(This class will be held on Zoom. A link will be sent to you after you register for the class.)
In this class, you will get the opportunity to learn about the key elements of Irish singing from both the sean nós and traditional folk style. There will be a focus on learning by ear, rhythm, ornamentation, and group singing—helping you feel confident singing with others in an authentic, seisiún (session) style! You will be introduced to a few songs as Gaeilge (in Irish) with some notes about the stories within the songs, the history of them as well as translations and phonetics. No experience is required for this class, just a love and interest for the music and a willingness to learn!
Irish is one of the oldest written and historical languages in the world.Irish is part of the Goidelic subgroup within the Celtic language group which is closely related to Scottish and Manx Gaelic. The Irish language possesses a profound poetic quality, marked by a graceful rhythm and a distinctive musicality. Its sound is at once gentle and expressive, shaped by centuries of oral tradition and deep cultural heritage. The language conveys emotion with subtlety and elegance, making even ordinary speech feel lyrical and evocative.
Irish is inherently romantic in its capacity for imagery and metaphor. It frequently draws upon the natural world—land, sea, sky, and seasons—creating expressions that resonate with a sense of timeless beauty. This poetic sensibility is reflected not only in its literature and song but in everyday conversation, where meaning is often enriched by nuance and depth.
Donation: $25; no one turned away for lack of funds. Contact us for assistance.
AILÍSE
Now based in upstate New York, AILÍSE (pronounced eye-leash) is a multi-instrumentalist from the west coast of Ireland whose practice honors the Irish tradition while also drawing inspiration from other diverse musical landscapes. Her work is centered around emotive vocal performance with controlled vibrato, tight melodic agility and a haunting, spellbinding tone that carries ancestral spirit from forgotten times. This proficient air of mysticism flows into her playing on the fiddle and low whistle, engaging and enchanting those who witness her performances. In her music, AILÍSE explores themes of self-development, historical memory and the human effort to navigate complexity and change.
AILÍSE comes from a cultural and familial musical background and started playing music as a child. She studied music all throughout her school days and attended classical violin lessons weekly where she studied for and completed grades with the ABRSM. She holds a Bachelor’s of Performing Arts from the University of Limerick in Ireland where she attended the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance.
She has extensive live performance experience ranging from collaborative sound projects to choral production, from musicals to Irish sean nós workshops, from classical violin recitals to singing competitions, from wedding gigs to playing in recording studios and venues performing solo/band gigs with vocals, fiddle, low whistle and guitar across Ireland, South Florida, upstate New York as well as New York City.