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Welcome to the 2024 O'Flaherty's Irish Music Retreat!

 

It is an honor and a privilege to be working with all y'all this weekend! Thank you so much for making the trek out to this year's retreat.

The purpose of this page is to give you a syllabus of sorts for our nine Core Classes. You will see our plans for each course listed below. In addition, we can use this page as a distribution point for any links or resources that we may bring up in our sessions. Should I neglect to drop something here, please feel free to remind me about it at andy@idchsv.com.

And here's the plan...

Friday, October 25, 2024

Core Class #1- 10:45a

Introduction, Fundamentals, Reel Basics

-Introductions

-Goals for the Weekend

-Overview of and goals for each Core Class

-Remarks regarding audio and video recording

-Fundamentals:

-holding the drum

-holding the tipper

-basic hand positions

-basic tones: open, mute

-Reel Fundamentals:

-What is a reel?

-basic sticking patterns

-adding tones to basic sticking patterns

-sequences with basic patterns

Core Class #2- 1:30p

"Playing the Tune," or

Applying Basic Patterns and Sequences to a Reel

-Review of Basic Patterns and Sequences

-What is "form?" Why is it important?

-What does it mean to "play the tune?"

-applying patterns and sequences to a melody

-the "modular" approach to selecting rhythms in a reel

-apply to The Wind That Shakes the Barley

-apply to an OIMR '24 tune: Bird in the Bush, Banshee

(see whole collection at https://oflahertyretreat.org/documents/tune-books/TuneBookArchives/2024OFlahertyRetreatTunes.pdf)

Core Class #3- 2:45p

Jig Fundamentals

-What is a jig?

-jig form

-basic jig sticking patterns- alternating and "double-down"

-adding voicing to basic sticking patterns

-sequences with basic sticking patterns

​​

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Core Class #4- 10:45a

"Playing the Tune," or

Applying Basic Patterns and Sequences to a Jig

-review of basic jig patterns and sequences

-Review- What does it mean to "play the tune?"

-applying patterns and sequences to a melody

-the "modular" approach to selecting rhythms in a jig

-apply to Tobin's Favourite

-apply to an OIMR '24 tune: The Hag at the Churn, Connaughtman's Rambles

Core Class #5- 1:30p

New Sounds and Techniques- "Pops," Heels, and Slurs

REVIEW:

-Introduction to and explanation of new sounds- "pops," heels, and slurs

-But first, how does a drum work? Why are tension and surface area so important?

-a word about tuning...

-getting the sounds in our hands, defining each sound- open, heel, pop, mute

NEW:

-the slur

1. define levels of heels- low, mid, high

2. cycle through in succession- high, mid, low

3. slur through the tones w/ tap strokes

4. slur through tones w/ down and up strokes

5. Put at the end of a sub-phrase

Core Class #6- 2:45p

Putting Our New Sounds Into Our Basic Patterns- Reels

-review of our palate: open, mute, pop, heel, slur

-putting new tones into basic reel patterns

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Core Class #7- 10:45a

Putting Our New Sounds Into Our Basic Patterns- Jigs

-review of our palate: open, mute, pop, heel, slur

-putting new tones into basic jig patterns

Core Class #8- 1:30p

Other Styles- Polkas & Hornpipes

-What is a polka?

-basic patterns and sequences

-What is a hornpipe?

-basic patterns and sequences

OTHER STUFF:

-talk about drum sizes

-photo/cards/sticker

Core Class #9- 2:45p

Open Discussion/Wrap-Up Session w/ All Bodhrán Players

-w/ Robbie Walsh

-to be held in Coffield Conference Center- Longhorn Room

Workshop- 4:00p (Barn Lobby)

LEGO, Polyrhythms, Timing, and Konnakol

-LEGO as a way to work with rhythm- 2s, 3s, & 4s

-counting using syllables- konnakol

-using LEGO to build different rhythmic groupings- 7s, 6s, 3s, & 5s

-Why is this important? Let me show you some Lost Time...

-contemporary trends and expectations

-Polythythms- The LEGO Wall (Stickers!)

-applications to other trad tunes

Links, Etc.

My other website:

https://www.andykruspebodhran.com/

My Craiceann 2024 Lecture

The Latest Developments in Bodhrán Technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCBmGunyHno

Photos from Dry Erase Boards:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/a7gmqfyjf7wnap86c7r1l/ABgro_uMzX-dCxLHfPzJfqI?rlkey=esidesgdr1r6pk0v00a2fr09w&st=p2vtarli&dl=0

Other Photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dkizybxc9xxevm49xep6j/AGs67_x6o9EsTGvbsMmhXKs?rlkey=x6geatu5p1rka0nat9vhl28vt&st=q4bsffj3&dl=0

Goitse (drummer- Colm Phelan)

Flook (drummer- John Joe Kelly)

Link to YouTube Playlist

Matt Bell- How to Tape a Drum

My Blog

Donal Lunny

Planxty

The Bothy Band

Drums/Tippers/Gear

bodhran-info.de

House of Musical Traditions

Metloef Drums

McHugh Percussion Percussion

Meinl Irish Bodhrán

​​

Links from The LEGO Konnakol Rhythms Workshop

Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0OAeJNbIBkc5jqJzsWtu6m?si=OMye4okWRAyMSVWuxVFm9Q

Sheet music for Olive for a Kiss:

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