Hello

Elspeth · Post by **Elspeth** » Fri Jun 07, 2019 10:14 am

Hi, my name is Elspeth. I have been lurking about C&F for some years and have learned a lot from the posts, but would like to participate actively now that I have more free time. I live in the Houston, Texas area, have been playing the whistle for about 20 years and would say I’m a fairly advanced player. I really started to blossom after going to the O’Flaherty Irish Music retreat in 2006, and I’ve attended 7-8 times over the years. I’ve collected and traded for a bunch of tubes over the years - High D’s: Copeland brass, Sindt brass, Burke aluminum, Overton, Milligan, BW black, Killarney, Freeman Blackbird, Thin Weasel, plus various Sweetones and a few Generations. I have a Burke aluminum Eb and a Burke composite C and Water Weasels in almost every key. I mostly play my Burkes, the Sindt and the Killarney, but love my BW for the more soulful tunes. Never really could get into the Copeland.

My big shining whistle moment was when I got to play on stage with Joanie Madden in Ireland on my birthday in 2016 (we were on her musical tour). If that wasn’t enough, Gene Milligan was on the trip and gifted me one of his whistles, despite having just met the day before. He’s an immensely kind and generous man and makes lovely instruments. Don’t mean to brag - it was just so awesome.

I’m trying to get up courage to join the local session; my confidence sometimes falters when playing in front of other people. Mostly I spend my whistle time alone, toggling among Spotify, The Session, OAIM backing tracks and virtual sessions, Seamus Connolly’s site, and various other places.

I appreciate having this large whistle community to tap into. Thanks for letting me introduce myself and I look forward to learning and contributing. Elspeth Grant

Tyler DelGregg · Post by **Tyler DelGregg** » Fri Jun 07, 2019 11:44 am

If you can play on stage, in IRELAND with Joanie Madden, you're on the right track, I think. I would have fallen apart from fright.

piperjoe · Post by **piperjoe** » Fri Jun 07, 2019 11:46 am

Hello back at you...and welcome to the community.

Sounds like you just need to get out there and join in with the local session(s). Confidence only comes with time in the saddle! Although a pint of Guinness or two couldn't hurt!

Neat that you got to play with Ms. Madden and meet Gene, both are great ambassadors for our community.

I had a wooden Milligan that cracked just a week before St. Paddy's Day (lots of gigs) and Gene said to return it. The next day I got a new Milligan delrin to play through my gigs.

That's service above and beyond.

Piper Joe

fatmac · Post by **fatmac** » Fri Jun 07, 2019 11:49 am

Welcome aboard.

I have no track record, & I don't play ITM, but I do enjoy a tootle now & again, on whistles & flutes, besides my harmonicas & ukes.

pbff · Post by **pbff** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:07 am

Welcome to the forum Elspeth

How amazing to have played with Joanie Madden! I think I would have dropped off the stage with nerves

Elspeth · Post by **Elspeth** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:10 am

Thanks! I should have mentioned that I was indeed terrified to play with Joanie but it was the chance of a lifetime and she asked me to play with her when she learned it was my birthday (I'd taken classes with her at the O'Flaherty retreat so we were acquainted). Whatever mistakes I undoubtedly made were certainly camouflaged by her masterful playing!

pbff · Post by **pbff** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:46 am

Well, even Joanie Madden was a learner once

ytliek · Post by **ytliek** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 12:37 pm

Welcome to the whistle forum. I too was a long time lurker prior to participating and I am slow/reluctant to play in the various sessions locally. I do play sometimes after prodding from someone or when there isn't a guest musician at the session. Nice collection of whistles.

Enjoy it all.

pancelticpiper · Post by **pancelticpiper** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 4:31 pm

Welcome!!

How awesome playing with Joanie Madden!!

I'm not familiar with some of the things you talked about (O’Flaherty Irish Music retreat, OAIM backing tracks, virtual sessions) so I need to do some investigating.

Thanks for sharing!

Richard

PS I see now https://oflahertyretreat.org/

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 5:04 pm

I went to O'Flaherty's in 2014. Maybe I saw you there

ytliek · Post by **ytliek** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 10:52 am

Schools & Workshops Traditional Irish Music that include whistle instruction here in the USA.

https://www.catskillsirishartsweek.com/
https://www.swangathering.com/catalog/cl/celtic-week/
https://acadiatradschool.org/
https://oflahertyretreat.org/
http://www.cascadiairish.org/
https://portalmusicweek.com/
https://www.tionol.org/
https://www.eastcoastpipers.com/
http://centerforirishmusic.org/

tstermitz · Post by **tstermitz** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:24 pm

http://celticmusicfest.com

pancelticpiper · Post by **pancelticpiper** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 5:13 am

tstermitz wrote:http://celticmusicfest.com

Thanks for the link! But that Home Page features a pet peeve of mine: the whole page has no mention of where the festival is, even what country it might be in, other than "Spanish Peak". They assume everyone knows what/where "Spanish Peak" is. I've never heard of it. The viewer has to either know about it already, or Google it.

At the very bottom there's a mailing address in Colorado, my first hint of a location, but it's very common for the mailing addresses of festivals to be in a different location than the festival, sometimes even in a different country. (Common with Scottish piping schools, with a home address in Scotland but music camps in various countries.)

Mr.Gumby · Post by **Mr.Gumby** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 5:31 am

They assume everyone knows what/where "Spanish Peak" is.

In all fairness, the home page menu does include a link for maps & directions.

But organisers can indeed be so focused on their event that they assume everybody knows the where and what. I, too, have seen posters go up for music weekends without any indication as to where the event was being held.

PB+J · Post by **PB+J** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 1:28 pm

ytliek wrote:Schools & Workshops Traditional Irish Music that include whistle instruction here in the USA.

https://www.catskillsirishartsweek.com/
https://www.swangathering.com/catalog/cl/celtic-week/
https://acadiatradschool.org/
https://oflahertyretreat.org/
http://www.cascadiairish.org/
https://portalmusicweek.com/
https://www.tionol.org/
https://www.eastcoastpipers.com/
http://centerforirishmusic.org/

You could add this one:

https://www.ccemadweek.com/

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