After searching for summer-schools for a while I came
across the "Scoil Éigse" which takes place during the Letterkenny Fleadh (8/20-27). The summer-school has different levels and vast lessons on many instruments. Has anyone ever attended the Scoil Éigse? Anyone went through their site and has thoughts to share?
A million thanks and a live goat (well mostly alive)
to commentors.
I went back in '04. It's almost exclusively high-school and under (translated from American: 17-18 and under). I don't know how that might suit you - but I was 22 when I went and felt a tad awkward and dirty-old-man-ish walking around the school. But hey, I can't tell how old you are, so I might be describing God's Own Happy Hunting Ground.
The teachers tend to be Comhaltas stalwarts (shock). So as to avoid attaching a value-judgement to those musicians, I'd call them collectively "staunch traditionalists". Especially the "advanced" teachers - in '04, Eamonn Cotter taught the advanced flute class, and he was... well, let's say confirmed in his opinions about exactly how and what tunes ought to be played. Also, pretty much everyone I talked to about the classes agreed with the statement that there really wasn't a lot of instruction involved - the "instructors" threw lots of tunes at you all week long.
Again, all of this might just be right up your alley, and it was just my experience. But that's my take. That, and the only toilet in the school where it was held didn't have a seat. So my flute playing wasn't the only skill I had to develop while I was there.
Regards (thanks awfully, but keep the goat),
James
Many thanks for the comment JH (my I call you JH?)!
I'm 25, it seemed to me that this one wasn't really
fit for me but I just had to get a second opinion.
Since you've been there just two years ago, I don't believe
they would have changed their attitude by now.
I'm in an extremely problematic place (heh, double meaning) since I live abroad, in Israel, and the flights to Ireland cost a fortune. I wouldn't want to find out I've spent my money on this kind of summer-school :(
Well JHamilton what do you expect when Scoil Eigse is run by Comhaltas??? But anyway you are right, I have been at Scoil Eigse for these past two years and I didnt seem to learn much of the technical aspects of playing my instrument, I just got loads of tunes, some good, some not so good, and some just pure s**t!!!
What I did like about it though was the amount of friends I made, and i can wait to see them again this summer.
My advice to thesheep is definitely get to letterkenny for the week, even though you may not learn much in the scoil eigse classes, you will definitely learn alot outside the classes. What i mean is the sessions in the pubs during the week are brilliant, you learn so much more about the music and the people who play in them, and the people who listen to are people who aprreciate music, unlike the revellers who arrive for the weekend just to drink!!!!!
So if you can find the cheapest flight possible and I'll see you in Letterkenny!!!!
Yeah - I wouldn't waste the money. If I recall, it's only like 125 Euro for tuition for the week - but I also remember staring into a pint glass at the Clonmel Arms and mentally calculating how many more pints that 125 would have bought me if I hadn't blown it on the school. I'm sure it's a valuable and entertaining experience for the kids who attend, but for those of us who have put puberty in our rear-view mirrors... well, I'll just let you fill in that blank.
If you've got a week to blow, and you're set on the Fleadh Cheoil, take it on the back side of the Fleadh and see if you can hook up with some musicians who can show you around afterward.
I dont think it's worth half that money, being honest i didnt learn anything relevant when i was there, just a few half learnt tunes which i forgot long ago.
Yeah good advice JHamilton, even though I'm only 16 that's all I'm interested in, going to the fleadh, sitting in a nice quiet bar playing tunes, and taking the occasional drink!!!!
Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
After searching for summer-schools for a while I came
across the "Scoil Éigse" which takes place during the Letterkenny Fleadh (8/20-27). The summer-school has different levels and vast lessons on many instruments. Has anyone ever attended the Scoil Éigse? Anyone went through their site and has thoughts to share?
A million thanks and a live goat (well mostly alive)
to commentors.
Ofer.
