Scoil na gCláirseach
SUMMER SCHOOL OF EARLY IRISH HARP

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

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Wednesday 20th August 2008

4.30-5.30pm

Student Registration

5.45-6.45pm

Class Introduction and Orientation

7.00-8.00pm

Official Opening of Scoil na gCláirseach 2008
Guest Speaker: Dr. Proinsias Ó Drisceoil

Thursday 21st August

9.30-10.45am

Class Tuition
Morning Coffee

11.15am-12.30

Class Tuition


Lunch

1.45-2.40pm

Beg./Int. Seminar - Siobhán Armstrong

Adv. Seminar - Ann Heymann

Two parallel seminars on the same subject.
Idiomatic Irish Ornamentation: the 'Graces' from Edward Bunting's Ancient Music of Ireland 1840
Working from facsimiles, as well as an original first edition, to study the historical grace notes, articulations and gestures used in early Irish harp music.

2.40-3.00pm

Seminar - Siobhán Armstrong
Irish Names and Titles: A Quick Pronounciation guide
Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.30pm

Lecture - Simon Chadwick
An Introduction to the Early Irish Harp Tradition
Its history and cultural background.
Adv. Practice Time

4.30-5.00pm

Tutor Concert - Ann Heymann

5.00-6.00pm

Beg./Int. Practice Time Lecture - Keith Sanger
Harpers Before Carolan
A look at the harpers before 1700, from contemporary evidence and context

6.15pm

CD launch - Simon Chadwick
The Irish launch of Simon's new CD, Clàrsach na Bànrighe

Friday 22nd August

9.30-10.45am

Class Tuition
Morning Coffee

11.15-12.30

Class Tuition
Lunch

1.45-2.15pm

Seminar Jim Hunter
Ruaidhrí Dall Ó Catháin (c. 1570 - 1650)
A talk about this famous harper-composer from Coleraine, Co. Derry, who spent most of his life in Scotland.

2.15-3.00pm

Seminar- Ann Heymann
Interpretation of Ruaidhrí Dall's Music

Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.30pm

Lecture - Simon Chadwick
What is an Early Irish Harp?
An overview of  its  technical features
Adv. Practice Time

4.30-5.00pm

Tutor Concert - Andrew Lawrence-King

5.00-6.00pm

Beg./Int. Practice Time Lecture - Mary O'Donnell
19th Century Irish Harp Societies
Following Bunting's collecting work, these Societies attempted to continue the early Irish harp tradition by training young blind people to play the early Irish harp.

Saturday 23rd August

10.30am-6pm

All Day Exhibition of Historical Harp Makers
With early Irish harps for sale by Paul Dooley, Paul Doyle, David Kortier and Davy Patton

9.30-10.45am

Class Tuition
Morning Coffee

11.15-12.30

Class Tuition
Lunch

1.45-2.30pm

Seminar- Andrew Lawrence-King
Strong and Weak Notes
a hands-on workshop in baroque articulation.

2.30-3.00pm

Discussion- Simon Chadwick
What is the difference between an Early Irish harp and a Wire-Strung harp?
An investigation of terminological minefields.
Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.00pm

Lecture -Simon Chadwick
Harpers, Characters and Anecdotes
Amusing stories about the 18th century Irish harpers.
Adv. Practice Time

4.00-4.30pm

Seminar - Simon Chadwick
Replacing a String: What To Do When One Breaks

4.30-5.30pm

Beg./Int. Practice Time Lecture - Seán Donnelly
Harpers in the Domestic Accounts of an Irish Big House, 1730-70

8.00-9.30pm

Public Concert in Rothe House, Kilkenny
Strings of Gold: Music of the Early Irish harp from the Gaelic World & Beyond
with Siobhán Armstrong, Ann Heymann, Andrew Lawrence-King & singer Róisín Elsafty

Sunday 24th August

9.30-10.45am

Class Tuition
Morning Coffee

11.15-12.30

Class Tuition
Lunch

1.45-2.30pm

Song Workshop - Róisín Elsafty
Learning a harpers’ song in the Irish language
Sean nós singer Róisín will teach us a song from the early Irish harper composer tradition.

