June is one of my favorite months in Vermont. Mostly because it’s the start of summer. The grass has turned green, flowers have bloomed, caterpillars have turned to butterflies and I can finally leave the house without a warm jacket. It’s also my favorite time of year because it’s the start of festival season. A time … More Upcoming traditional music events
To all the great mother’s out there, and you’re all great! … More In honor of Mother’s Day
Music isn’t just about learning the notes, memorizing tunes or putting together set lists for performances. It’s about relationships. Relationships between musicians, relationships between the band and the audience or dancers, the relationship between you and your instrument, and the relationships between the notes. I was reminded of this the other day during rehearsal as we … More How music is more about relationships than notes
St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone and though most people love Irish music around that time us Irish musicians enjoy it far beyond the celebration of the patron saint and here’s why: It’s rich in history Listening to Irish music makes you feel good Playing it makes you feel even better It brings people together It … More Why we love Irish music and why you should too
Recently I brought my bow in to be re-haired and the violin shop kindly lent me a bow of similar value to use for the week until I got mine back. If you play the fiddle you know what a difference a bow can make. Using a different bow feels so foreign. It’s like getting … More Don’t judge a girl by her bow
by Katrina VanTyne Spring has finally arrived, according to the calendar at least. And though there is still a ton of snow on the ground here in Vermont, there is no better time like the present to do some spring cleaning on your instrument. Winter can wreak havoc on instruments so now is the time … More 4 Spring cleaning tips for fiddlers
by Katrina VanTyne Last summer I was lucky enough to go to this fiddle school in Glencolmcille County Donegal, Ireland (feel free to check out the posts from my trip to Ireland). The style of Donegal music is very similar to the Cape Breton style of music which is probably why I love it so … More A Little Donegal in Vermont
by Katrina VanTyne If you’re not versed in Irish music and you happen to stumble into a place like Bagitos on a Saturday afternoon when the place is filled with musicians, you might not know exactly what to make of it. There is definitely an art to sessioning and a few unwritten rules you should know before … More 4 Common Misconceptions of an Irish Session
by Katrina VanTyne I love watching the Olympics. It doesn’t matter who wins the gold, it always brings tears to my eyes when an athlete gets awarded their medal on the podium. Though I can’t claim to be anything close to an Olympic athlete (though I did mountain bike race in my youth), I can … More How practicing is like training for the olympics
I believe music is magical. It can improve your health, your mood, your life. It can express deep emotions. It can make you feel good playing it and it can make someone else feel good listening to it. But can it make beer taste good? We think so. This week we had the opportunity to … More Tunes in The Tap Room
Session Obsession 