Hey everyone.
Mike McHale is coming to Montreal on March 12th, 2005 to give a flute and whistle workshop. This is going to be a great afternoon of learning new tunes and getting some good session and flute tips! I'm quite excited myself
It will be a three-hour long workshop, beginning at 1pm, and there is a ceili in the nearby legion at 8pm the same night.
If you're interested and would like further details, please don't hesitate to contact me at halfsalt@hotmail.com.
This is a great opportunity for locals and nearby (Ottawa, Québec, Toronto, New York, Vermont...) flute and whistle players to get some really great tunes from one of the best flute players I have had the priviledge to study with.
Mike McHale hails from Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, where he began playing tin whistle as a youngster and the flute at age 11. In 1958 he won the All-Ireland Senior title for tin whistle and the Connaught Flute Competition. In February 2002, he was inducted into the Comhaltas Traditional Irish Music Hall of Fame. Mike can truly be called a living treasure of Irish traditional music.
Mike McHale flute workshop in Montreal
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s1m0n
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Damn. He's Tom McHaile's brother or something, isn't he?
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
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Whistlin'Dixie
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s1m0n
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A Casey Burns keyless rudall in mopane & silver.That's a pretty flute, Simon ~ what is it?
http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/catalog.php
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
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burrenbabe
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Mike McHale
Last edited by burrenbabe on Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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s1m0n
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Because he's in Montreal and I'm in Vancouver, several thousand miles away.
I've spent a *lot* of time studying your uncle Tom's whistle playing on his first album.
I've spent a *lot* of time studying your uncle Tom's whistle playing on his first album.
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
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burrenbabe
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Close!!
He wasn't my uncle he was my father. Mike is my Uncle! It's a pity you won't get to the workshop. I have loads of Mike's tutorials he has sent me for the whistle, we use an Olympus digital player to send music to each other - he sends me the tutorial and I learn the tune and send it back to him!
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moxy
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Hey how cool is that! We have Mike's niece (I presume, by the nickname, burrenbabe refers to someone of the female persuasion?) on C&F!
Isn't Mike just the best? I love taking lessons from him, he has such interesting tunes!
I wish I knew more about Tom. Any suggestions about any available recordings? (are there any? I'm sure there are)
I think I read a story about Tom on the internet about some recording he did with some friends - someone had just purchased a recording studio, and Tom and friends were the first to record there, although they didn't know an album was to come of it eventually!!
Isn't Mike just the best? I love taking lessons from him, he has such interesting tunes!
I wish I knew more about Tom. Any suggestions about any available recordings? (are there any? I'm sure there are)
I think I read a story about Tom on the internet about some recording he did with some friends - someone had just purchased a recording studio, and Tom and friends were the first to record there, although they didn't know an album was to come of it eventually!!
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burrenbabe
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You're right!!
Mike is the best but then I'm probably a tad biased!! 
His tunes are so good I think because they are "pure" traditional and date back to 50/60 years ago or some even more I suspect! 
Also he has (as he has chastised me with on several occasions), been playing for 60 years - almost twice my age!! !Where did you go to lessons with him, East Durham? You aren't one of the ones who made the T-Shirt and the book about him are you? 
The only official album "Tom" made on his own was called Tom McHaile (spelt incorrectly) Pure Irish Traditional Music. He made it at outlet records which had just been bought over by a man called Cel Fay I think. They were apparently in the pub and afterwards were invited to see the studio and they recorded the music and it was later put onto an album, he recorded it with Den Warrick playing guitar and the story you read was a recounting of the event by Den who submits writings to Belfast Folk occasionally and Outlet Records was based in Belfast. The album is now available on CD - I know Claddagh Records do it. The whistle playing on the record is excellent but having heard a couple of live recordings in a less formal setting, I realize that the recording wasn't a patch on how good he really was, unfortunately that is the only album he made. He does appear on a few compilation albums but the tunes were taken from this recording too so they are of no benefit tune ways!!
His tunes are so good I think because they are "pure" traditional and date back to 50/60 years ago or some even more I suspect! Also he has (as he has chastised me with on several occasions), been playing for 60 years - almost twice my age!! !Where did you go to lessons with him, East Durham? You aren't one of the ones who made the T-Shirt and the book about him are you? The only official album "Tom" made on his own was called Tom McHaile (spelt incorrectly) Pure Irish Traditional Music. He made it at outlet records which had just been bought over by a man called Cel Fay I think. They were apparently in the pub and afterwards were invited to see the studio and they recorded the music and it was later put onto an album, he recorded it with Den Warrick playing guitar and the story you read was a recounting of the event by Den who submits writings to Belfast Folk occasionally and Outlet Records was based in Belfast. The album is now available on CD - I know Claddagh Records do it. The whistle playing on the record is excellent but having heard a couple of live recordings in a less formal setting, I realize that the recording wasn't a patch on how good he really was, unfortunately that is the only album he made. He does appear on a few compilation albums but the tunes were taken from this recording too so they are of no benefit tune ways!!-
moxy
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I've never made any books or t-shirts, so no, I can't claim any responsibility for Mike's (is that good, or bad?...)
Yep, East Durham last year at Irish Arts Week, and again in October during the East Coast Tionol.
That IS the story I heard then, about Tom! Too bad it's the only recording...
What I love about Mike too is that he's so encouraging of anybody who shows interest and talent and potential. People like him are the musicians I really admire - they have passion and they display it when they play, and they encourage me to continue, and I can tell they're having fun when we play together!!
Yep, East Durham last year at Irish Arts Week, and again in October during the East Coast Tionol.
That IS the story I heard then, about Tom! Too bad it's the only recording...
What I love about Mike too is that he's so encouraging of anybody who shows interest and talent and potential. People like him are the musicians I really admire - they have passion and they display it when they play, and they encourage me to continue, and I can tell they're having fun when we play together!!
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Azalin
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Wow Moxy, good stuff, good luck with all of this.
Mike is honnestly one of the musicians I enjoy listening to the most. I did learn all of the tunes from his CD a few years ago, and really wanted to try to play similar to the way he played. I heard him last summer and couldnt believe how much lift and life there was to his music, I know I could sit down and try to do the same but it wouldnt work, it would take years and years of listening, for me, to really be able to play with the swing and lift he's got in his music. It's great to have a dedicated Moxy and have him around in Montreal for a day, yeepi!
Mike is honnestly one of the musicians I enjoy listening to the most. I did learn all of the tunes from his CD a few years ago, and really wanted to try to play similar to the way he played. I heard him last summer and couldnt believe how much lift and life there was to his music, I know I could sit down and try to do the same but it wouldnt work, it would take years and years of listening, for me, to really be able to play with the swing and lift he's got in his music. It's great to have a dedicated Moxy and have him around in Montreal for a day, yeepi!
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burrenbabe
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neither good nor bad!
The book and t-shirt were great but tis no problem that you didn't do them! I must quizz him now about going to Canada - he mentioned he was asked but didn't say he had decided to go......He's a hard man to pin down - so many folk after him, - for his talent that is!! Hope you all have a great time at the workshop and session and you can let me know if he "gives out " to you as much as he does to me!! :roll: