Friday Music Sessions

The Friday Music Sessions at Teelin are for intermediate or advanced level musicians who are interested in sharing some traditional tunes together. Musicians who have not yet experienced other Irish music sessions are welcome, with the awareness that the sessions are not lessons. Maureen will lead the sessions, but she is not in a “teacher” role. Maureen plays accordion – all instruments are welcome!

There will be times when the group is learning a new tune, and one musician will act as leader while the other players are becoming familiar with the new melody. However, much of these one-hour sessions will be devoted to playing tunes that those musicians present have in common, and pushing the tempo of those tunes to play faster.

A good rule of thumb for musicians attending a Teelin music session is to come prepared with at least 4 tunes that can already be played up to speed. (It’s possible that not all of those tunes will be played, but Maureen will attempt to play at least one of those tunes at the session. Please speak up when asked which tunes you know!) When new or unfamiliar tunes are being played, musicians are encouraged to either attempt it as they are able, or to listen and then work on that tune independently before the next session. All participants are also encouraged to bring audio recording devices, in order to capture unfamiliar tunes. Even the most seasoned musicians make a practice of this. Playing by ear is highly encouraged, and is “the norm” in traditional Irish music.

SCHEDULE
There is no tuition or other fee charged for attending the Friday music sessions at Teelin. In general, music sessions are held every Friday that Maureen is teaching (i.e. – any dates that Friday dance classes are held), plus additional Fridays when possible. Please check the calendar below, and look specifically for “Irish Music Practice” listed in gray at 4pm on Fridays to see the scheduled sessions:

TUNE RESOURCES
For those who read music, sheet music is posted as a convenience. (Big THANK YOU to Whit H, Beth K and Sy Z for gathering the sheet music and sending resources to the webmistress for posting!) Note that the tunes listed here are not comprehensive.

Ornamentations vary, and playing by ear is encouraged. To research a tune, please visit www.thesession.org. The app TunePal is also a great resource to have on your phone at a session. (Android version also available.)

Use the arrows in this table’s header to sort tunes.