Central Missouri Celtic Arts

It's almost here! Classes start Monday!

In its eighth year, our summer arts program has really blossomed. We have a great roster of classes this summer, including one for non-musicians-non-dancers called Regional Styles in Irish Music. Besides classes, though, this program has become a truly authentic cultural exchange that enriches our community. Besides teaching classes this summer, our guest artist-in-residence, Conor Caldwell, will be playing music around mid-Missouri and immersing himself in Missouri fiddle style, old-time and bluegrass music.

http://moceltic.org/2008/summer

You can still register!

If you've been thinking about it, pondering, planning... now is the time!

TO REGISTER: send e-mail to Kate Akers kakers@moceltic.org or call 442-2048. Please include your phone number in the e-mail in case we need to contact you on short-notice.

Classes run 8 weeks, June 16 - August 8. All classes will be held at Unity Center of Columbia, 1600 W. Broadway.

Irish arts sampler for kids 5 to 12,
Thursday mornings, 9 am to noon.
Enrollment: 24 students. $135 for 8 weeks.
PDF enrollment form

Children will be introduced to playing the tin whistle and try their hands at several other instruments; learn some Irish step dancing, Irish lagnuage, folk songs, crafts and a bit about the culture, geography and people of Ireland. Photos from past years' kids classes:

http://www.moceltic.org/summer_photos.html

The kids sampler is less than half full at this point. Please pass along info about it to insterested families.
PDF flyer for kids Irish Arts Sampler

Evening classes

$65 per class (8 sessions), 15% discount for taking multiple classes (individual or family)

Mondays

5:30pm Beginning Irish tunes for young musicians (& parents), All folk instruments welcome.

6:30 pm Beginning tin whistle

7:30 pm Regional Styles in Irish Traditional Music (not an instrumental class! You don't need to be a musician to take this one! It's an "Irish music appreciation" class!)

Tuesdays

5:30 pm Irish session tunes (improvers), All melody and backup instruments are welcome.

6:30 pm Irish tunes with emphasis on playing for dance All melody and backup instruments are welcome.

7:30 pm The House Dance Tradition of Co. Donegal

Wednesdays (all classes are 1 hour long)

5:30 pm Improvers Irish fiddle tunes

6:30 pm Beginning fiddle/violin
7pm Beginning Bodhran (Irish frame drum)
7:30 pm Irish tunes for mandolin and banjo

7 pm Beginning Irish language
8 pm Improvers Irish language

PDF flyer for all classes

Two descriptions that are particularly important:

The House Dance Tradition of Co. Donegal
No partner required, min. 8 participants. Teens through seniors are welcome!
Classes will be in two parts, a small section taken up with contextual information and DVD viewing, and most of the class then dedicated to learning these social dances from the northwest of Ireland. One new one will be added each week until the class has almost a full repertoire.
Dances (mainly two-hand dances) will include: Shoe the Donkey, Barndance, Highland, Waltz, Marine, Mazurka, 'Damsha Mór ' (Big Dance).
Irish social dancing is aerobic, fun exercise; footwork is low to the ground, low-impact. (This is NOT Riverdance stuff!)

PDF flyer for the dance class

Irish tunes with emphasis on playing for dance
Melody and backup instruments are welcome.
Targeted for players of Irish music or other styles, with a goal of learning a set of tunes to play for Irish folk dancing (ceili and set). Class will be divided into two parts, a small portion taken up with contextual information, DVD viewing, CD listening and discussion of dance-related issues such as tune selection for dances, style, rhythm and speed, communicating with the caller. Most of the class is then dedicated to learning tunes chosen with social dancing in mind. Participants should be intermediate level musicians, but it's not necessary to have a background in Irish traditional music.

Rental instruments: we have 2 fiddles, 3 accordions and 4 bodhrans available for class participants to rent.

Lessons: Conor is available for individual lessons on fiddle, mandolin, banjo and whistle. Brian is available for lessons on concertina, accordion, singing and sean nos dance. He will usually be here for Wed. evenings only, but may occasionally stay through Thursday to give lessons.

Get all the details about the summer classes and meet Conor!