Community is everything.
In the world of Irish traditional music, community is as important as the music itself. Here are some of the communities I’ve helped build and foster in the Irish trad world.
Irish Pipers Club
The Irish Pipers Club was founded in the late 1970s by an Irish bagpiper named Denis Brooks. Over the years the club cemented itself as a cultural institution, not only in Seattle, but around the world. It’s most famous contribution was the Piper’s Review, a quarterly publication with contributions from the worlds greatest pipers and musicians.
My involvement with the club began in late 2019, about a year after I made the switch from Scottish pipes to Irish. The ensuing pandemic nearly ended the club altogether, but I took hold of the reigns and have been working to re-establish the club as a cultural force. After designing a new website and developing a new method of communication the club is once again ready to bring Irish music to the Pacific Northwest.
In addition, I’ve been working to digitize and preserve the famous Pipers Review, making it more accessible for generations to come.
For moreinormation about the IPC, contact us at hello@irishpipersclub.com or visit our site at www.irishpipersclub.com
Dusty String Irish Session
After playing in Irish sessions for several years I had met several new musicians who expressed a desire for a slower, less intimidating way to learn Irish music.
So, during the summer of ‘23 I approached a local music store, Dusty Strings, about starting a new beginner Irish music class. The goal would be to provide a relaxed and welcoming environment for musicians of all ages and backgrounds to come learn how to play Irish folk music in a traditional session environment.
After only a few months, the session had grown in popularity and is still going strong. For more information about joining, just give me a shout!
Trad Network
In 2020 just after the Covid lockdowns began many of us trad musicians were suddenly left without our community. No place to meet and play music and share our passions. Fortunately, technology was there to help us. I created the Trad Network, a discord channel, for all of us trad musicians to continue communicating and working on music together. If you’re a trad musican, and you like using Discord, come join us!
