While mostly a fiddle camp, there were classes for tin whistle, pipes, concertina, accordion, bouzouki, etc. There were about a dozen whistle students there (out of 80 campers). The whistle teachers were Catherine McEvoy, who is also a flute player and who also teaches at the Willy Clancy school in Ireland, and Tom Creegan, who is also a piper, and who plays in the Seattle band Suffering Gaels. Both teachers were excellent and had somewhat different approaches to the whistle.
I had a great time and learned a lot of new tunes and technique. I only played in a few of the sessions as I am just not fast enough yet, but I’m getting there. I’ve gone to guitar camps before, like Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, but this was my first Irish music camp and I highly recommend it. It’s lots of fun and I got to meet folks with similar interests. They are calling it the “first annual” camp, so stay tuned for next year.
[ This Message was edited by: jeeves on 2002-03-25 23:24 ]
I sure wish I could have gone. Catherine McEvoy is one of my favorite flute players. I love her rythmic flowing style of playing. How long have you been playing Irish music? Do you go to attend any sessions around Seattle?
Catherine is a fine teacher and I was very glad that she flew all the way from Dublin for this workshop. She favors the regular Generation D whistles with the red plastic mouthpiece or fipple.
I’ve been playing whistle since last summer. I played at Rich Rose’s first session at the Celtic Bayou in Redmond. I mostly played guitar then. I hope to get up enough tunes and speed to return and play whistle.
[ This Message was edited by: jeeves on 2002-03-26 21:09 ]
I live in B.C., so I would love to hear about this if it happens again. A lot of my best musical experiences have been at guitar camp and I’ve always wanted to attend the Puget Sound event, but this sounds even better.
Bridget Fitzgerald, formerly of Cherish the Ladies, taught singing, esp. sean nos singing, at the Friday Harbor camp. She shared some songs and the students showed her some songs, too. Be prepared to do some unaccompanied solo singing in her class. She’s a wonderful singer.
There were a number of campers from British Columbia. Some of them attend the Tuesday night sessions at the Irish Heather in the Gastown neighborhood of Vancouver.
[ This Message was edited by: jeeves on 2002-03-27 12:15 ]
Craig,
Thanks for the website - it’s a good one. I’ve added it to my favourites. Makes me want to move to Seattle, though - four sessions a week and one for beginner to intermediate.
Up here in Vancouver there is a Thursday night session at the Irish Heather. I haven’t had the guts to try to join in yet though.
There used to be a regular meeting that included music and Irish language instruction, but I haven’t been able to find anything out about that recently. This bug should have bit me a few years ago.
We also have a weekend guitar camp in June that I love to go to. It’s called the Georgia Strait Guitar Workshop and is modelled after Puget Sound (except much shorter and cheaper). There are two weekend retreats associated with that organization as well - no paid instructors but lots of great music. <www.gsgw.ca>
There are also summer camps for swing and bluegrass music. I don’t have links handy for those, but could find them if you like. Not much scope for a whistle player, maybe, but great if you are into guitar.
And if you are a singer, the Vancouver Folk Song Society has a weekend summer camp in June or July.
I wonder how many Chiff and Fipplers there are in this area. Maybe we should try to organize something.
If I was a blackbird, I’d whistle and sing…
[ This Message was edited by: Blackbird on 2002-03-27 23:52 ]