IrishMusicInfo
The Sunday Tribune Weekly Traditional Music Column by Fintan Vallely
990808
This year's Joe Mooney Summer School at Drumshanbo had in the region of four hundred instrumental students and another hundred and fifty for set dancing. Now in its eleventh year it also had a substantial number of visitors from outside the state. Including many from Europe, these value its uncluttered classes and hands-on attention. This dimension of traditional music increasingly sees non-Irish musicians returning to play it gigs here too - the All Ireland fleadh will often have street sessions involving Germans, Italians or French. Two of the best-known Japanese players - Isao and Masako Moriyasu from Tokyo - are also Japanese folk musicians, but have been avidly touring and collecting in Ireland for several years now. At home Isao teaches his own traditional music (he is a top-rank flute player), European Baroque and Irish Traditional. Three years ago his wife Masako took up concertina, and last year his photographic record of their travels in Ireland over several years was documented in a high-selling travelogue-style book published in Japan. While Breand‡n Breathnach's Folk Music & Dances of Ireland has already a Japanese edition, it is still remarkable to see, with its familiar pictures of such as Ben Lennon and Micho Russell, yet scripted vertically in Japanese and paginated in reverse. Each year Isao brings over a couple of dozen of his students, mainly to attend the various summer schools where they learn set dancing and music. Indeed one of these has studied Micho Russell intensely, and now plays in an identical style. The Moriaysus are guests at the Mrs. Crotty festival in Kilrush on Saturday next, an event named after the concertina player whose name is synonymous with her instrument. Following up its hosting of the Armagh county fleadh earlier this year, next weekend Camloch, Co. Armagh (North of Newry) holds a music festival built around teaching. Tommy Peoples, Seamus Tansey, Brendan Begley, Sean Garvey and Robbie Hannan are among the tutors. The NI Arts Council is the main sponsor; information from Paddy Burns at 08 01693 839237. While one may wonder at the interest-level in this kind of holiday-time formalisation of 'passing' on of music skills, it is a formula which provides 'master-class'-style advice, demystifies the maestros, and gives an opportunity to hear them also in concert. For top performers it is a rather generous leap in the dark to take on all levels of people unknown to them. By supporting such, the Arts Councils are providing key ingredients in the development of music skills and understanding which usefully enhance the value of existing local tuition and render it meaningful to, in particular, parents of young players. Next Sunday the first Co. Galway Traditional music summer school opens at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway city. Running for a week it is hosted by the Galway School of Irish Traditional Music; details 091 562099.
©Fintan Vallely, IrishMusicInfo.com
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