Youth Classes
At the Center for Irish Music, we are dedicated to handing down the tradition to the next generation of musicians in our community. All youth and teens are welcome. You don't have to be Irish to play and sing Irish music!
- Irish Gaelic Song
- Intro to Tin Whistle
- Intro to Fiddle Playing
- Singing Irish Songs at Home (a virtual class)... and more!
We are open to your ideas as well, so don't hesitate to reach out!
Youth Ensembles
Irish music is social music, music to be shared among friends!
We offer a number of mixed instrument ensembles for youth and adult students. Our ensembles have proven to be some of our most popular classes in recent years!
Once you have reached a basic level of proficiency on your instrument, an ensemble can be a great way to take your music to the next level. If you can play 10 tunes or more at a reasonable speed with precision and great rhythm, you are ready to try ensemble playing! Contact us today to see what might be a good fit for your child.
Benefits of Playing in an Ensemble
- More time on your instrument! You will play more every week, increasing your practice time and facility on your instrument.
- More tunes! You'll learn more repertoire, and possibly a more varied repertoire than you might develop with private lessons alone.
- More fun! You'll meet like-minded musicians who share a passion for Irish music.
- More challenges! Playing in an ensemble context brings with it musical challenges such as playing together with others with good rhythm (groove), intonation, and drive.
- Performances! Our ensembles perform in public throughout the year once they have a core repertoire of 30 minutes of music.
Private Lesson Requirement for Ensemble Members
To participate in an ensemble, musicians are required to take weekly private lessons from a CIM instructor on their principal ensemble instrument.
Reduced Private Lesson Rate for Ensemble Members
Ensemble members receive the ensemble-member rate on private lessons, which is equivalent to a 10% discount on lesson tuition.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to all CIM students and we encourage you to apply if paying for private lessons and ensembles is a significant stretch for your family’s finances. Financial aid students have attendance requirements and are not available to those who attend partial terms.