Experience the enjoyment and challenge of playing music with others in a mixed instrument ensemble! Together, the group works on new and old repertoire, with Dáithí Sproule, a world-class instructor and performing musician, as mentor.

This class is for musicians interested in improving their rhythm, dancers interested in understanding the music they dance to, and for anyone interested in learning some basic Irish dance steps.

In this 6-week class, Danielle will discuss jig, hornpipe, polka, and slide rhythms. As a dancer, Danielle knows how vital it is that these tune types are played with *a* right swing and emphasis. This class will begin to explore what that means. Danielle will introduce a few tunes, discuss their phrasing, and teach some basic steps to practice to feel the nuance of the tune type in your body. You can dance with your feet, seated with your hands, or watch and learn.

In the class, Dáithí Sproule will share songs from the repertoire of this influential music group of the late 1960s, early 70s, renowned for their harmonies and innovative arrangements on guitars and keyboard. Though closely associated with the songs of Donegal, the band consisting of Tríona and Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill, their brother Mícheál and Dáithí himself actually sang a wide range of material in English and Irish, including some non-traditional songs. Dáithí looks forward to teaching a selection of this material.

Open Sky Ensemble celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022! We have a great variety of instruments right now but are always happy to add more. If you know many tunes and have a fair amount of CIM instruction under your belt, come join this fun Monday evening adult ensemble!

Poetry has always been one of the glories of Irish culture. In this class Dáithí Sproule will share a selection of Irish language poetry in English translation, choosing examples from as early as the 6th century up to the present day and filling in the historical and literary background. Dáithí looks forward to students bringing their own particular interests and loves to the conversation.