, at which point they stall out and become stagnant or even quit. Some become discouraged after spending hours listening without being able to fully join in. Others learn a dozen of tunes and end up playing the same repertoire for years while sitting out much of the session. This doesn’t have to be your experience! A big part of becoming comfortable in Irish sessions is learning how to absorb new tunes by ear, remember them, and continue building your repertoire over time. With the right guidance and a supportive community, sessions become not just something to listen to, but something you can truly participate in and enjoy.

There are many professionals that offer prerecorded lessons online, and these can be a helpful resource. However, they cannot replace the experience of learning within a real musical community—receiving feedback on your technique, learning about the culture and traditions behind the music, and building friendships with other local musicians.

Another advantage of our courses is that you can thoroughly learn tunes that come up in local sessions and go from knowing 5% of the tunes to 25-50% of them. That said, just learning the tune doesn't mean you can keep up with the speed of the session, but it gives you a foot in the door. You might get through the first part of the tune before faltering on the second, or maybe you can play along quietly if your instrument allows it and play full volume on the sections you feel good about. As you learn more tune sets, you inevitably learn your way around your instrument better, and you might be surprised that tunes that you had learned six months ago are now at your fingertips and executable at session speeds.

Although some sessions only require an eagerness to show up and participate, the true joy of the session community comes from being a musician that is improving and attempting to assume a leadership role by leading tune sets or singing songs that fellow musicians enjoy hearing and accompanying.  Formalizing your training with our instructors can speed your integration with the community by making your contribution richer.