Dear Friends,
I will lead a one-day “Ornamentation Boot Camp” for experienced tin whistle and flute players on Saturday, July 17 from 11 AM to 5 PM at The Irish Arts Center, 553 W. 51st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues in Manhattan.
The workshop is designed for players who feel fairly comfortable playing Irish dance tunes at a moderate pace, but are novices at ornamentation. The day will start with instruction in simple ornaments (cuts and strikes) and then move on to compound ornaments (rolls and crans). There will be five hours of hands-on instruction, plus a one-hour lunch break. During the lunch break, I will give a talk on different styles of traditional Irish tin whistle and flute playing, illustrated with archival recordings of master players.
Participants should bring a whistle or flute pitched in D, a notebook, and lunch. A recording device such as a tape or mini-disc recorder is also recommended.
The fee for the full day is $50. Irish Art Center Members receive a $10 discount. To register, contact Sydney at The Irish Arts Center: 212-757-3318, ext. 204, 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday, or sydney@irishartscenter.org.
For further information about the workshop, please contact me at 212-247-3231 or bill@pennywhistle.com.
For those who can’t attend the workshop, I am available for private lessons throughout the summer. Group classes for players of all levels will resume in September.
Best wishes,
Bill Ochs
www.pennywhistle.com