When your memory is gone…

January 18, 2012

There isn’t one traditional musician I can think of, that knows the name of every single tune they play, never mind every tune they hear.

In the old days (you know, like  a couple of years ago) you would probably have to play a tune to your friends, family, neighbors and your friends’ family and neighbors, just to find the name of the tune.

These days, now all you have to do is to play the tune into an iPhone app called Tunepal and voila, the name of the tunes is revealed. Seriously what did we do before the iPhone?

I use my iPhone to record sessions, check my email, update my Facebook status and oh yeah, make calls. And now, I can figure out what tunes are being played by the mere click of a button. Does it get any better?

Here’s a little about the app:

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

Calling all Irish musicians!

March 10, 2011

This year we need you!!! Come play at a live session at the Annual Festival Ceili during Burlington’s Irish Heritage Festival. (Ceili means an informal social gathering with music, dancing and singing). The Annual Festival Ceili is fun for the whole family with Irish stepdancing and some of Vermont’s finest Celtic musicians play in a live session. So break out your instrument and come play with us.

The Ceili takes place each year at Contois Auditorium in Burlington from 1-3pm. All Irish musicians are welcome to play and it’s open to the public.

For musicians who have not yet played in this session here are some common tunes that are usually played. This by no means is a set list but it will at least give you a place to start.

Hope to see you on Sunday.

REELS
1 Silver Spear D / Banshee G / Humours of Tulla D
2 Trip to Durrow D / Swingin on a Gate G /Star of Munster Am
3 Cooley’s Em / Cup of Tea Em
4 Golden Keyboard Em / Green Mtn D
5 Hunters House G / Man of the House Em
6 My Love is in America D / Lafferty’s Em
7 Sally Gardens G / Father Kelly’s G / Wise Maid D
8 Musical Priest Bm / Earl’s Chair D
9 McLeods G / Fermoy Lasses Em
10 Merry Blacksmith D / Dick Gossip D / Rollin in Rye grass D
11 Ormond Sound Ador/ Floating Crowbar Dmix / The Virginian D
12 Come West Along the Road G / Old Copperplate Am
13 Traveller G / Ash Plant Em / Over the Moor to Maggie G

JIGS
21 Kesh G / Mug of Brown Ale Am / Out on the Ocean G
22 My Darlin Asleep D  Connaughtman Ramble D / Tobins Fav D
23 Old Favorite G / Morrison’s Em / Donnybrook G
24 Scatter the Mud Am / Trippin upstairs D / Mist on the Mtn Am
25 Blackthorn Stick G / Rose in the Heather D / Boys of the Town G
26 Goat on the Green Em / Pipe on the Hob Dmix
27 Banish Misfortune Dmix / Cliffs of Moher Am
28 Tommy Mulhaire’s Em /  Anthony Frawleys G

MISC
Coleraine    Swallowtail    Off she goes   Blarney Pilgrim   Sport
Tar Road to Sligo   Sean Ryans   Battering Ram
Garett Berry’s   First Night in America   Newtown Bridge
Concertina Reel   Far from Home   Christmas Eve   Craig’s Pipes
Mountain Road  Mason’s Apron  Old Bush  Sligo Maid

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

Listen with your ears, not your instrument

March 1, 2011

When I was a little girl my grandmother used to say “listen with your ears not with your mouth.” I’ve been at sessions where I wish I could say something similar to some of the musicians around me like “listen with your ears not with your instrument.”

If you listen to as much Irish music as I do, you’ll know each different musician or band has a different style of playing the tunes. Maybe one puts a swing in their reels or elongates the first beat of a jig. It’s no different at a session. Whoever is leading the tune may have a slightly different view of the tune than you do. So if you swing your reels and the person leading the tune doesn’t, something’s got to give, otherwise its a train wreck.

Often times we spend so much time practicing tunes by ourselves that we get to the session and all we want to do is play it the way we learned it. So we put ourselves out there and play our hearts out. The truth is though a big part of participating in a session is listening to the music around you.

