When you think of traditional Irish music, is it the lilting, haunting sound of the tin whistle, so immortalized in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic? Or maybe it’s the aching drone of the bagpipes, which enliven many a St. Patrick’s Day parade throughout New Jersey. Distinctive as these sounds may be, they just scratch the surface of what trad – the folk music of Ireland – is all about. The main traditional instruments are the fiddle, Irish flute, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, bodhrán (drum), and harp. Fun fact: Trad arrived in Ireland 2,000 years ago courtesy of the Celts, who were influenced by the music of the East, and it’s believed that the traditional Irish harp may in fact have originated in Egypt.
Trad is considered an aural tradition – musicians are taught by ear – and it is also commonly referred to as an oral tradition. Since the music’s inception, generations of musicians have learned trad tunes by listening and learning from their fellow musicians, explains Iris Nevins, harp instructor at the Irish American Association of North West Jersey. “That is not to say we do not approve of reading music. I teach both, but it is best to start by listening and copying. You cannot learn true Irish music off of a sheet. The notes are right, but all the nuances and the dance feel are something needing to be listened to and heard and understood on a further level. Proper Irish phasing is something you can’t really read from a paper,” she says.
Attend a trad “session” at a local pub or community center to experience how Irish music continues to be a dynamic and evolving art form. Musicians come together informally to jam together on these classic songs, and the results are never exactly the same. The music is highly ornamented by the player, and who they learned from, so the chemistry between different musicians will always bring about a unique and new sound.
New Jersey is home to several places offering Irish music lessons for beginners. Many children start practicing on the tin whistle, but there are other instruments available as well. See below for details on the various locations and what type of classes they provide.
Irish American Association of North West Jersey (IAANWJ)
Where: 352 Richard Mine Road, Rockaway
Price: Varies by instrument, contact individual teachers for info
Details: The IAANWJ is the center of Irish arts, culture and entertainment in Northwest Jersey and hosts classes in Irish step dancing, Adult Ceili dancing and the Irish language, in addition to their Irish music lessons. Music classes are offered for the tin whistle, concertina, fiddle and Celtic Harp. IAANWJ also hosts a monthly Traditional Irish Music Session on Saturday evenings, featuring local musicians of all ages.
More info: www.iaanwj.com or call 973-366-5980
For concertina: email Doug Barr at DBarr15@aol.com
For fiddle: email Willie Kelly at william.kelly@honeywell.com
For tin whistle: email Siobhán Kelly at Kellys4music@yahoo.com
For harp (ages 10 & up): email Iris Nevins at IrisNevins@verizon.net
Lesl Harker
Where: Lessons available via Skype, or in person in New Providence
Price: $40 per lesson
Details: A master instructor for the NJ State Arts Council in their Folk Arts program, Lesl teaches tin whistle and Irish flute to children ages 9 and up. She is one of the few teachers specializing in the repertoire and style of East County Galway, drawing from her apprenticeship to the renowned musician Mike Rafferty, whom she studied with for years. Flute and whistle lessons, along with repertoire classes, are available in her home studio.
More info: www.iFlute.weebly.com or email LeslHarker@hotmail.com
McDermott’s Handy
Where: 11 Country Lane, Voorhees
Price: $25 per half hour
Details: Kathy DeAngelo and Dennis Gormley, the husband and wife musicians who comprise the trad group McDermott’s Handy, run a bustling music studio in South Jersey. Dennis teaches flute, tin whistle and guitar, while Kathy gives fiddle and harp lessons. The studio has a number of harps (which aren’t always easy to come by) to rent out to students to get them started. They teach traditional Irish music, as well as ear training.
More info: www.mcdermottshandy.com or call 856-795-7637
Rory O’Moore School of Pipes and Drums
Where: Classes held at The Ledgewood Baptist Church, 233 Main Street, Ledgewood
Price: $100 for 3 months of instruction
Details: Bagpipes and drum lessons are available for all ages. The students begin with a basic course of study on their chosen instrument, while also learning the background history of the instrument and the musical style. Piping students start their instruction on the “practice chanter” and drumming students begin with the necessary drumsticks and practice pads.
More info: www.roryomoore.com
Hero (Top) Feature Image: Mark Hayes/Dollar Photo Club
Additional Body Images (in order) Courtesy:
Irish American Association of North West Jersey
Lesl Harker
McDermott’s Handy
Facebook/Rory O’Moore School of Pipes and Drums
