Warm Up Your Fingers at the February Slow Session!

This is the place to be...

This cold snap is really becoming quite a nuisance! I don't want to leave the house, but I don't think I can spend another minute with myself. I'm going stir crazy!

We can't fix the weather, but one time-tested remedy for cabin fever is a nice evening playing tunes together. Old Songs Irish Slow Session will be held this Wednesday, February 18 from 7:30-9 PM at the Old Songs Community Arts Center, 37 S. Main, Voorheesville, NY 12186.

We'll be working on old tunes, including recent jigs Geese in the Bog/Lilting Banshee, and we'll add a third tune: Maid on the Green. (We can dream of Spring at least). For reels, we'll review Up Against the Buachallans and Within a Mile of Dublin.

Learning tunes for Wednesday will be reels Trip to Parliament and Torn Jacket, as well as the epic three part jig, The Battering Ram.

$4 for heat/lights/photocopies. We'll be in the downstairs where it is warmer! See you then!

Cheers,

Hilary

p.s. fun trad Irish band "Socks in the Frying Pan" will be performing at Old Songs on Saturday, February 21! Check it out: www.oldsongs.org.

December Slow Session Wednesday, December 17 2014

Hi, gang! We're having a Slow Session tonight at the Old Songs Building, 37 South Main, Voorheesville from 7:30 - 9:00 PM. $4. Unless there is a problem, I think we will be downstairs in the office area tonight to save on heating costs. It's cozy down there.

Come one, come all, and bring your tunes along! Bring  a tune to share if you've been working on something new...

I'm on my way home from out of town and I forgot to bring my slow session tune bag with me, so I'm brain-cramping on what we worked on last time. I do remember that we learned the 2-part Geese in the Bog jig by ear (some of us pulled the music up on our smart phones). I think we also worked through Sailor on the Rock. We will review these two tunes.

Tunes of the Month: Within a Mile of Dublin (reel), Up Against the Buachallans (reel), Planxty Irwin

If you want to take a look at Within a Mile of Dublin before tonight, you can use the O'Neill's yellow book version. It is the closest to what I have. The version I have has a few variations in it and plays around with the structure of the tune a little bit! It's fun. Up Against the Buachallans is a tune I got by ear from my friend Peter Jones. I finally found the sheet music in the Fionn Seisiun 4 book (based on the style of the Kilfenora and Tulla Ceili Bands).  Comhaltas put that tune in a set with The Heather Breeze - it's a nice set and I think we'll tackle them both!

See you Tonight!!! 

November Slow Session Wednesday, Nov. 19

Hiya, friends!

Woops! Forgot to tell you that there's a session tonight, Wednesday, November 19. Bring your music, and if you're working on something, bring it along to share!

Looking forward to seeing you!

- Hilary

p.s. last month we were kicking tune ideas around, and here's what people have asked for (or I stuck them on the list):


Snowy Path
South Wind
Planxty Irwin
Harvest Home/Off to California
Out on the Ocean
Kesh Jig
Cliffs of Moher
Inisheer (Hilary's version)
Geese in the Bog
Sailor on the Rock /Maid Behind the Bar
Maid on the Green/Saddle the Pony
Eddie Kelly's #1 & #2
O'Malley Waltz

I'll try and dig it up before the session... See you tonight!

Starting Up Again for 2014-2015 Season!

Hiya Friends,

We're going to start up again for the year. Our first fall slow session will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2014 at 7:30 PM. I hope you're all enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having. Tunes to come soon!

See you soon,

Hilary