Hi, I’m thinking of attending one of the above next year, and would like to know which one has better classes in respect to flute and whistle playing.
Both have Catherine McEvoy participating, whom I really wish to learn from. Willie Week has lots of other great players like Sean Ryan, John Whynne, Eamon Cotter, Christy Barry too. However you get Mary Bergin at Gaelic Roots, plus a bodhranai friend will be more willing to accompany me because Willie Week has no Bodhran classes.
So it comes down to, which place has better classes and where I can learn more stuff? Do you get to choose your tutors in both Summer schools?
Feel free to speak of your own personal experiences in these festivals! I know that Gaelic Roots begins next week and Willie Week next month so I look forward to hearing from the lucky ones who’ll get to go!
Hi, my husband and I are off to Gaelic Roots this week. We’re leaving tommorrow morning from L.A. I’ll certainly post to let you know what it was like, it’s our first time at a summer school. Anyone who is going, see you in Mary Bergin’s class! Yahhoo!
Willie week unreservedly. Because, aside from the classes, you have the environment where the music is at home, you have access to a huge number of musicians that just come around for the day and have a few tunes. Most of the learning is done outside the classes, by just listening to the musicians playing. That environment is something you will not find at Gaelic root [and yes I know somebody will say now there are great sessions organised at Gaelics roots but hat’s a different thing. During the willie week you may step inside any door and come eye to eye with just about anybody. It’s not the same as an organised event. I remember one of my very early Willie weeks around 1982 when the old postmisstress wouldn’t sell us any stamps before we took the instruments out so herself and the hubbie could dance a few steps around the postoffice. I could give you dozens of stories like that and it is situations likethis that give you something you won’t get at Gaelic Roots. ]
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-06-15 03:50 ]
By the way Peter, I’ll be there. So if I can get a picture of you or something, I might be able to find you. Also, if you could give me the names of the pubs you think you might be playing in, would be great!
Az during the Willie you never know where you will be from one moment to the next. Sunday nights I will be at my usual place, Gleeson’s which is out in the country.
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-06-16 05:14 ]
GR is a fun thing, but not crazy like I hear Willie Week is. If you like a more mellow experience, GR may be for you. We went in 2000, met several members of this board, enjoyed our classes (Joanie was our whistle teacher), and plan to go again in 2003.
Eld, as an alternative for your drumming friend there’s an annual bodhran week he;ld on the Aran islands [didn’t mention this before because I wanted to check the dates]. This year’s is being held the week before Willie 1-5 july with Ringo Mcdonagh, Mel Mercier Tommy Hayes etc.
On 2002-06-18 15:41, Peter Laban wrote:
Eld, as an alternative for your drumming friend there’s an annual bodhran week he;ld on the Aran islands [didn’t mention this before because I wanted to check the dates]. This year’s is being held the week before Willie 1-5 july with Ringo Mcdonagh, Mel Mercier Tommy Hayes etc.
The great thing about the Aran Isles is that they are out of earshot from Milton Malbay.
Thanks for the replies guys! So I guess Willie Week is more atmospheric/fun, but are the lessons of comparable quality to Gaelic Roots? If I have a lot of (mostly technical) questions will Willie Week meet my needs? I was also wondering if the student/teacher ratio and interaction is more favourable in GR.
Peter, I read about the Aran Islands thing too. Sounds very good!
More info on Willie Week can be found at: http://www.setdancingnews.net/wcss/
There’s a few weeks more till Willie Week so its still not too late to plan a trip to the Holy Land!
I didnt have the most amazing experience in the whistle class I took last year. We were about 12 in a small room, and after one day two beginners joined to the class and it slowed everyone down amazingly. The teacher didnt seem to give a darn about that. I wanted to switch to a more advanced class, but I just gave up as I was mostly in Miltown Malbay for drinking and partying, but this year I will make sure I switch fast enough if I see it’s too slow… But beside that, the festival itself was amazing!
