After many years of sadly watching my fine chanter collecting the dust (which started after struggling to learn alone for 10 months and then returning to vocals, easier instruments ect.), I want to give myself one more chance. Real live lessons are not possible due to complete isolation, so I want to try SKYPE lessons. I got new computer and better Internet connection so it’s time.
What I am looking for is someone who is:
fantastic Slow air player (great virtuosity on chanter & deep understanding of its expressive abilities, half holing, cross fingerings ect.)
also a good teacher
My taste is moustly into McSherry/Furey/Spillane intense open style, but I also very much enjoy listening Benedict Koehler playing slow air on his C chanter just beautifully.
I can attest that he’s a good teacher having had a class with him at the WPKF in Armagh last November. Someone in the same group had previously taken a Skype lesson with Tiarnán and had good things to say.
I think Friar D’Arcy is also giving lessons over Skype. Haven’t met him in person, but unless everyone I know who has met him is a bald faced liar, he’s the one you’re looking for. Look on http://www.uilleannobsession.com/ in the lower left corner under “lessons”.
UAU! His playing is just breathtaking + amazing control and it looks like the most effortless playing I ever seen - not many pipers give this kind of “it’s soooo easy” impression. Many times you can see on the faces of players how uncomfortable the pressure is, or how they fight with each note to adjust the tuning + many other things … What is his secret? Millions of hours of practice or his rubber bag or both!?
But listening his YouTube videos, especialy reels, I saw I do prefer more open players like John Mcsherry… but anyway, I will try to have few lessons with him to learn the basics of his relaxed and “still/nonmoving/effortless” playing.