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by thesheep
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
Hey Ofer -
I went back in '04. It's almost exclusively high-school and under (translated from American: 17-18 and under). I don't know how that might suit you - but I was 22 when I went and felt a tad awkward and dirty-old-man-ish walking around the school. But hey, I can't tell how old you are, so I might be describing God's Own Happy Hunting Ground.
The teachers tend to be Comhaltas stalwarts (shock). So as to avoid attaching a value-judgement to those musicians, I'd call them collectively "staunch traditionalists". Especially the "advanced" teachers - in '04, Eamonn Cotter taught the advanced flute class, and he was... well, let's say confirmed in his opinions about exactly how and what tunes ought to be played. Also, pretty much everyone I talked to about the classes agreed with the statement that there really wasn't a lot of instruction involved - the "instructors" threw lots of tunes at you all week long.
Again, all of this might just be right up your alley, and it was just my experience. But that's my take. That, and the only toilet in the school where it was held didn't have a seat. So my flute playing wasn't the only skill I had to develop while I was there.
Regards (thanks awfully, but keep the goat),
James
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by JHamilton
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
Oh my!
Many thanks for the comment JH (my I call you JH?)!
I'm 25, it seemed to me that this one wasn't really
fit for me but I just had to get a second opinion.
Since you've been there just two years ago, I don't believe
they would have changed their attitude by now.
I'm in an extremely problematic place (heh, double meaning) since I live abroad, in Israel, and the flights to Ireland cost a fortune. I wouldn't want to find out I've spent my money on this kind of summer-school :(
Thanks again, I'll keep my goat for now.
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by thesheep
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
Well JHamilton what do you expect when Scoil Eigse is run by Comhaltas??? But anyway you are right, I have been at Scoil Eigse for these past two years and I didnt seem to learn much of the technical aspects of playing my instrument, I just got loads of tunes, some good, some not so good, and some just pure s**t!!!
What I did like about it though was the amount of friends I made, and i can wait to see them again this summer.
My advice to thesheep is definitely get to letterkenny for the week, even though you may not learn much in the scoil eigse classes, you will definitely learn alot outside the classes. What i mean is the sessions in the pubs during the week are brilliant, you learn so much more about the music and the people who play in them, and the people who listen to are people who aprreciate music, unlike the revellers who arrive for the weekend just to drink!!!!!
So if you can find the cheapest flight possible and I'll see you in Letterkenny!!!!
mrc
So
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by mrc
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
Yeah - I wouldn't waste the money. If I recall, it's only like 125 Euro for tuition for the week - but I also remember staring into a pint glass at the Clonmel Arms and mentally calculating how many more pints that 125 would have bought me if I hadn't blown it on the school. I'm sure it's a valuable and entertaining experience for the kids who attend, but for those of us who have put puberty in our rear-view mirrors... well, I'll just let you fill in that blank.
If you've got a week to blow, and you're set on the Fleadh Cheoil, take it on the back side of the Fleadh and see if you can hook up with some musicians who can show you around afterward.
Regards,
James.
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by JHamilton
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
I dont think it's worth half that money, being honest i didnt learn anything relevant when i was there, just a few half learnt tunes which i forgot long ago.
Yeah good advice JHamilton, even though I'm only 16 that's all I'm interested in, going to the fleadh, sitting in a nice quiet bar playing tunes, and taking the occasional drink!!!!
Roll on the Fleadh!!!
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by mrc
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
So what you're all saying, to sum it up -
Dump the school, on with the pubs and Fleadh?
# Posted on May 1st 2006 by thesheep
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
1. Cranky instructors, raging hormones, and funky versions of "Wind that Shakes the Barley," "Kesh Jig," and "Drowsy Maggie".
2. Tunes, pints, and legal women.
Yep.
J.
# Posted on May 2nd 2006 by JHamilton
Re: Any impressions of the upcoming Scoil Éigse?
I'd love to enroll to Willy Clancy's but it's in July and my semester's exams start in july :(
I'm lost.
# Posted on May 2nd 2006 by thesheep