Hi all,
I might be moving to the Springfield area in the next 6-9 months. Does anyone know what’s happening in that area, whistlewise?
Tery
There are at least three, if not 4 sessions in your area. Thursday night in Amherst, Friday at The Harp a bit further north. There is a sometime session in Springfield itself that you can contact the Irish club for details, and down in Hartford on Wednesday nights at City Steam (my personal hangout).
I’ll get you details on the first two as soon as I have a chance to search this forum for ‘Amherst’, ‘Harp’ and ‘Bloomfield’.
Springfield isn’t too far from East Durham, NY, where there is a huge Irish Arts week in July. They always have great whistle teachers. Mary Bergin has been teaching there for several years.
The Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 486 Fairfield, CT. 06430
tmquinn@optonline.net
They have lot of events going on in the Connecticut and possibly S. Mass drop Tim a line and see if you can get a list of event for the time period you will be in Springfield.
On 2003-02-22 08:59, jim_mc wrote:
Springfield isn’t too far from East Durham, NY, where there is a huge Irish Arts week in July. They always have great whistle teachers. Mary Bergin has been teaching there for several years.
\
Would you mind posting the info about this, as it gets closer? Maybe it would be worth the drive for me–I’m near Worcester, and as far as I can tell, I’m in between all the session “happenings” (i.e., Amherst/Boston) and not close enough to any of them to participate. Thanks!
Robin
Thanks for the keywords, tyghress – I can do the search 
.
I’m delighted that I’ll be able to find Irish music connections there quickly. It took me a while to find (and create) them here in DE. I’ll also check Comhaltas – there must be a chapter up there. Hartford isn’t all that far either, and I remember reading of at least one session there. Of course, I’m still too shy to play at sessions – I go, listen, learn . . .
Robin, the East Durham Irish Arts Festival page is at http://www.east-durham.org/irishartsweek/index.htm . The festival this year is July 13-19.
Tery
Thanks, Tery,
Here’s a link for the Comhaltas 2003 Convention which is being held in Boston this year:
http://www.comhaltasboston.org/CCE2003.html
I’m planning on attending the tinwhistle intermediate workshops on that Saturday, I can’t wait! It’s pretty cheap, only $20 per workshop. I’ve never been to this before, so it should be an interesting experience.
Robin
Hello,
I am from Holyoke, Ma (THe next town over), but am currently going to school in Oneonta, New York. I go to sessions when ever I am home. The best sessions are at the Bishop’s Lounge in Northampton on Thurs. and the Harp in Amherst on FRi. THe (Irish Club) is called the John Boyle O’Reilly and they may still have a session on Tues. nights and there is usually a session whenever they have an event that has a few bands playing.THere is also the People’s Pint in Greenfield on Sun. There are some great younger musicians from Holyoke and we have an awesome St. Patrick’s Day Parade. My band will be playing at a few places in Holyoke in March, and I will be home all summer, I give lessons on whistle, flute, and banjo. Western MA can’t be beat for some good tunes.
Thanks,
Patrick
There you have it! Patrick named the Bishop’s, and the other town, and the club…I’m just fuzzy in the morning…
But don’t forget City Steam…you will be welcomed at all of the sessions, but City Steam is large enough that beginners don’t have to worry about standing out unfavorably. The Harp and Bishops are smaller, and quieter.
Hope to see you (and the other New Englanders) soon!
Ah, you’re warming my heart, and making me feel a good deal better about this possible move . If I can find music, a good bookstore, a good vet, and a yard for the dog I’ll get when I settle down, then happiness will be mine!
I have the vet and the bookstore – and now the music, too!
Tery
On 2003-02-22 16:32, tkelly wrote:
If I can find music, a good bookstore, a good vet, and a yard for the dog I’ll get when I settle down, then happiness will be mine! >
Tery, remember you’ll be moving into the neighborhood of Tufts Veterinary School…some of the best medicine possible for animals. Are you just concerned about canine, or do you have other specialties to worry about? I have a superb set of avian vets to recommend, at least one of them is board certified, and between them there are DECADES of avian and exotic experience, but it really isn’t a dog/cat place.
Canine and feline. But I used to have an absolutely superb vet down here – one of the 2 best I’ve ever worked with – until she moved to the Northampton area. If I move, I’m hoping to live close enough to just use her again.
Tery
Now that I’m thinking of it again, Springfield is only an hour or so from Albany, NY and Andy’s Front Hall is maybe 15 or 20 minutes outside of Albany. That’s a great place to shop for whistles and music and all kinds of related stuff. Last time I was there, they had just about all the major cheapie brands, plus Howards, Shaws, Kerry, Sweetheart and both thin and water Weasels. They also had some Sweet flutes.
The Busman whistle works, brewery and podiatric facility isn’t far from Albany either.