I was told a story when I first started playing fiddle by one of my teachers who heard it from another teacher who basically said the following:
“When first learning Irish music, it all sounds the same. You then start to learn the tunes and it all sounds different. Then you start to really get to the know the music, and it all sounds the same.”
This Sunday, this story will be proven wrong.
Irish musicians play a lot of reels which are in 4/4 timing and jigs which are in 3/4 timing. I can honestly see why to the naked ear all jigs and all reels sound similar, if not the same.
However, there is much more to traditional Irish music than jigs and reels and if you visit the Waterbury Congregational Church on Sunday, June 7 at 4pm, you’ll hear what I’m talking about.
Traditional Irish Music Classes & Performances
Each fall and spring semester the Vermont School of Traditional Irish Music offers music classes on traditional Irish music. The classes involve learning Irish tunes and the rich history behind them. And at the end of each semester the students play a concert that includes all the tunes they learned.
This past semester’s class was called”Between the Jigs and the Reels” — traditional Irish tunes which happen not to be jigs or reels. So students learned and will be performing everything but jigs and reels. Much of the music you’ll hear will be hornpipes, barn dances, mazurkas, set dances, and more.
Aside from the student performances there will be surprise performances by friends of the school, including a special guest musician from Ireland who will be giving a full concert later in the week.
So if you’re looking for something fun to do on Sunday head to the Congregational Church in Waterbury for some great Irish music:
Irish Music Concert Info
Date: Sunday, June 7, 2015
Time: 4-5:30 pm
Location: Waterbury Congregational Church, 8 North Main St., Waterbury, VT
Admission: FREE (or by donation to the Waterbury Congregational Church)
Session Obsession 