[Harp-L] Irish Music as SPAH

[Aongus Mac Cana]

I was intrigued to hear that Richard Sleigh is going to teach Irish Trad at
SPAH this year. I would dearly like to participate. 

Alas as I am somewhat past my "sell by date" and live on the other side of
the Atlantic I am unlikely ever to attend a SPAH gig. Maybe with a bit of
luck I might one day make it as far as the NHL festival in Bristol.

It is not all bad though. In two weeks time I hope to be able to take
classes from Mick Kinsella and Rick Epping at the Willie Clancy Summer
School in Milltown Malbay County Clare.

I heard an up and coming young Traditional Irish Fiddler being interviewed
on radio some time ago. He remarked that when you achieve a reasonable level
of competence with your instrument that listening becomes as important as
practice. I think that he might well be right and I would recommend any
aspiring trad player to build up an Irish Music disk collection - not all
just harmonica  either.

Richard mentioned that he intends to use some of Brendan Power's teaching
resources. Brendan Power is of course the "Sean Maguire" of Irish Harmonica
(any Irish Trad aficionado will know exactly what that means!) His album
"The New Irish Harmonica" is a good start to an Irish Harmonica record
collection.

Good luck to all Richard's students. The Irish Trad scene needs a few more
harmonica players.

Beannachtai

Aongus Mac Cana