September 2023 Newsletter

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

We're gearing up for our Fall term, which starts on Tuesday September 5th. Sign up for private lessons and classes today! We've delayed the start time for our Introduction to Whistle classes for both adults and kids to give our students a little more time to get their feet on the ground at the start of the school year. Adult students, check out some of the fascinating mini-classes starting later in the fall.

43 Center for Irish Music folks have just returned from an incredible trip to Mullingar for the All-Ireland Fleadh! 21 students (6 adults and 15 youth) competed and attended Scoil Éigse, a 5-day music workshop. Youth students received financial support to attend Scoil Éigse from the Frank Pasquerella Memorial Fund. I attended as the coach of the ceili band, and enjoyed representing CIM, networking with musicians and organizers and playing tons of sessions with our students. It was a joyful week for me, and one I will not forget!

Back on the home front, we loved being a part of the Irish Fair of Minnesota with a booth in the marketplace, an instrument petting zoo, Irish Fair Bingo cards and many performances by our talented students.

We are very fortunate to have the capacity to participate in both of these Irish music events so fully. Sometimes I think we can forget how much energy and momentum our little scene has. It is truly a gift to have such a lively traditional music community in the Twin Cities, thanks to all of you reading this newsletter.

See you at the CJAC Open House or the Metronome Youth Session on September 10th, or at the CIM!

Norah Rendell

Executive Artistic Director

Center for Irish Music

Click here for our Fall Term Course Catalog

YOUTH INTRODUCTORY CLASSES

Celtic Cuties

Introduction to Tin Whistle for Kids, Year 1

Introduct ion to Tin Whistle for Kids, Year 2

Singing Sweeties

ADULT GROUP CLASSES

Easy Whistle Tunes for Adults

Introduction to Tin Whistle for Adults

Irish Myths and Legends

Irish Poetry in Translation

Irish Pub Songs

Session Playing

Singing Irish Traditional Songs Together

Songs of Eddie Butcher

YOUTH ENSEMBLES

Advanced Youth Ensemble

Beginning Ensemble

Fiddle Youth Ensemble

Redwing Intermediate Ensemble

Starling Intermediate Ensemble

Swallowtail Intermediate Ensemble

ADULT ENSEMBLES

An Luan Ensemble

Open Sky Ensemble

THANK YOU TO SUMMER INTERNS

MATTIE SNYDER & CARMEN PASQUERELLA

Thanks so much to Mattie Snyder for her work as summer intern at the CIM!

Mattie helped lead and organize the Minnesota Irish Music Weekend and the summer camps, digitize our archival files, support the office (under expert direction of Lily) and ran many crucial errands.

Her energy, detail-oriented work-style, and caring approach were valuable assets to our team this summer. Thanks, Mattie, and best of luck on your senior project on cello and how it is used in Celtic music traditions!

Thanks to Carmen Pasqurella for being our Minnesota Irish Music Weekend intern, and for jumping in this week to assist with Fall registration. The growth of the school means that our administrative load is heavier and having extra support during these times is extremely valuable.

Carmen's plethora of talents include not only musicianship and teaching, but administration too. Thanks for your support, Carmen!

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

Thank you to the incredible volunteers who supported the Center for Irish Music at Irish Fair of Minnesota and our Open House event on August 20th. We couldn't have done it without you!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are looking for two volunteers to represent the Center for Irish Music at the CJAC Open House on September 10th from 1-3pm. We'll give you the information you'll need to help us spread the word about our mission and fall classes. To volunteer, contact Norah at nrendell@centerforirishmusic.org

UPDATE ON BUILDING THE NEW ENTRYWAY

As part of our Making Room for the Next Generation Expansion & Improvement project, the CIM is building a handicapped accessible entryway to our space, increasing access to our classrooms and the entire Celtic Junction building.

The foundation has been laid and steel has been installed. Next week, the exterior structure will start going up. The ramp & internal construction will continue after that.

The project is on track to be completed by the end of October.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

We're so grateful for your support of this renovation project, and the support of a STAR Cultural Grant from the City of St. Paul. It's not too late to make a contribution!

DONATE NOW

UPCOMING CIM & COMMUNITY EVENTS

Parentheses indicate CIM instructors, students or staff members performing with a group

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 | 10:30 AM,

12:00 PM, 1:15 PM

Kickin' It Irish (Mary Vanorny, Adrienne O'Shea, Cormac O'Sé)

Minnesota State Fair

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 | 10:30 AM,

12:00 PM, 1:15 PM

Kickin' It Irish (Mary Vanorny, Adrienne O'Shea, Cormac O'Sé)

Minnesota State Fair

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 | 2:00 PM

The McNordiques (Tom Klein) at Faire la Fête

Red Pine Winery, Cambridge MN

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

First day of Fall Term

Center for Irish Music

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 | 2:00 PM

Brass Lassie (Mary Vanorny)

Ramsey County Happy Days

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | 1:00 PM

CIM Youth Session

MetroNome Brewery

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | 1:00-3:00 PM

Celtic Junction Open House &

Children's Fair

Celtic Junction Arts Center

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | 7:00-9:30 PM

Sharon Shannon in Concert

Celtic Junction Arts Center

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | 5:00 PM

Danny Diamond & Brian Miller at the

Lincoln Avenue Block Party (Lincoln Ave. from Oxford to Chatsworth, St. Paul)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 | 8:00 PM

Country Roads Band (Mary Vanorny)

Crooners Supper Club

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 | 9:00 PM-1:00 AM

Connemara Patch (Mary Vanorny, Aja McCullough)

Dubliner Pub

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 | 6:30-9:30 PM

Irish Arts MN Honors Jan Casey

Celtic Junction Arts Center

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22-23

The Hejmakers (Tom Klein)

Norsktoberfest, Glendive, MT

THURSDAY-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27-30

The McNordiques (Tom Klein)

Norsk Høstfest, Minot, ND

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 | 6:30 PM

Brass Lassie (Mary Vanorny)

Crooners Supper Club

This is not an exhaustive listing of all events in the Twin Cities Irish community. For more listings, visit the IAM Event Calendar and the Celtic Junction Arts Center (CJAC). CJAC concerts are free for ages 18 and under.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE CIM!

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 joining us as a volunteer or making a gift to the CIM today!