Where and how can I make the most of a one week stay in Ireland in the summer improving my fiddle technique and enjoying myself at the same time? I have playing for three years so I am not a beginner. I have heard about a course on Achill Island -scoil acla. Any references? Thank you!
Miltown Malbay - 2nd week of july - Willie Clancy Summer School. You can not only take fiddle classes there, but also meet many of the big names in sessions or here them play in concert. There is nothing like Miltown if you want to get a maximal input of music.
I'm not sure that Willie week is the best bet for honing your technique. A better alternative might be the South Sligo Summer School - http://www.sssschool.org/ - in Tubbercurry or the Joe Mooney week in Leitrim - http://www.joemooneysummerschool.com.
I would agree with Mac , Tubbercurry ,Achill or Drumshambo much better for you .Willie is too big and too many people just there for a drink or ten. Also you will need a car to get about to the good sessions at times .
Ah, OK, sorry, cross-posted with Dave there- so is it mainly the scale of the thing? I'd also heard that the level of the Irish kids was so high, that the improver would be likely to find themselves in a class of six year olds.
Yep, it's the scale. Head to Tubbercurry or Drumshanbo for a week and you'll have much more fun, and spend more time with your tutors and also with your fellow musicians.
the good thing in Miltown is, you can really soak your brain in music. there is music from morning til night, and of a very high level. there is probably no other place where you can hear so many 1st class musicians in just one week. technique is not everything. listening to the great masters is probably more important. well, that's just my humble opinion.
Besides: who says they teach no technique in Miltown? Last year the flute classes in Drumshanbo had > 20 students each, don't know about the fiddle classes. In Miltown the classes were a lot smaller.
I will also include Teresa Burke at www.fiddlersretreat.com. It's kinda like a B&B. She serves breakfast (great cook, btw), fiddle lessons from 10-12 or so, sightseeing in the afternoon, and sessions at least three nights. Unlike B&B's, she serves other meals as well. I attended her 3 day program in 2007 and loved it. She's in Co. Tipperary in Loughmore and is a great fiddler.
I went to the Blas Summer School at the University of Limerick last summer and was very impressed - there were 3 or 4 students in each of my classes, and the tutors each spent two days with us so I didn't have to choose. The tutors were Martin Hayes, Matt Cranitch, Kevin Burke, John Carty, and Maire O'Keefe (actually Kevin Burke and John Carty were there at the same time, so that was tough). Here's the website: http://www.ul.ie/~iwmc/Blas/
I second Theresa Bourke's. I was there this past summer and I didn't want to leave. We went to a different session every night, it was a really great experience. Definitely, definitely recommend fiddler's retreat.
Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
Hello, friends.
Where and how can I make the most of a one week stay in Ireland in the summer improving my fiddle technique and enjoying myself at the same time? I have playing for three years so I am not a beginner. I have heard about a course on Achill Island -scoil acla. Any references? Thank you!
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by demian
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
Miltown Malbay - 2nd week of july - Willie Clancy Summer School. You can not only take fiddle classes there, but also meet many of the big names in sessions or here them play in concert. There is nothing like Miltown if you want to get a maximal input of music.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by claudine
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
I'm not sure that Willie week is the best bet for honing your technique. A better alternative might be the South Sligo Summer School - http://www.sssschool.org/ - in Tubbercurry or the Joe Mooney week in Leitrim - http://www.joemooneysummerschool.com.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
I would agree with Mac , Tubbercurry ,Achill or Drumshambo much better for you .Willie is too big and too many people just there for a drink or ten. Also you will need a car to get about to the good sessions at times .
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by bazouki dave
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
Mac, could you elaborate on the reasons for that a little? I've never been, but the line-up of fiddle tutors looks very tempting.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by Here Lyeth
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
Ah, OK, sorry, cross-posted with Dave there- so is it mainly the scale of the thing? I'd also heard that the level of the Irish kids was so high, that the improver would be likely to find themselves in a class of six year olds.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by Here Lyeth
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
Yep, it's the scale. Head to Tubbercurry or Drumshanbo for a week and you'll have much more fun, and spend more time with your tutors and also with your fellow musicians.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
the good thing in Miltown is, you can really soak your brain in music. there is music from morning til night, and of a very high level. there is probably no other place where you can hear so many 1st class musicians in just one week. technique is not everything. listening to the great masters is probably more important. well, that's just my humble opinion.
Besides: who says they teach no technique in Miltown? Last year the flute classes in Drumshanbo had > 20 students each, don't know about the fiddle classes. In Miltown the classes were a lot smaller.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by claudine
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
I will also include Teresa Burke at www.fiddlersretreat.com. It's kinda like a B&B. She serves breakfast (great cook, btw), fiddle lessons from 10-12 or so, sightseeing in the afternoon, and sessions at least three nights. Unlike B&B's, she serves other meals as well. I attended her 3 day program in 2007 and loved it. She's in Co. Tipperary in Loughmore and is a great fiddler.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by nofrets
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
I went to the Blas Summer School at the University of Limerick last summer and was very impressed - there were 3 or 4 students in each of my classes, and the tutors each spent two days with us so I didn't have to choose. The tutors were Martin Hayes, Matt Cranitch, Kevin Burke, John Carty, and Maire O'Keefe (actually Kevin Burke and John Carty were there at the same time, so that was tough). Here's the website: http://www.ul.ie/~iwmc/Blas/
# Posted on April 21st 2008 by airport
Re: Good summer school for fiddle in Ireland?
I second Theresa Bourke's. I was there this past summer and I didn't want to leave. We went to a different session every night, it was a really great experience. Definitely, definitely recommend fiddler's retreat.
# Posted on April 21st 2008 by girlwiththegreenfiddle