Irish Repertoire

This class is aimed at advanced beginners and intermediate students who seek to build a basic repertoire of tunes that may be played during traditional Irish sessions.

The course content will focus on melody instruments that are  often part of a session: fiddle, whistle, tenor banjo, bouzouki, concertina, guitar, cittern, flute, and pipes.  Chords will be provided for many  melodies; however, this class will not cover chording and rhythm technique on any instrument.

Students should know a few tunes on their instruments – Irish or not.  Students must be able to play two-octave scales in the keys of G and D.  This course does not provide instruction on how to play an instrument.  This week is all about building repertoire.   Slow tempos and lots of repetition will be rule for learning tunes.

The goal of the class is to explore ten tunes  during the five day course:  four reels, four jigs, one hornpipe and one waltz.  Time permitting, the class will learn more tunes.  The intent is to build confidence in knowledge of the tune.  Getting the music up to session tempo will come after practice beyond this class.

Class tunes will be available in standard notation, ABC notation, and as digital files.  Students are encouraged to download and print out the ten tunes to be studied in the class.  During class tunes will be taught in the oral tradition style.  Standard notation of the melodies will be projected on a screen. Printed copies of the tunes will not be provided.   An extensive tune book of melodies transcribed in standard notation is provided.