Pay attention to whether  it is a jig, reel, hornpipe or polka and listen to the beat. Not everything is in 4/4. And even though a reel and a hornpipe are, there are differences between the two. So take a step back and listen to what is being played. It’s okay to step off a little and not play for a few minutes. Remember, there is beauty in the white space.

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

Irish session at an Irish pub – nothin’ like it

February 13, 2011

Now that football season is over, the Irish Session at Ri Ra the Irish Pub starts up again today from 5-8pm. This is a fun session. Sometimes musicians just passing through town drop in for a tune or two. And sometimes its just us local Irish musicians. Either way, there is really nothing better than playing Irish music in an Irish pub drinking Irish beer. Hope to see you there today!

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

Rockin around the Christmas tree

December 11, 2010

Liz Carroll and John Doyle are two of my favorite Irish musicians. Not just because they are both amazing musicians but because watching them together is mesmerizing. I watch this video and I can’t help but notice how little Liz moves her fingers and yet she creates this huge sound. And John, well there’s a man who loves what he does. His rhythmic playing just makes me want to jump out of my seat and dance. Check ‘em out:

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

Enjoying the white space

December 1, 2010

There is beauty in the white space. Whether its art, advertising or music, that empty space can enhance an experience. You don’t have to use every color or play every note for something to be beautiful. In fact some of the most beautiful tunes have a break in them and some of the most touching pieces of art are the simplest of pictures.

The same holds true at a session. There are definitely different sets of core tunes played at each session so unless you frequent the same session every week, there are going to be moments where you don’t know the tune and you have to sit one or two out. This doesn’t mean you have to stomp your feet or slap your hands or, God forbid, pick up the spoons because you feel left out. This is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of a session, listen to a new tune or just relish in the white space.

Listening can sometimes be the best part. I think too many times we get wrapped up in thinking that we have to be participating at every moment in order to enjoy the session. But I dare you to take a step back and take a view from a different angle. You may just like what you find.

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

How to be a better musician – stop playing

August 26, 2010

My very first fiddle teacher said if you just practice for 15 minutes every day, you will improve greatly. But what happens if you just stop playing for months at a time?…You will improve greatly!

As you can probably guess given my recent lack of words on this blog, I haven’t played my fiddle in quite some time, let alone visited a session. During the summer it’s always hard to practice because there are so many other things I could be doing outside under the sunshine. Since we don’t get much sunshine in the great state of Vermont we got to eat up that Vitamin D while we can.

But tonight though, I broke out that fiddle, dusted off some tunes and went to the monthly session at On The Rise Bakery. I was reminded of just how much I love this music and how much fun sessions are. It inspired me to review that ever-growing list of tunes to learn and start practicing.

I’m pretty sure every musician goes through these little hiatuses every now and again, where you don’t play a note for weeks or even months and when you get back to it, not only does it feel good, but there is a new love for your instrument and the music. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. When I return to playing it seems I love the music even more.

So if you find yourself in a rut, and you don’t feel like you’re getting any better, take a break, take up painting, biking, hiking or something completely not music related. I can almost guarantee when you get back to playing you’ll wonder why you stopped in the first place.

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

How to practice for a session

May 21, 2010

How do you practice for a session? Do you learn full tune sets or one tune at a time? Do you practice scales so it sounds good or do you just learn the gist of the tune? Though people have different ways of practicing. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare for a session?

  1. Find a session. I know that sounds obvious but its always good to visit the session you want to attend and just listen. Find out what the core tunes are and what the tempo is to get a feel for where you’re music will fit in.
  2. Record. Ask the session leader if it would be okay to record the session. This is a great way to learn new tunes and really get a sense of what the session is all about. And feel free to ask players for the names of tunes. I keep a list of the tunes I want to learn in my fiddle case.
  3. Practice, practice, practice. Since I learn most of my tunes from other recordings, I get into the habit of playing the same tune sets over and over. I suggest mixing it up in your practice session and trying to pull a tune out of your head one after the other. This way you’ll feel confident when its your turn to start a tune.

The more you practice and the more tunes you know the more confident you’ll be in your playing.

Hope that helps. Happy practicing.

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

A Letter From John Doyle

May 5, 2010

John DoyleThe following is a letter from John Doyle who is heading to Vermont this weekend to perform at Higher Ground.

