On March 20, 2019, AHS-LA and the Beach Cities Harp Ring were delighted to welcome
The "doyenne of Irish harpers", Máire Ní Chathasaigh ,(pronounced Moira Nee Ha-ha-sig) (in photo above, near center in blue scarf) to present a workshop, "The Irish Harp Tradition - Unpacked."
Máire presented a workshop exploring the wide repertoire of the Irish tradition - the music of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century harpers, the "slow airs", songs and dance tunes - with particular reference to the special rhythms and phrasing characteristic of the tradition.
Particular attention was paid to specific fingering techniques (developed by Máire herself in order to play ornaments like those played by Irish fiddlers and whistle players) for a stylistically authentic performance.
Participants learned as a group and, since Ireland's is an oral tradition, learned by ear and by imitation - though written music was distributed later for us to review at home.