July 14th – 20th, 2013
www.sssschool.org

The South Sligo Summer School of Traditional Music, Song and Dance takes place in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo, from July 14th–20th, 2013.  Now in its 27th year and firmly established on the traditional music summer calendar, the entire community in Tubbercurry look forward once again to welcoming friends old and new for a week long total immersion in all that is positive and life affirming about our wonderful traditional music.

Instruments taught at the school include: fiddle, flute, tin whistle, harp, uilleann pipes, concertina, button accordion, piano accordion, banjo, traditional guitar and bodhrán. Beginners can enrol in tin whistle, bodhrán, uilleann pipes, harp and dancing classes. A limited number of instruments are available to rent for the week but must be booked in advance. Masterclasses in fiddle, flute and tin whistle are provided during the week. Singing workshops are offered in traditional singing in English and Sean Nós singing. Lilting is also a feature of the singing classes.

Dancers are catered for with set dancing classes each morning under the watchful eye of set dancing tutors Pat Murphy and Betty McCoy. Betty has taught at the summer school in Tubbercurry every year since 1987 and it is with great pleasure that the organising committee are honouring her at this year’s school with a special tribute concert in St. Attracta’s Community School on Monday, July 15th. Sean nós dancing classes are held each afternoon from Monday to Friday, with Brenda O’Callaghan at the helm. Two hand dances are also taught during the week as part of the morning workshops.

From the official opening in Killorans’ Traditional Restaurant on Sunday night through to the closing céilí with the Brian Boru Céilí Band in St. Brigid’s Hall the following Saturday night, participants can look forward to immersing themselves in the best of traditional music, song and dance for a full six days and nights packed with workshops, céilís, classes, lectures and talks, sessions, recitals and concerts.

Afternoon talks this year include a presentation on the tin whistle in traditional music by renowned Mayo musician and teacher Angela Deane and a talk on the musical influence of Sligo musician James Morrison, presented by Manus Maguire, who will be teaching a Fiddle Masterclass on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the school this year. Tutors and musicians teaching and performing at the South Sligo Summer School are of the highest calibre and with many of them having their musical and geographical roots in the North West, the Connacht style of playing and in particular, the South Sligo style is featured strongly throughout.

Full details of this year’s program can be found on the summer school website at www.sssschool.org
or also via email: southsligosummerschool@eircom.net
or Tel: 353–71–9120912 /353–71–9182151. For details of the primary teachers’ course which is fully approved by the Department of Education and Skills, please Tel: 071–9120642.