Hi, I just got back from Gaelic Roots, just tonight as a matter of fact. I appreciate Peter’s information that Willie Week offers more environment, but I’ve also heard from people who went last year how crowded it was. This past week I had a whole week of lessons with Mary Bergin’s advanced class with 12 other people there, she’s a stunning teacher as well as musician in general. Technically demanding and exacting in her teaching style and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She spent loads of time and effort with us, even offering an extra class for those who were interested and I’ve improved measurably because of it. I played on stage with her at the ending student concert. Also, after class I only had to walk a few steps to a session every afternoon with fellow students and Mary, John Whelan, Paddy Keenan, Mary McNamara, Kevin Burke, the folks from Altan and the list goes on and on … people enjoying music in a relaxed environment, no crowds. At night plenty of music in the pub or I was one floor below them every night to listen when they were playing “house” sessions, with the music as real as you could get. Lectures, demonstrations, concerts to top it off and a plenty of breathing room for everyone. I couldn’t have possibly been happier. It was easy, after a whole week to imagine that it was just the way of the world to wake up and get in the elevator and see Mary there, punch down and have her say “Good morning LeeAnn, how are ye, did you practice your tune?” And so the days went. I found the real music, real inspiration, real understanding of the culture and purpose behind it all from people who were more than willing to share. Doesn’t get any better as far as I’m concerned.
I know I know, the crowds, the drunks, the mobile chippers, the didgeridoo players, the people flogging bodhran beaters and low whistles, the whole circus. It revolting and I usually go home early every evening. BUT while it is probably very thrilling to share an elevator with famous people [gives new meaning to ‘elevator musicianship’ doesn’t it], there is an abundance of musicians you may have never heard of who are players as fine as any of them, they are the musicians that have the famous people knocking on their doors to learn their tunes and music.
One night during my first Willie week in 1980 I was walking back to my B&B when I came across an old guy making the hay in the summer’s evening around Fintra Beg, we chatted a bit, ‘Ah sure I used to play the tin whistle’ he said took my whistle and played a great blast of reels in a lovely old style before sending me on my way again. I can discuss the merits of John Joe Fennel or Josie Hayes as a fluteplayers with the man from the supermarket while he is slicing the ham, or why the Laictin Naoifa Ceili band was unjustly outdone by the Tulla in the county finals back in the 60s.
One of my neighbours is a lovely whistleplayer [and a stunning fluteplayer], she inherited the music of Willie Clancy and to my ears she’s a much nicer a player than Mary Bergin or Joannie Madden [just to hook up with the other thread. And I only mean to say she plays as well technically but I much prefer the taste, personality and style of her music. Unhurried, lively well phrased Clare music. Just to make this clear before being accused of knocking the famous people again.]. You may find you have booked yourself B&B with her for the week without realising she plays at all and find her sitting in the kitchen playing tunes with Paddy Canny when you come home for your tea in the afternoon.
There are the old people that come to our session, none of them play, a few of them sing, all of them dance. They have been there for decades and they are the most discerning audience you may ever encounter, they are nice but they know their music and they take no prisoners if musicians put their ego before the music. They are dead on and great people to talk to about the old musicians.
The old guy sitting next to you in the pub may look like a scruffy local but you may find he has been playing the flute in one of the famous bands of his day. Anybody you encounter may be a great musician without you realising it.
Only a few weeks ago I found the old guy driving the yellow tractor into town to do the shopping was in fact a beautiful whistle player who won several all Ireland during the 50s. By all accounts a tremendous fluteplayer in his day. A shy man, he has a drawer full of old C whistles which he plays at home only. In all those years I never knew he plays even though we talk often when I cycle into town to do the shopping.
That’s the beauty of being in Clare and I think that is the essential thing the Willie week can give you, it gives you the place and the people the context and the background. I don not think you can even begin to re-create that in a Boston university campus[even though I don’t doubt that whole thing is brilliant too].
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-06-24 05:50 ]
One of my neighbours is a lovely whistleplayer [and a stunning fluteplayer], she inherited the music of Willie Clancy and to my ears she’s a much nicer a player than Mary Bergin or Joannie Madden [just to hook up with the other thread. And I only mean to say she plays as well technically but I much prefer the taste, personality and style of her music. Unhurried, lively well phrased Clare music.
There are the old people that come to our session…and they take no prisoners if musicians put their ego before the music.
Exactly…“unhurried music” and “musicians who put ego before the music”…that was what I was referring to in the other thread, MB vs JM. Well said, Peter.
[ This Message was edited by: blackhawk on 2002-06-24 07:49 ]
Exactly…“unhurried music” and “musicians who put ego before the music”…that was what I was referring to in the other thread, MB vs JM. Well said, Peter.
I don not want to create the impression I was referring to anyone in particular. I don’t think Mary B puts her ego before the music. The group of old people emitted some great comments when JM visited the session though. [Dead on comments and not putting her down or knocking her]
I don’t want to be misunderstood as criticizing MB in any way. I’d give anything to have her talent. I just don’t enjoy trad music played that fast. It’s a matter of personal taste, certainly. I prefer more “unhurried” music.
