Young Musicians

[Maggie]

This was inspired by questions about playing the tin whistle on another page.
On this Forum,. we have some aspiring young musicians, and members who would like to play a traditional Irish instrument.
Although I love music, especially traditional Irish music, I am not a musician.
So I probably can not answer your questions about music, but I will try to direct you to a helpful site.

I know you are eager to learn and impatient with all the practice, but you really must be patient.
You are not going to become a musician overnight.
Máiréad Nesbitt makes it look easy, but look at all the education, dedication and non-stop practice she has put into it.
In music, as in life, you should never stop learning....and practice until you get it right!

Every child in an Irish family is expected to have some talent with which to entertain guests.
They are encouraged to play an instrument, dance, sing or recite poetry.
From an early age I took dance lessons and piano lessons. I passed exams in both, but never became expert.
I passed the entrance exam to the Royal College of Music in England, but that's as far as I got.
I still dance when I can, and I have a keyboard I play at home.
When I am in Ireland I go to a séisiún whenever I can.

There is an etiquette to playing in a séisiún....you have to know the music, and you do not just jump in,
you should ask if you can join.
Even great musicians such as Máiréad, the Chieftains, James Galway, would not join in without asking.
if you go to a real séisún you will be amazed how musicians who probably do not know each other,
can play so well together and know when to stop.

PLEASE read this piece about seisún etiquette for musicians and listeners:
http://pweb.jps.net/~jgilder/seisiun.html

If you are going to play an instrument used in Irish music, there are some Irish words you should know:
Ceoil (or Cheoil) - pronounced kee-ole - means music
Fleadh - pronounced flaah - means festival
Seisiún - pronounced say-shoon - means session
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann - pronounced Coal-tus Kyole-tory Air-un - Association of Irish Musicians - this is THE organisation for everything to do with Irish music and dance -  the name is usually shortened to Comhaltas (Coaltus) read about them here:
http://comhaltas.ie/

That is a tremendous website which you can spend all day exploring and learn a lot.
There are branches all over the World.
If you want to find a branch in North America, find your Region, State and City  on here:
http://comhaltas.ie/locations/detail/north_america

Here are photos of musicians sharing their talents with beginners at a fleadh in Detroit:
http://www.detroitima.org/1999/10_99_conor_oneills/index.html

Some useful sites:
http://www.feisceoil.ie/about/default.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleadh_Cheoil

http://www.fleadh2010.ie/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=8

OK - off you go now and have fun!

[zankoku]

Everytime I try to play the tin whistle, my dogs take off running. Can only try when alone. There is a youtube presentation by a Jesuit priest on playing the whistle and eventually, I will try when everyone and dogs are out of the house.

[Jeanine]

Every time I try to play the tin whistle, my dogs take off running. Can only try when alone. There is a youtube presentation by a Jesuit priest on playing the whistle and eventually, I will try when everyone and dogs are out of the house.

He's the one I've been learning Irish Whistle from, using the youtube videos.  I've learned the cut and hets but the roll is much trickier to do so, when I do practice (and it's not nearly enough that I do,  I'm afraid  ) I'm usually trying to do the rolls with the scale.  I'm not ready to try putting it into a song yet.  I'm really hoping that, once I get to Ireland (trusting that I do) I will be able to pick up more with how to play and I also plan on starting back up with my lessons on fiddle/violin with my schooling.  I'd like to do the latter now but don't really know where I can find a good instructor for violin that will also teach Irish Fiddle,  .  Maggie, do you by any chance know of someone that is close to where I live that can do that?  I want to be learning both at the same time from the same instructor, it just makes more sense to me to do it that way.  Thank you, also, for the pointers in your post.