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Author Archives: Gordon
SMG term ends with a bendy polka for whistles
The SMG summer term ended this week and we finished with the second of two polkas I learned from Conal Ó Gráda some years ago. A distinctive feature of this tune is the opening of the B part, which is … Continue reading
Posted in FluteFling, Scots Music Group
Tagged classes, edinburgh, Irish, polka, Scots, Scots Music Group, tin whistle
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Flute tone exploration project
Yesterday I began a project with flute player and composer Amble Skuse to explore flute tone. As part of the project, we’ll be recording and blogging about our thoughts and experiences. This is the first of a number of entries … Continue reading
Posted in FluteFling
Tagged Amble Skuse, collaboration, flute, flute technique, flute tone project, Irish, Scots, traditional music
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The Cork connection: an Irish polka and fling
By coincidence, the two classes this week both learned tunes with Cork connections. The SMG Whistlers class learned the first of two polkas that I learned from County Cork flute player Conal Ó Gráda many years ago at a workshop … Continue reading
Posted in Community, FluteFling, Scots Music Group, The Flow
Tagged beginner, highland fling, improver, Irish, polka, Scots Music Group
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A new tune for the whistle: Kate Dalrymple
The SMG whistle class this week took a look at Kate Dalrymple, well-known reel that can often be heard in ceilidhs. As was pointed out in the class, this is used as the theme tune to BBC Scotland’s Take the … Continue reading
Posted in classes, FluteFling
Tagged beginner, classes, community, portobello, reel, Scots, Scots Music Group, tin whistle, traditional music
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Children’s Traditional Whistle Class in Edinburgh
Booking is now taking place for the Traditional Whistle classes at Portobello Music School in Edinburgh that will continue next term after the Summer holidays. Following on from a successful first year, there will be classes for beginners and those … Continue reading
Posted in classes
Tagged beginner, children, classes, portobello, Portobello Music School, tin whistle, traditional music
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New flute and whistle tunes for May: a jig and a fling
Last night the SMG whistlers made good progress with what seemed to be a daunting task a couple of weeks ago, learning the Scottish jig A Fisherman’s Song for Attracting Seals. A very unusual tune in its use of repetitive … Continue reading
Posted in classes, Community, FluteFling
Tagged fling, flute, improver, Irish, jig, Scots, traditional music
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New beginner jig: Ciamar a nì mi an Dannsa Dìreach?
This week the SMG Beginners whistle class consolidated The Iona Boat Song and began looking at a jig. This one is a piece of Gaelic mouth music called Ciamar a nì mi an Dannsa Dìreach? (How Can I do the … Continue reading
Posted in classes, Community, FluteFling
Tagged beginner, classes, community, flute, Gaelic, jig, port a beul, portobello, resources, Scots, Scots Music Group, tin whistle, traditional music
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New term, new tunes: The Iona Boat Song and The New Claret
The summer term began this week with a look at some Scottish tunes with a little bit of history behind them. The SMG whistlers looked at Caol Muile (The Straits of Mull) or The Iona Boat Song. Another Scottish Boat … Continue reading
Posted in Community, FluteFling, Links, Resources, Schools, Scots Music Group, The Flow, Uncategorized
Tagged advanced, beginner, classes, community, edinburgh, flute, Gaelic, improver, MP3, portobello, Scots, Scots Music Group, slip jig
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FluteFling end of term, SMG students concert
We finished off this term with reels for both FluteFling classes. The Improvers group learned one of my favourite Irish reels, The Otter’s Holt, composed by County Clare fiddler Junior Crehan. This completed a set of three tunes: The Maids … Continue reading
Posted in classes, Community, FluteFling, Scots Music Group
Tagged flute, improver, Irish, portobello, reel, tin whistle, traditional music
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FluteFling Improvers: The Sailor on the Rock
The Sailor on the Rock is a solid single reel from Ireland. Punchy and in D major, it fits a number of different instruments well enough to have been recorded many times and have some variations in setting. The Fiddler’s … Continue reading
Posted in classes, Community, FluteFling, The Flow
Tagged edinburgh, improver, Irish, portobello, reel
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