2.30-3.00pm

Seminar - Siobhán Armstrong
Fingernail Care
Hints and tips on keeping your nails strong, and repairing them if one breaks.


Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.30pm

Lecture - Simon Chadwick
Repertoire: What There Is, Where To Find It, & What To Do With It
Including a hands-on discussion of facsimile music manuscript, and modes.
Adv. Practice Time

4.30-5.00pm

Tutor concert - Siobhán Armstrong

5.00-6.00pm

Beg./Int. Practice Time Lecture - Jimmy O’Brien-Moran
Irish Music Collectors of the Early 19th Century - Pioneer Musicologists

Monday 25th August

9.30-10.45am

Class Tuition
Morning Coffee

11.15-12.30

Class Tuition
Lunch

1.45-2.20pm

Seminar - Simon Chadwick, Siobhán Armstrong & Vincent Wilkin
Other High Status Stringed Instrument Traditions
See and hear a buzzing medieval bray harp, with repertory from Wales and England/France, as well as a West African kora

2.20-3.10pm

Introductory Workshop - Siobhán Armstrong
Returning Students Workshop - Andrew Lawrence-King
Improvising over a Renaissance Ground Bass: an Introduction
Learn the basics of historic improvisation and accompaniment.
Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.00pm

Discussion
What next? Resources and Strategies to Keep you Going until Scoil 09

4.00pm

Final Student Concert and Open Platform

5.00pm

Closing Reception

Tuesday 26th August

Optional Field Trip to Dublin
(times are approximate)

8.00am

Dep. Kilkenny School of Music for Dublin

10.30-11.30am

Trinity College Dublin (Old Library; Book of Kells; Trinity College Harp; Otway Harp)

12.00-1.00pm

Arr. National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St (Ballinderry harp fragments; Breac Maedóic; Fiacail Phádraig; early Irish treasures)

Lunch break (at Collins Barracks)

2.00-3.00pm

National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks (Kildare harp, Mullagh Mast harp, Sirr harp, "Carolan" (Rose Mooney's) harp, Hollybrook harp, Cloyne harp fragments, and Cloyne reconstruction)

3.30-4.30pm

Guinness Brewery (Denis O'Hampsey's Downhill harp).

4.30pm

Dep. to Kilkenny School of Music for anyone returning to Kilkenny arr. c.7.00pm

Beg., Int. and Adv. on the timetable refer to beginners, intermediate and advanced. Please note that this timetable is provisional and is subject to change. Updated Aug 2008.

CONCERTS

The HHSI presents three concerts in its 2008 summer concert series, associated with Scoil na gCláirseach

* * *

Saturday 23rd August 2008, 8.00pm
Rothe House, Kilkenny

Strings of Gold
Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque Music of the Gaelic World and Beyond
with Ann Heymann, Andrew Lawrence-King & Siobhán Armstrong early harps
Róisín Elsafty traditional Irish sean nós song

Further information: +353 (0) 87 633 2891 and pr@irishharp.org

* * *

Thursday 28th August 2008, 8.00pm
Nuns Island Studio, Nuns Island, Galway

Strings of Gold
Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque Music of the Gaelic World and Beyond
with Siobhán Armstrong & Ann Heymann early harps
Róisín Elsafty traditional Irish sean nós song

Further information: +353 (0) 87 633 2891 and pr@irishharp.org

* * *

Saturday 30th August 2008, 8.00pm
St. Ann’s Church, Dawson St, Dublin

The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls
A Celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Moore's Irish Melodies
with John Elwes, tenor
Róisín Elsafty traditional Irish sean nós song
Ann Heymann & Siobhán Armstrong early harps
Malcolm Proud, 19th century square piano

Further information: +353 (0) 87 633 2891 and pr@irishharp.org

* * *

Click here to view the 2007 timetable.
Click here to view the 2006 timetable.
Click here to view the 2005 timetable.
Click here to view the 2004 timetable.
Click here to view the 2003 timetable.

Supported by Kilkenny County Council   Supported by the Arts Council