Fall 2003 Irish Arts Classes
Irish Social Dancing, Christine Harker (for adults and teens)
Remember the party scene in the movie "Titanic?" where the Irish immigrants were dancing? If that looked like a lot of fun, this class is for you. Traditional Irish Ceili and Set dances are low-impact group dances in circles, lines and squares, accompanied by traditional Irish music. No experience and no partner are necessary.
Irish Social Dancing, Thursdays, 6:30-8 pm, 7 weeks, Oct 9 – November 20 $50Irish Whistle/Flute classes I, II, III Helen Gubbins and Dierdre Harnedy
Beginning class (I) will start out on Irish tin whistle, learning how to play a scale and moving on to easy tunes. In the course of learning how to play your tin whistle, you will also learn about the different types of tunes in Irish music and a bit about the traditions and culture surrounding traditional music.Intermediate (II) – continuation of any beginner class we’ve offered in the past. You will learn a variety of new tunes, add basic ornamentation and improve you learning-by-ear skills.
Advanced (III) – continuation of intermediate class, or for anyone who has been playing whistle or flute regularly for at least a year. Focus on learning tunes by ear, making tunes sound “traditional” with ornamentation and stylistic variations and mastering tunes with rhythmic challenges.
Button Accordion I, Helen Gubbins
Irish whistle/flute I (H): Mondays, 7:00-7:55 pm, 8 weeks, beg. Oct 13 $60
Irish whistle/flute I (H): Tuesdays, 6:30-7:25 pm, 8 weeks, beg. Oct 14 $60
Irish whistle/flute II(H): Mondays, 8:00-8:55 pm, 8 weeks, beg. Oct 13 $60
Irish whistle III (D): Mondays 8:00 – 8:55, 8 weeks, beg. Oct 13, $60
We have Acorn brand tin whistles available for purchase for $8 and Oak (brand) tin whistles for $13.
This class is for people just learning to play button accordion. It will cover beginning techniques such as fingering, playing scales, care of the instrument, easy tunes.
We have a limited number of accordions available for loan. (For Irish music, button accordions are tuned either B/C or C#/D.)
Button accordion I: Mondays, 6:00 - 6:55 pm, 8 weeks, beg. Oct 13 $60.Irish Fiddle I, Dierdre Harnedy
This class is for people just learning to play the fiddle/violin. It will cover general techniques starting with care of the instrument, fingerings and playing scales and progress to playing easy tunes. Students should have an instrument.
Irish Fiddle I: Mondays 6:00 – 6:55 pm, 8 weeks, $60Irish Fiddle II, Deirdre Harnedy
Irish music accompaniment for chord instruments (piano, guitar, other strummed things)
For people with at least a year of experience playing fiddle and are learning Irish traditional style playing. This class will work both on general playing technique and playing Irish tunes in an authentic style, emphasizing rhythm and basic ornamentation.
Irish Fiddle II: Mondays, 7:00 – 7:55 pm, 8 weeks, $60
Back-up instruments are an important part of traditional music and have specific roles to fill, adding to the texture, balance and variation of tunes. Great back-up playing is an art of its own! Helen will talk about chord choices, variations, rhythm patterns and interactions between melody and backup instruments in a jam sessions or performance settings.
Accompaniment: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 7:25, 8 weeks, $60Irish Language (Gaelic) I, Deirdre Harnedy
Basic conversational Irish for beginners. Focus is on speaking and reading Irish and learning to pronounce unfamiliar letter combinations. You'll also learn a bit about the history and culture of Ireland and understand why this language that was nearly "dead" is now thriving. Munster dialect.
Tuesdays, 6:30 – 7:25, 8 weeks, $60. Optional book, Buntus Cainte, is $8.Irish language continuation, Deirdre Harnedy
For people who have taken any beginning Irish class. Emphasis on being able to carry on a conversation. Munster dialect. We’ll use Buntus Cainte book plus other resources.
Tuesdays, 7:30 – 8:25, 8 weeks, $60. Optional book, Buntus Cainte, is $8.History of Irish Music, Helen Gubbins
Slow Jam Session with Helen and Dierdre, Tuesdays 8:30 – 10:00pm
We’ll explore through discussion, readings and recordings the musical roots and influences in the evolution of Irish music, important figures/composers/collectors, social and political context of traditional music and more. This should be a very interesting class for musicians or non-musicians.
Class field trip to see James Kelly and Michael Black perform in Kansas City on November 8.
History of Irish Music: Tuesdays, 7:30 – 8:25, 8 weeks $60 (Concert ticket not included in class fee.)
Teens and adults new to playing Irish music are invited to come learn a few tunes and techniques from two musicians who have been immersed in traditional music all their lives. Learn some easy standard sessions tunes that will familiar anywhere you might go to play music. This “slow jam” will concentrate on easy to moderate level tunes played at a relaxed pace with emphasis on learning the tunes, not playing speed. All ages are welcome. Come with tunes you know but want to polish up or enhance with variations, or just come to listen and learn tunes.
$7 requested donation at the door, bring a tape recorder if you want