Tom Standeven - Liz Anderson Sean Nos Tionol. Both Tom and Liz spent much of there lives , loving, learning and teaching Irish music of an old style, we’re here to carry on.
In Philadelphia in the 50’s , Tom essentially taught himself the Irish language, song, history and several instruments including the then nearly extinct Uillean pipes. There was no internet to learn from then, a letter from overseas was an event, and a long distance call was “too dear"to even consider. Yet, when the folk revival was just starting , Tom was winning the highest piping award of the Irish at the Oireachtas. Without listing all of the other languages, instruments and musical traditions this working man mastered, it would be fair to say that what he did was impossible.
Because of people like Tom there are more people making pipes now, then there were playing them, and more people playing them now then even knew what they were, when Tom started out. Besides playing, Tom’s greatest joy was passing along the traditions that he had learned, along with knowledge Tom gave away an untold number of instruments, full sets of pipes, fiddles and flutes, with only one proviso " Keep playing!”
Liz Anderson Ni’ Creehan came from a family that didn’t need a folk revival; they were the ones being discovered. As Liz’s family grew up she began devoting more of her phenomenal energy to the local Irish scene. She didn’t rank herself as a musician, but many times I heard her play tune after tune on the whistle from childhood memory, and every one a lovely tune that is all but unknown now. Liz sometimes would put down the whistle and join the dancers at the ceili, where she seemed to know every set and step. There are some nice old Irish songs being sung around the area now, and Liz is the source. Nothing pleased her more than to speak and sing the Irish language, and in this her and Tom were most alike. Liz loved to hear Irish music played the old way, and she constantly had her ear out for people who “had it.” Through several years of debilitating disease, and right along to an end she saw coming, she never stopped or slowed her efforts to connect teacher’s of the old style with likely students.
WHAT
This seminar will NOT change your life
This is a fine time to meet people, hear and maybe play some great music and have a good old time. All of the presenters are long time practioners and Masters of their fields, but only a few are full time musicians. We’d like to keep the stress level down for everybody by suggesting that the workshops are not going to be intense, once in a lifetime opportunities; but they’ll be fun.
My best guess at the schedule is:
Friday June 23rd
5:00pm till…
Free barbecue, get together and sessions
From 8:00 to midnight the Philadelphia Ceili Group will have their monthly Ceili in the fireside room
Saturday June 24th
10:30 - 12:30 Classes
David Power - Uillean Pipes
Willy Kelly - Fiddle
Tom Cahill - Irish Singing ( approx 1 hour)
Donal Clancy - Beginner/Intermediate Tin Whistle
12:30 - 2:30
Lunch ($5.00)
Philly Sandwiches- The Best!
2:30 - 4:30 Classes
David Power - Uillean Pipes
Willy Kelly - Fiddle
Mike Rafferty - Flute
Tom Cahill - Irish Singing (approx 1 hour)
4:30 - 6:30
Dinner ($8.00)
John’s Surprise ( trust me)
7:30 - 10:15 Concert
7:30- 8:00 Joe Vesey
8:15 - 10:15 David Power, Willy Kelly, Mike Rafferty, Donal Clancy
Sunday June 25th
9:00am to noon - The Irish Center sells and Irish Breakfast and televises Irish Football
Also, there is a lot to do on a June Sunday in Philadelphia including two sessions in the Center City area
The Plough and the Stars - 2nd and Chestnut Streets 4:00 - 8:00pm
The Bards - 2013 Walnut Street 7:00 - 10:00pm
COST
One Class - $25.00
Two Classes - $45.00
Two Classes, Concert, Lunch & Dinner - $70.00
Concert - $22.00 advance $25.00 at door
WHERE
All events will be held at the Philadelphia Irish Center, also called the Commodore Barry Club, which is located at the intersection of Carpenter and Emlen Streets in the Germantown section of the city (zip19144). There is a free parking garage at the building which should hold most of us, the latecomers will enjoy inconvenient street parking. The building is across the street from the Carpenter-Emlen station of the R6 Chestnut Hill local commuter train.
REGISTRATION and CONTACT
Please make up your own registration letter and mail check payable to:
John Donnelly
3818 Sharp Street
Philadelphia, PA 19127
or contact Donnelly_386@msn.com
PLEASE REGISTER BY JUNE 10 SO THAT FINAL ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE
Lodging
Lodging may be available from:
Pam B&B
muze@erols.com
(215) 842-1040
Katie Schultz Hotel
Ace Conference Center
katie.schultz@ace-ina.com
(610) 940-4781
General Lafayette Inn
646 Germantown Pike
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
(610) 941-0600
Doubletree Inn
640 W. Germantown Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA
(610)834-8300