IrishMusicInfo
The Sunday Tribune Weekly Traditional Music Column by Fintan Vallely
990725
On Friday last Dermot McLaughlin of the Arts Council opened the tenth Tallaght Traditional Music Seminar, a music-school dedicated to late local fiddler Des Carty who had spent his life teaching music locally. By now he is something of a guru of dedication to what is perceived as a rural music, but here in a classic urban environment. The Seminar is very much the result too of years of optimistic and agenda-free, patient work at music presentation by Alternative Entertainments organiser Liam Morrissey. Originally an autumn event, it has now moved to summer to blend with holidays and maximise attendance, and follows the lead of the Dublin Pipers' club a century ago in acknowledging that it is variety of styles and techniques that improving musicians need. And so the eclectic panel of class tutors, workshop and concert recital players includes Donegal fiddler James Byrne, M‡ire O'Keeffe, Joe Burke and Ann Conroy Burke, with sean n—s song covered by Antaine î Farach‡in and Joe Mac Donncha. The city is reflected in the expertise too however, with Paddy Keenan and Martin Nolan on uilleann pipes, Johnnie Moynihan bridging the past and modern revival, Conor Byrne on flute. The presence of extrovert Tipperary banjo player Gerry O'Connor broadens the palate, and interesting is the fact that the school teaches guitar, this by Kevin Ward, with an advanced workshop on Saturday next by Kerry player Paul De Grae, author of the first tutor for the instrument's use in Traditional music. Indeed it was strings that serenaded the school's launch this year with the local, quirkily-titled Tallafornia Mandolin Band. The week's tuition costs £50 with family reductions, contact 087 682 8869, email dcarty@tinet.ie. This accommodation with modernity, and departure from the orthodoxy of such as the Drumshanbo school (which winds up today), and the O'Carolan one (just beginning tomorrow), is pushed however to questionable extremes by Irish Music magazine's Oscars doled out on July 15th. Or are they O'Scars? For one wonders what the value of these is, outside of the commercial. The Corrs were given an award for 'contemporary' - but are they not Pop singers? But then the magazine sees its territory as 'Irish' music, and award titles reflect this - such as Solas and Tommy Peoples are described as 'Traditional'. But if these are just awards for music in Ireland then why not include all Pop music, and brass and orchestral too? The TV and radio awards - to RTE and TnaG - seem complacently parochial. Were all local radio stations, and BBC, C4, ITV, etc. viewed? Odd too is Irish Music Personality - Mick Moloney (USA), and Tommy Peoples (Ireland) - rather different fish, even allowing for each's milieu. But the Merrion Square Archive getting a pat on the back too suggests parish pump politician strokery. Why did CCƒ get no such plam‡s? And, seeing as 'commercial' was the awards' theme, why were none of the many serious such displays for tourism - like Brœ Borœ in Cashel - recognised?
©Fintan Vallely, IrishMusicInfo.com
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