Tag Archives: Irish

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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New SMG whistles and FluteFling tunes: yowes, maids and more

After last week’s hard workout, some consolidation of repertoire was the focus of the SMG whistle class this week. However, by request we looked at the air of a song from the Scottish Borders that is associated with Robert Burns, … Continue reading

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SMG Whistle and FluteFling: The Chanter’s Song

This week’s tune is The Chanter’s Song, an Irish march to compare with the Scottish marches we learned last term and also Egan’s Polka, another Irish tune in 2/4 time. This is an interesting tune for a number of reasons. … Continue reading

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FluteFling and SMG whistle January classes

This week saw the new term commence with some lively new tunes and challenges. The whistlers began with another 2/4 tune to add to the Scottish marches of the Autumn. This time we tackled a version of Egan’s Polka, also … Continue reading

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Mull, Arran and Scattery Island music resources

There seems to be a theme developing this term as all of the whistle and flute classes are working on tunes associated with islands. And from discussions we have been having, there may be more to come. All music resources … Continue reading

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New class resources: Micho Russell’s Slide and I See Mull

The new term has now begun for the Scots Music Group whistlers and Flute Fling, although some of the Flute Fling Beginners will start this coming week. It was great to see everyone, new faces and returners alike and I … Continue reading

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