Friendly Competition?

Whistle
1

So here I sit, a lone whistler out in the badlands of Phoenix Arizona. Sitting and wondering about competitions, I think I just missed a big fest of Irish music out here; was busy tweeking a Gen probably.

I am very interested though to hear anyones stories of entering, and or going to Irish music, and or whistle related festivals and competitions. I played in a brass band for a couple of years. We went to competitions. I couldn’t say I was terribly enthused over “Banding” so really I just held out and only went to hear the top groups play, even then I could only listen to 2 or 3 bands, and after that I’d be off for a Bass Ale or two. :smiley:

But I’m wondering, are there whistle competitions? If so, what are they like, where do they have them? Is there a “Carnival of Venice” for whistle? You know, the technical piece that gets played over and over and faster and faster.

Random thoughts will be appreciated and mulled over intensively, the randomer the better!

2

Yes, there are whistle competitions – the big ones are the fleadhs that lead up to the big all-Ireland fleadh, but there are little ones in feis (how do you make that plural?) all over. Generally you get to play 2-4 Irish tunes of different types, each two times through, so no tunes which get faster and faster. (Changning tempo would generally be a mark against anyway.)

As far as I know, there isn’t much in the way of standard competition pieces – certainly I never noticed it in my 3-4 trips to hear such things.

3

[quote="colomonbut there are little ones in feis (how do you make that plural?) all over. .[/quote]

I think the plural is Feiseanna.

All the Best, Tom

4

Ok, I think I’ve found enough reason, gotta go to Ireland on vacation! :party: I’ll just pack up a bag of tweaked Generations, maybe throw in a Clare or an Oak, and off I go. No need for toothbrush or razor is there?

5

Both sorts of competitions occur in the US, too! No need to plan on plane tickets unless you’re in serious danger of winning all-Ireland…

6

I believe that would be “feiseanna”.