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Thread: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

  1. #1
    Registered User dulcillini's Avatar
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    Default O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    I signed up for this last week I never thought that I would see an Irish Music event in Central Texas !! However, this one seems to have a stellar line-up and is well attended. I am a bit nervous, as I know several songs by heart and can play reasonably well, but my speed and pick direction need to go up to the next level. I did sign up as intermediate after I read the criteria. Any opinions from my Café colleagues would be appreciated. Thanks.
    Last edited by Scott Tichenor; Jul-01-2015 at 11:31am. Reason: Changing title from Musuc to Music
    Michael A. Harris
    the dulcILLINI
    Collings MF5 Mandolin
    Collings MT2 Mandola
    McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
    KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
    "Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash

  2. #2
    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    Hi Michael, An O'Flaherty's alumnus here -- I've been there three times from Canada now, and have thoroughly enjoyed the retreat. It's a wonderful three-day immersion into Irish music. Attendees, and indeed the instructors, leave their pretensions and egos at home!! The last couple of times I have taken tenor banjo courses, as I will again this year, but the first year I went to accompany a guitar playing friend, so I took mandolin.

    How well versed are you in Irish style playing? I consider myself an "advanced intermediate" player, but as they only had one level available then, I took it. Even though the class was a mixed bag of various level players, I learned a lot of tips and tricks one uses in Irish-style playing (both for mandolin and banjo) that I wouldn't have got in another type of class, say bluegrass, as it is a very different approach to the music.

    There are two mando courses this year -- a mandolin/tenor banjo fundamentals class, which is essentially the one I took with John, and an intermediate/advanced mandolin class with Martin, which I would probably take now that I have some Irish "chops" and more confidence, and if I wasn't focused on tenor banjo instead. I would expect both classes to be excellent.

    If you're looking for advice, if you're an intermediate or better, intermediate/advanced, player and fairly comfortable with Irish style playing, rhythms, and tune structure, then the intermediate/advanced course may work for you. However, if you're simply not that familiar with Irish music, regardless of ability, you might get more to take home out of the fundamentals class. I certainly got a lot out of it when I took it, and I had been playing quasi-Irish music for quite awhile already. Either way, given that it will be your first time there and "testing the waters", I think they might allow a switch if you think you're in over (or under) your head after the first class.

    The "enrichment" classes and other workshops are really worthwhile too, and the evening instructor's concerts are awesome -- worth the price of admission!! You should enjoy -- 'hope to see you there. And don't forget your digital audio recorder!!
    Too many instruments...too little time

  3. #3
    Registered User dulcillini's Avatar
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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    Thank you Mr. Barton: I am really looking forward to this. Right now, I am trying to get info from American Airlines about travel with my mandolin. I hope to get that worked out and then purchase air fare to DFW. Since I play mandola, I have fooled around with tenor banjo in music stores. They have the same open string set up. One of the reasons this even appealed to me is that so many different instruments are being taught and performed. It seems like I will be exposed to a lot of music !! Ironically, I just returned from an 11 day driving tour if Ireland and frankly, I saw very little traditional Irish music while there. Most of the pubs were running bluegrass !!!! Also, the music did not start until around 11PM, and I was pooped by then. We did hear some in Doolin (County Claire). We traveled in Counties Kerry, Claire, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Roscommon, and Westmeath. Others on the Café site have experienced similar difficulties with regard to traditional Irish music. Luckily, I live 2 hours south of Chicago, and Irish music is alive and well there, as you no doubt know ! Thanks for your prompt and informative response.

    Mike
    Michael A. Harris
    the dulcILLINI
    Collings MF5 Mandolin
    Collings MT2 Mandola
    McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
    KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
    "Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash

  4. #4
    Registered User liestman's Avatar
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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    Hi Mike. I can add my two cents worth. I am the "John" of which Bruce speaks. This will be my third time in 5 years to teach this class at O'Flaherty (and the other years I have been taking the uilleann piping class). It is a great event.

    On the mandolin vs. the airlines - When I travel, I take a mandolin in the smallest case possible as my only carry-on and have never had the slightest problem. If you have a form fitting case, I would take it because it looks way smaller than a rectangular case. I also never carry-on my Sobell large body mandolin because it just looks so darn big.

    On the mandola vs tenor banjo - Well, a few tenor banjo players in Irish music play the mandola tuning but most actually play octave mandolin tuning, so if you intend to bring the mandola and use it in the banjo class, it may be a problem or at least an adjustment.

    On switching classes - that is generally not a problem. Class sizes are limited but in the end, everyone wants the student to get value, so switching can usually be accommodated.

    I hope you will have your Taran mandolin by October. I sure want to check it out!
    John Liestman -
    Eye new ewe wood lye kit!

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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    Slap dab in the middle of my 30th Anniversary trip...

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    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    Mike, I look forward to meeting you in TX and comparing experiences in Ireland -- they sound similar (although I went with a fiddler and concertina player, and we had an "in" to the local music). Re: flying with mando, I've never had a problem taking my mandolin in a shaped case or Calton case in the cabin on any airline, both within North America or overseas. There may be issues with anything larger though -- I have a Calton flight case I use to check my tenor banjo in luggage. It's probably considered a lethal weapon anyway! Like John I also have a Sobell, but it's so nice I haven't had the nerve to take it out of the house yet!! The Taran Springwell sounds intriguing -- I followed the threads on it. When do you get it? Bruce
    Too many instruments...too little time

  7. #7
    Registered User dulcillini's Avatar
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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    Bruce: I am not sure what Rory's schedule (Taran Guitars) is. I had the impression that he was a bit surprised by the response to his "Springwell" mandolin. From the rumors I hear, he might even have sold out his 2016 batch as well ! If mine is done by the time of the festival, I will definitely bring it down.
    Michael A. Harris
    the dulcILLINI
    Collings MF5 Mandolin
    Collings MT2 Mandola
    McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
    KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
    "Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash

  8. #8
    Registered User BBarton's Avatar
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    Default Re: O'Flaherty's Irish Music Festival

    You may find it's so nice you won't want to take it out of the house for awhile!! I still haven't got up the nerve to take my Sobell to a jam session yet!
    Too many instruments...too little time

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