Meath VEC offering Irish music history course in Nobber

Meath Vocational Education Committee is offering a new course in its adult education programme in O'Carolan College, Nobber this autumn. A course on the history of Irish music and tin and low whistle will commence in Nobber on Tuesday 28th September. The first hour of this course will focus on the history of Irish music looking at the instruments, different forms of dance music and traditional singing. It will also look at developments in Irish music from the harpers of medieval times right down to more recent times, incuding innovators like O'Riada and groups like the Clancy Brothers, Horslips, Planxty, Altan and the Afro Celts and shows like Riverdance. Fusions with other forms of music and connections with Celtic music in other parts of Europe and North America will be explored. In the second hour the tin whistle or low whistle will be taught at beginner level. A 'D' whistle will be required and no experience of playing or reading music is necessary. The teacher of the course, Harry Long, plays and composes with the band Coscán who released their second CD last year. He has taught tin whistle/low whistle privately and in schools for almost three decades and has also given workshops and courses on the history of Irish music to students all over Ireland and in Europe and the US. He has published a number of books and recordings with Walton's of Dublin, including tin whistle music collections and DVD, a book on the history of Irish music for Leaving Certificate and 'The Walton's Guide to Irish Music', a comprehensive A-Z on the subject. Mr Long has a PhD in Irish history and archaeology from TCD.