I’ll be heading out to Michigan for the Midwest Fleadh in May, staying with my friends David and Tina Bowen.
I’ve not been to a fleadh before. While I wasn’t planning to compete, I was curious if there will be all kinds of sessions going on day and night. If anyone else on C&F is planning on attending, perhaps we could arrange a group meet-up during the event.
I’ll be in Michigan May 6-13 (Tuesday before to the Tuesday after the fleadh), looking for any sessions around the Ann Arbor and/or Detroit areas before and after the fleadh. I’m bringing the pipes and concertina.
I really don’t like to compete, too many memories of my high school days as a classical solo flute player taking lessons from a former first chair of the L.A. Philharmonic. She made all her students compete and I never enjoyed it.
My memory of the last time it was in our region was that there were a few miscellaneous bits of session cropping up during the day, then the real deal got going around suppertime and ran til about 4am.
I will be there, playing in David’s ceili band.
After that, the normal Sunday evening session in Ann Arbor will probably be cracking that weekend.
I’m in Livonia, perhaps April 17 ish- anything happening for music around there? I saw there was a session on Tuesday…up by the first finger( you guys understand), but I can’t remember where.
According to Sessionite there’s a session in Saginaw that night, but that’s about two hours away from Livonia, and I’ve never actually heard of that session before. I’ll have to give it a try some month, but not this one – we’ll have out-of-town company visiting pre-Penguicon that night.
If you stick around until Sunday that’s when the big local session is…
Not a big C&Fer, but you might remember me from the session.org. The wife and I are going and will be mad for tunes both Friday and Saturday night. The last time I went, the sessions were mixed. There can be some politics between competitors and schools, but hopefully we can break down some walls.
There should be lots of sessions at the fleadh on Saturday night. They usually last all night. There may be one at Connor O’Neills in Ann Arbor the next night. Ask at the fleadh. The others in the area are more for beginners.
You mentioned
“There can be some politics between competitors and schools, but hopefully we can break down some walls.”
My experience is that all competitors and schools will play together fine. We all know each other. However we do break into groups according to levels. It’s exciting for judges and teachers and students to see each other again and often will form somewhat closed social / session groups. The good news is that if you are not comfortable in one, you can always start another session in another area.
There almost certainly will be one, that’s the normal time and in past years when the Fleadh was in “Detroit” the session there the next day was very nice.
Actually, because they are friendly, they welcome everyone. Of course beginners will show up. We also make sure that everyone gets to play whatever level. The Ann Arbor session doesn’t share that reputation.
Also, the other sessions can go til 2am. I believe the Ann arbor session has to make way for karaoke at, what, 10p?
“We also make sure that everyone gets to play whatever level.”
Exactly.
Ann Arbor session seems friendly enough to me - even welcomes young kids.
It does attract the best musicians in the area.
You don’t have to be a virtuoso but you can’t be dragging down the music or getting in the way either. Every one does not get to play and thank goodness for that. It’s not a practice session. It’s a few (yes too few) hours of very good playing by very capable and usually seasoned Irish trad players.
Hey - ask some good Michigan players at the at the fleadh where they like to go.
There are a lot of typical attitudes of that session revealed in the last post and I was going to comment on some of them. But rather let me just say this… because we invite beginners does not make it a beginners session just as the Ann Arbor’s session is not a kid’s session because you allow kids.
Oh for Heaven’s sake feardearg, don’t get so defensive and insecure. Let’s not get it out of perspective. You sound like you personally have been asked to depart Conor O’Neill’s, and I doubt you have.
No, it isn’t a kid session, It’s an - everyone can keep up reasonably well or stay out of the way session. It’s a session of peers. It’s a - we have been playing this music for quite a while session.
Sessions don’t have a responsibility to teach people how to play music. O’Neills folks assume you can already play and can do it up to speed. We like O’Neills, We have been there a long time. We are there selfishly for excellent music and not for any altruistic reasons.
You have a right to make your session whatever you want. Please don’t be disparaging because we attract top end players who want to play as top end players.
These are not analogous really, but let me just say that if the majority of people at a session are kids, then yes it will pretty much be a kids’ session. And if the majority of people playing (not necessarily just present!) are beginners, than the music will be at a beginner level. Ergo the session will be a beginners’ session.
If you not only encourage beginners to attend, but also stop other music to play at their level the majority of the time, then of course what you will get is a beginner session.
Disclaimer: I’ve never attended the sessionite sessions. I have been to Conor O’Neill’s twice and it was lovely both times. Great music, very friendly, welcoming people. Beginners seem to be encouraged to attend, and participate as best as they are able. Sometimes that means getting to listen to a lot of really good music.
I guess I may have been a little defensive. Perhaps niether of us like to have the sessions we enjoy mischaracterized.
I, too, enjoy sessions of peers (I like that term). We oftimes have closed sessions or house sessions of invited musicians. They are great fun and very fulfilling. We also have open sessions that invite everybody. The music isn’t always top notch (sometimes it is actually horrendous) but those are usually a great deal of fun, too. Just a different kind of a fun.
I am grateful that top notch players come to our sessions because of their influence. I hope we are promoting the music in this area so that the fun can be as wide-spread as possible and more and more people can get up to speed and become top notch.
I fear the characterization of our sessions as beginners sessions may give the impression that we all sit around with sheetmusic playing Fanny Poer like a dirge. Such is not the case. We have fine musicians, a few teachers, some professionals etc who participate because they enjoy our tunes and craic. We had a punter who grew up in Ireland in the forties in a thatched cottage where weekly sessions were had. In tears, he said we are having sessions just as he remembered them being. I guess the point is that we are doing a fair job.
I would be sad to find out that people may choose not to come to our sessions and miss some wonderful times simply because the sessions are misrepresented as beginners sessions.
That’s all.
I have never been asked to depart Conor O’Neill’s (yet). When the price of gas goes down a wee bit I would like to come out and see that session again. I hope to meet you then .
[/quote]There can be some politics between competitors and schools, but hopefully we can break down some walls.
See you there,
Jode[/quote]
Jode,
I’ve met you and your wife during Milwaukee’s Irish fest (at the sessions) over the years. Yes the politics… I agree.. Love to hear about how the school is going.. look forward to catch up with you and your wife.
There can be some politics between competitors and schools, but hopefully we can break down some walls.
See you there,
Jode[/quote]
Jode,
I’ve met you and your wife during Milwaukee’s Irish fest (at the sessions) over the years. Yes the politics… I agree.. Love to hear about how the school is going.. look forward to catch up with you and your wife.
Regards,
Rich[/quote]
Hi Rich, that sounds great! We normally trade off going to sessions. But we are leaving the kids at home that weekend, so we will be partners in crime once more. I am looking forward to it. See you there,
Hi Bbabe, our experiences differ, but I like your optimism! I am not trying to make a big deal out of it. It’s not like the mods and rockers or anything like that. (or what’s the west side story reference?) Hope to meet you there,
