Dear Center for Irish Music supporters,
At this time of the year, our students and instructors would usually be madly rehearsing for Irish Fair gigs, and packing their bags for a trip over the pond for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. I will miss running into many of you at Harriet Island this year, but I'll be tuning in this Saturday for the Irish Fair's Irish Pour Porch Party.
Thank you for choosing to support CIM during our summer drive for the financial aid fund. Together, we surpassed our goal of $6000, and raised more than $7100 to help students access Irish music lessons during the 2020-21 school year.
The covid-19 pandemic has brought on more complications and heartache than we could have possibly imagined at Éigse CIM, a Gaela Event, on February 22nd. While we find solutions to new problems each day, music helps to keep our spirits up. During this time, CIM is absolutely honored to have the opportunity to provide our community with social connection and intellectual stimulation through online music lessons and classes.
Here's some good news to share with you:
- This summer, our students are progressing more quickly as they listen, play and delve deeper into their music. All this time at home is great for building repertoire and developing style.
- Students from all over the country are joining up with CIM. Our Common Tunes Session class, led by Mary Vanorny, had 49 students registered, 9 of whom joined us from 7 states outside Minnesota, from California to Maine.
- We are all developing a deeper appreciation for the power of person-to-person interaction, and for being physically together. The teacher-student relationship is powerful, and these relationships are helping us to navigate current times.
Students, volunteers and donors, join the Center for Irish Music for a “State of the CIM” meeting this Sunday, August 9th at 6:30pm, presented as a Zoom webinar. We’ll introduce you to our new employee, Lily Gaetgaeow, say farewell to Hannah Carr-Murphy, announce our Fall term lessons and classes, and let you know how CIM is doing. There will be some surprise musical performances as well! Go to our students page for the link.
Finally, tell all your friends about the Center for Irish Music's Virtual Open House on Sunday, August 23rd from 2:00-4:30pm. The event will include a session, free class demos, and a chance to chat with teachers and admin about your musical plans for 2020-21.
Norah Rendell
Executive Artistic Director
*CIM students: The "students" webpage is updated on a weekly basis. We request that current students bookmark this page and check in regularly to find out about upcoming dates, deadlines, events and student-related announcements. Thank you!
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FALL TERM CLASSES & LESSONS |
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Registration will be open soon for Fall Term group classes. Check your email later this week for a complete listing of fall classes and links to register online.
Registration for private lessons is now open. Contact our new Registration Coordinator, Lily Gaetgaeow, with questions or to enroll in private lessons on any of the 16 instruments we teach. Contact us to see if we have one available for rent. |
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CIM VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE - AUGUST 23 |
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Enjoy free demos of our upcoming group classes, get your questions answered by CIM instructors and staff, and register for Fall Term.
More information to come, so watch your inbox for updates.
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR FINANCIAL AID FUND! |
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Thanks to your amazing generosity, and a match from our wonderful Challenge Fund donors, we ended our fiscal year by raising over $7,100 for the Bernadette & John Galaba Financial Aid Fund!
We are committed to keeping our programs accessible to students facing unexpected financial hardship. Thank you for reaching out and extending your support to fellow students and friends. Go raibh maith agat!
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Please join us in welcoming our new Registration Coordinator, Lily Gaetgaeow, to the Center for Irish Music team! Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, Lily has always had an interest in traditional and folk music. She completed her undergraduate honors thesis on klezmer clarinet music at Knox College in 2015, and earned an MA in Musicology from the University of Iowa in 2018. Lily has also worked as the Events and Room Scheduling Assistant for the University of Iowa School of Music.
As you may know, Hannah Carr-Murphy is moving to New York to complete her PhD in creative writing at Binghamton University. Since starting work at the CIM in 2017, she's brought so much to our admin team. Hannah's last day will be Tuesday, August 11th. If you'd like to say goodbye in person, drive by the junction for a wave and a brief chat with Hannah and the staff (with your mask on) on August 11th from 9:30am-11:30am. Thank you, Hannah, for everything you've done to support the Center for Irish Music!
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Join the Irish Fair of Minnesota for the Irish Porch Pour Party, an online live-stream event on August 8th from 6-8pm CDT.
6:15 - Guinness’ Perfect Pour
6:25 - Performance by Two Tap Trio
(Norah Rendell, Mary Vanorny & Brian Miller)
6:45 - Performance by O’Shea Irish Dance
7:15 - Whiskey Tasting with Kieran Folliard
7:45 - Performance by The Langer’s Ball
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The Center for Irish Music will be offering all Fall programs in a virtual format for the duration of the Fall term through January 31st. Please know that our dedicated instructors would much prefer to be with you at our classrooms at the Celtic Junction! However, with the safety of our intergenerational community in mind - including students, instructors, and family members - online instruction is our best option. If our leadership deems it safe to meet in person before the end of the fall term, we will share that information with you right away.
Students can expect regular communication through emails and monthly newsletters. In the meantime, our instructors will do their best to offer the highest quality learning experiences in the virtual format. To learn more, attend our "State of the CIM Meeting" this Sunday at 6:30pm. (info above)
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VIRTUAL SESSIONS ALL OVER TOWN |
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If you've been itching to play music with others, some groups are finding ways to gather online via Zoom, including the Keegan's Learners' Session and the Traditional Singers Club Song Session.
Common Tunes Session Meet up with Mary Vanorny on Facebook this Friday, August 7th from 4:00pm-5:00pm for some tunes from our Common Repertoire, and a few other well-known sets.
The Keegan's Learners Session (KLS) has transitioned to the Virtually Unstoppable KLS. Their weekly session is happening online every Sunday from 4:00pm-6:00pm. If you'd like to sign up, contact us directly and we'll send you the info.
The Traditional Singer's Club has decided to meet on a weekly basis during the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. To find out more, join their mailing list by sending an email to Shawn McBurnie at [email protected].
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 | 6:00-7:00 PM
Two Tap Trio (Norah Rendell, Mary Vanorny, Brian Miller) livestream concert, part of Irish Fair of MN's Porch Pour Party.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23 | 7:00-8:00 PM
Danny Diamond & Brian Miller livestream concert.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 | 7:00-9:00 PM
Norah Rendell & Brian Miller in the outdoor biergarten at Waldmann Brewery.
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The Center for Irish Music is a 501c3 nonprofit, and we depend on your support to continue passing down the tradition of Irish music and song. Please consider making a gift to the CIM today!
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Located inside the Celtic Junction, across from Blackstack Brewery & Can Can Wonderland
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This activity is made
possible by the voters of
Minnesota through
a Minnesota State Arts
Board Operating Support
grant, thanks to a
legislative appropriation
from the arts and
cultural heritage fund.
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