“Hello everybody…..I’m here at home with my family in lovely Asheville, NC on my last few days before taking the plunge into a 2 week solo tour, eating soda bread that I made and drinking copious amounts of strong Irish tea, the champion of all drinks.  I’ve taken up building stone walls in my back yard, which I must say is very fulfilling if not a little dangerous for someone in my profession but I’m taking care not to squish too many fingers before I come play.

Really looking forward to coming up to Burlington.  Mark Sustic has been extremely supportive over the years and I always look forward to the shows there.  Here’s a bit of what I’ve been up to recently:  For the last year and a half I’ve been the Musicial Director/Guitarist/Singer for the legendary Joan Baez, doing three 6 week tours a year.  It’s been an experience of a lifetime getting to know Joan, hearing her amazing stories, traveling the world with her and seeing how incredibly loved and respected she is worldwide.  I’ve recorded a few new or relatively new cd’s over the last couple of years, the most recent of which is “Exiles Return” with myself and my former Solas bandmate and friend, Karan Casey.  It was lovely to make this recording and we’re especially proud of it.  The title track is a song I wrote specifically for the record…

Liz Carroll and I had the proud honor to perform for President Obama, VP Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and many other dignitaries at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon in Washington, DC March 17, 2009.  It was an experience I’ll certainly never forget…

Liz and I  were nominated for a 2010 Grammy for our duo recording, “Double Play” in the Best Traditional World Music category – we lost out to Mamadou D’iabate but still, pretty great to be the first traditional Irish artists to be nominated besides the Chieftains!  I was also named the “Best Traditional Artist” by Earle Hitchener, writing for the “Irish Echo”.  Jerry Holland, whom many of you probably know, lost a long battle with cancer and very sadly passed away this last year.  It was a tragic loss for the music and for me personally but I had the great fortune of playing and recording with him just a very few weeks before his passing.  This recording, “Helping Hands” is a stellar example of Jerry’s wonderful playing and personality – one of my all time favourites.

One of my main reasons for embarking on this solo tour is that over the past couple of years I’ve been writing a lot of songs and have really been hankering to get out and perform them.  So, I hope to see many of you there!”

John Doyle will be playing at Higher Ground this Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 7:30pm. Tickets are just $15. Hope to see you there! John  is also giving a pre-concert guitar workshop for intermediate and advanced players. Contact Mark Sustic for workship info at mrksustc@together.net.

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

Fiddles and flutes and drums, oh my!

March 8, 2010

Irish MusicAside from the 4th of July and Halloween, St. Paddy’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. Not just because its the one time of year that us Irish musicians are in demand, but also because all the great musicians come out of the woodwork to celebrate Vermont’s Irish-American culture in Burlington’s Irish Heritage Festival, a week long festival with music, lectures, movies, drama and dance.

The festival kicked off yesterday with William McKone speaking about John Lonergan and Burlington’s first St. Paddy’s day celebration. There is a slue of events going on throughout the week ending on St. Patrick’s Day when the Irish band Dervish takes the stage.

In between you can find penny whistle and drum workshops, sessions, lectures, children’s stories, movies and more. My two favorite events at this festival are the festival ceili and the Irish music showcase.

The festival ceili will be held on Sunday, March 14th from 1-3pm, and is less like a performance and more like a party where local musicians play for dancers in full regalia from the McFadden Academy of Irish Dance. They usually invite the audience to participate in a few of the set dances. The music is an open session for musicians who can play fast and steady.

This year the annual Irish Music Showcase celebrates women in Irish music. It takes place after the Ceili at 6pm on Sunday, with a session at Ri Ra the Irish Pub following the performance. The who’s who in Irish music will be performing and somehow I got the honor of playing alongside them. The show benefits the Tom Sustic Fund which helps families with children with cancer. So not only do you get to watch a performance with some of Burlington’s finest musicians but you get to help out your community while doing it.

These are only two of my favorite events this coming week, there is so much more. Check out the full schedule of events to find the events that suit your taste.Burlington Irish Heritage Festival

I hope to see you out and about and have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Cheers!

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Posted by Katrina VanTyne

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