Does anybody out there have any sessions/jams/anything at college? Cause I'd love to get something going at my school, but I don't know where to start. If anybody had some advice/knew other people or schools that had this, I'd really appreciate it.
ps) the school in question is SUNY Brockport in NY, if anybody goes there and wants to help I would be thrilled
You can do it.
Just start advertising a club and find a meeting space and go. Are there not dozens of a cappella groups at SUNY Brockport? The model works.
You just need a couple serious interest students with some skills and others who are interested. Include a couple local non college students who will stick with it for more than 4 years and if you are persistent and somewhat organized you are good to go.
With 6000 undergrad, I think you would be in fine shape. I'm at a school with 2000 and we have a group of 10 or so who meet weekly.
Good luck. One of the players at our local session is trying to get a session going at Wash U in St Louis. He said the challenge he's having is that everyone that's interested is taking 20 hours and finding a common time is an issue. From talking with him, he said he'd recommend a regular schedule (i.e. 1st and 3rd Thursdays) so that everyone could have it on their schedule well in advance. Hope it works out for you...
Bodhran Bliss, it's good to see you're not bitter or anything.
Young and Foolish, this may be a bit of a long shot, but I see that SUNY Brockport has a radio station. Does anyone there host a folk/acoustic music show -- or even one that plays Irish-Celtic stuff? Maybe they'd be willing to drop in a word about your wanting to organize a session. Hey, get it going really good and who knows, maybe you all might wind up on a live broadcast.
Also, try playing/practicing in public spaces to generate interest. You never know who might be listening. There were a small group of us at my school (me on fiddle, a piper/guitarist/whistle player, guitarist, and another whistle player) and we would play whenever we could, including whenever one of us had to work as monitor at the music hall, on porches when it was nice outside, in the quad, and we played at house parties all the time. In doing so, we generated a lot of interest in ITM and pulled more people into the group. Several of the violinists in the orchestra heard the guitarist and I jamming and by the end of the year, we had them playing tunes with us. At the end of my senior year, we had a nice house session going at least twice a month. Granted, it often turned into more of a party, but hot damn, there was some good music at those parties.
Thanks for all the advice everybody...lots of good ideas to try. Mostly I'm just too shy to go out there in public and try to get people interested, but I might try Marklar's suggestion of putting up flyers and hoping people call back. But I hope people keep posting, cause it's cool to hear the things other people have tried
I don't post here anymore, for personal and philosophical reasons, but feel free to message me regarding this question, and/or to visit http://coyotebanjo.com/music-58.html
irish trad at college?
irish trad at college?
Does anybody out there have any sessions/jams/anything at college? Cause I'd love to get something going at my school, but I don't know where to start. If anybody had some advice/knew other people or schools that had this, I'd really appreciate it.
ps) the school in question is SUNY Brockport in NY, if anybody goes there and wants to help I would be thrilled
# Posted on September 26th 2008 by young and foolish
Re: irish trad at college?
You can do it.
Just start advertising a club and find a meeting space and go. Are there not dozens of a cappella groups at SUNY Brockport? The model works.
You just need a couple serious interest students with some skills and others who are interested. Include a couple local non college students who will stick with it for more than 4 years and if you are persistent and somewhat organized you are good to go.
With 6000 undergrad, I think you would be in fine shape. I'm at a school with 2000 and we have a group of 10 or so who meet weekly.
# Posted on September 26th 2008 by abuteague
Re: irish trad at college?
Good luck. One of the players at our local session is trying to get a session going at Wash U in St Louis. He said the challenge he's having is that everyone that's interested is taking 20 hours and finding a common time is an issue. From talking with him, he said he'd recommend a regular schedule (i.e. 1st and 3rd Thursdays) so that everyone could have it on their schedule well in advance. Hope it works out for you...
# Posted on September 26th 2008 by ElaineP
Re: irish trad at college?
Put up some flyers on the ubiquitous campus bulletin boards and have people call you if they are interested in forming a session. You'll find people.
# Posted on September 26th 2008 by Marklar
Re: irish trad at college?
I taught in a school way back in 1975-76.
I encouraged a few pupils to start a traditional group, and sessions. They called themselves "Hewlett" after the tune.
I spent hours with them, sweated blood for them, stayed after school in my own time to help them, and what happens. How do they reward me?
Two of them became famous. Bast####ds
# Posted on September 27th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: irish trad at college?
Bodhran Bliss, it's good to see you're not bitter or anything.
Young and Foolish, this may be a bit of a long shot, but I see that SUNY Brockport has a radio station. Does anyone there host a folk/acoustic music show -- or even one that plays Irish-Celtic stuff? Maybe they'd be willing to drop in a word about your wanting to organize a session. Hey, get it going really good and who knows, maybe you all might wind up on a live broadcast.
# Posted on September 27th 2008 by sts
Re: irish trad at college?
Also, try playing/practicing in public spaces to generate interest. You never know who might be listening. There were a small group of us at my school (me on fiddle, a piper/guitarist/whistle player, guitarist, and another whistle player) and we would play whenever we could, including whenever one of us had to work as monitor at the music hall, on porches when it was nice outside, in the quad, and we played at house parties all the time. In doing so, we generated a lot of interest in ITM and pulled more people into the group. Several of the violinists in the orchestra heard the guitarist and I jamming and by the end of the year, we had them playing tunes with us. At the end of my senior year, we had a nice house session going at least twice a month. Granted, it often turned into more of a party, but hot damn, there was some good music at those parties.
# Posted on September 27th 2008 by thebunnystomper
Re: irish trad at college?
I guess i should have read this thread before posting my Surreal Session thread...
ha!
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by wyogal
Re: irish trad at college?
Thanks for all the advice everybody...lots of good ideas to try. Mostly I'm just too shy to go out there in public and try to get people interested, but I might try Marklar's suggestion of putting up flyers and hoping people call back. But I hope people keep posting, cause it's cool to hear the things other people have tried
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by young and foolish
Re: irish trad at college?
Y&F:
I don't post here anymore, for personal and philosophical reasons, but feel free to message me regarding this question, and/or to visit http://coyotebanjo.com/music-58.html
all the best,
Dr Coyote
# Posted on October 1st 2008 by coyotebanjo