I played to a packed house on Sunday for about 2 minutes. This was Sunday mass before St Patrick’s Day, so, I do my thing on that day. I picked out a slow air from the Bothy Band’s First Album, Is Trua Nach Bhfuil Mé in Éirinn. (I never bothered to look up the meaning of the title. I hope it was appropriate.) I was all practiced up and had the whistle head warming in my hand (Abell C). As soon as I get up, right next to the choir, whose director has a phd in music, and a number of other very serious musicians, my mind goes blank and I start playing notes. I think, god, I hope this is what I was planning to play. I’ll find out in a moment. Turns out it was the right tune and I kept my head after that.
The cool thing is playing whistle in a big high ceilinged, hard walled room gives you the natural reverb and all. Hard to go wrong. The church was silent while I played, which made me more self-conscious (right after communion and during the collection). Got an applause and a thumbs up from the choir director. Whew, talk about stress.
Tony
I played whistle in church this Sunday in church too. I am the church musician on certain Sundays, including this past one. Many times I play a nice air for offering or prelude without any excuse, but St. Patrick’s Day actually gave me a very good excuse. I played Si Bheag, Si Mhor because I needed something that I hadn’t played in church before, was slow and pretty for church, and sounded “Irish” even to those uneducated in Irish music.
I am never nervous to play in church because:
a) I do it at least once a month
b) I’m 14, and I am still young enough to sound “cute” if I mess up a little
c) I get paid
d) I always get lots of compliments, even from people who know a lot about music
e) At church, you are supposed to be supported and loved as you share and develop your talents
You’re 14, and already a professional musician, cute and never nervous? You play in your church and they actually support and love you? Better not come around here, or i might slap you a little, out of jealousy.
Well, I’m probably no where near as cute as Danner, and I am over 40, so I still have concerns about playing in church. Anyone have a suggestion for something nice to play for Easter?
Here’s me playing E.S. and The Mist on the Mountain: [klik]. Not a particularly good (live) recording (or performance) (or whistler). Nice whistle, though, Alba low C. 1.5MB mono MP3 file.
Check out the thread on this board for Easter music. I posted links to my favorite Easter tune- I’ve done it more than once on both organ or whistle.
(ps- I’m over 50 and definately way beyond the “cute” age.)
The first time I ever played whistle I used a low A during communion- played The Song of the Books. After church several folks told me they initially thought " I’ve never heard the organ sound that way before. " They did not know it was a whistle until they left the communion rail and looked over at the organ and realized that was not what I was playing.
Hey Tony,
I am proud of you and envious, too! It may be obvious to some but I love the whistle, especially played in church.
Adding to the hihacking of your post:
I played for my sister’s walking club Monday morning. In the mall in Cafe Court with the canned music overhead with a very poor sound system in terrible accoustical location to audience of appreciative peers.
Their favorites were Danny Boy on a Clarke original along with the Robert Clarke story and When Irish Eyes are Smiling on a hoover brass Bb. We sang Tura Lura Llura a capella.
That’s how I felt when we opened for Gaelic Storm a couple weeks ago. The hall was sold out and jammed with a screaming and cheering audience as we walked on stage. What a rush. I’m the band’s guitarist and vocalist (which I’ve been doing most of my performing career as a single performer), but have MUCH less experience on whistle, especially in font of a large audience like this. So when it came time for my first whistle solo and you could hear a pin drop, I was thinking, “Man, I hope I remember the first note.” But the audience was there to hear Celtic music and was really behind us. So as soon as I hit the first note, my nervousness melted away, and it went great. I made one little blooper in three whistle solos during our 45 min set, so I was thrilled I didn’t pass out and fall off the stage or something. But unlike your situation, I had four other musicians on stage with me for support! Had I been on my own like you, it may well have been a different story. Good job, Tony.
We’ve played churches, and absolutely love the sound. Makes you want to keep playing all day/night.
