Sean nós singing group classes sought!

Galwaymother

Hi all!
I'm looking for the above in Galway city or East side of town. It's for a teenager aspiring musician, already taking Piano classes and we can't afford one-to-one singing also. She did Sean nos singing with a lovely female teacher a few years ago in Áras na nGael and loved it but the classes discontinued. Still hankering for more!

ladhrann

If you check in the Galway Advertiser I believe I saw seán nós singing classes offered for groups. Failing that I suggest you contact Arus na Gael on Dominic St., for people they may know of.

As for the 'piana' pay heed to what Ó Riada said about its use in traditional music!

Galwaymother

Thanks for the reply!

I did see something in the Advertiser a while ago but I think it was for adults only or too late in the evening, or something else which put me off...
I rang the Arus a good while back and they knew nobody in Galway at the time giving group lessons. I might try them again.

I googled O'Riada and piano, and came up with nothing, except that he played it! You're being very mysterious .
I don't really like piano in Trad, it's often used as a rhythmic instrument rather than for the melody, would that be right to say?
My daughter loved playing it though with the school Trad band last year, and learned how to do a certain type of chords, ornamentation etc (don't ask me!).
She also loves playing Trad ballads, and singing them...Real old-fashioned parlour stuff, no Justin in this house, oh no!

Mrs OBumble

Galwaymother wrote: »

I googled O'Riada and piano, and came up with nothing, except that he played it! You're being very mysterious .

RTE Radio One (or whatever he's called) played a clip of an interview with him sometime last week. I suspect it's quite famous, he was fair giving out about the piano (and other instruments too, which you'd commonly expect to see in a trad session today) having no place.

Frankly my opinion of him went down a notch or two, some of what he was saying about chord patters was just pure boll*x.

(No I don't have a link, and can't quote specific anymore - not enough brain space to keep em all.)



Re lessons, have you tried asking Comhaltas and also Galway Music Resource? They might not be offereing any, but may know someone who is - or may be interested to know of the demand and able to put something together.

snubbleste

You should get in touch with Árus na nGael again and ask them for some contacts.
I think it's fantastic that your daughter wants to pursue this route.
Also there is a sean-nós night on next week in Maigh Cuillinn featuring glitzy world stars such as Johnny Mháirtín Learaí, Josie Sheáin Jeaic, Máirtín Tom Sheainín http://www.snag.ie/lang/en-us/2012/02/05/oiche-shean-noissean-nos-night/

It's all part of Seachtain na Gaeilge

ladhrann

Galwaymother wrote: »

Thanks for the reply!

I did see something in the Advertiser a while ago but I think it was for adults only or too late in the evening, or something else which put me off...
I rang the Arus a good while back and they knew nobody in Galway at the time giving group lessons. I might try them again.

I googled O'Riada and piano, and came up with nothing, except that he played it! You're being very mysterious .
I don't really like piano in Trad, it's often used as a rhythmic instrument rather than for the melody, would that be right to say?
My daughter loved playing it though with the school Trad band last year, and learned how to do a certain type of chords, ornamentation etc (don't ask me!).
She also loves playing Trad ballads, and singing them...Real old-fashioned parlour stuff, no Justin in this house, oh no!

The show referred to is The Rolling Wave on R.T.É. 1 and they replayed his ground-breaking series on Irish traditional music. What Ó Riada had to say about the use of the piano in Irish music is as relevant now as it was then.

"the use of the piano in traditional music is a scar, a blight on the face of Irish music"

He makes the point that the piano is a perfectly appropriate instrument for playing serious European music but totally unsuited for accompaniment in Irish traditional music.

All historical recordings of fine fiddle players such as Michael Coleman, or accordion players for example are ruined by attempts to introduce bourgeois respectability by piano accompaniment, often out-of-key. The bass tones of the piano wipe out all the subtlety and ornamentation of these instruments.

Here is the link:
http://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A3210823%3A1852%3A26-02-2012%3A

Ó Riada himself played piano and composed on it when writing modern music, or the harpsichord when playing historically accurate arrangements.

Let us know how you get on finding lessons.