Our Tutors
Concertina Skill's
Concertina skills is a course aimed at the more advanced concertina learner. Six tunes are examined throughout the twelve-week course. These tunes are used to teach specific techniques that are demonstrated and developed in great detail throughout the course. These techniques include grace-notes, cranns, double noting, chords and the use of variation.
The course will help learners develop skills on the concertina that are transferable to tunes already featuring in the learner repertoire and to any future tunes acquired. Notation is provided as well as downloadable mp3's of each of the tunes played slowly.
Is this course aimed at a suitable level for me?
This course is aimed at the intermediate level for the concertina.
In the context of six tunes, students will address concertina technique, ornamentation (crans, rolls, cuts and droning) & the use of variations in tunes, as well as touching on aspects of phrasing, articulation & rhythm. Students will discover techniques such as double-noting (playing two octaves together), and chording which will add colour and depth to the music. The new techniques acquired can be then transferred into tunes that previously exist in the studentֳ own repertoire.
Free sample lessons
Take a free sample lesson for this course. In order to avail of the free lesson, you must first become a member of OAIM in order to gain access. Membership is free.
You can sign-up for membership by clicking here: Register for free OAIM membership
Tutor: Ernestine Healy
Ernestine hails from County Mayo. A qualified secondary school teacher, she has also worked as a lecturer in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, in the University of Limerick. Having occupied the position of Acting Course Director on the Graduate Diploma in Music Education postgrad programme during 2008/09, she then went onto lecture on the BA in Irish Music and Dance undergraduate programme in 2009. Ernestine has also worked as a tutor in the Music Department in University College Cork. Ernestine is an internationally recognized concertina player, as well as a tutor and producer on the Irish musical scene. She has been engaged for events such as the Milwaukee Irish Music Festival, workshops in France, Scoil Eigse, as part of the All Ireland Fleadh, Eigse Mrs.Crotty, in Kilrush, Co Clare, Corofin Traditional Festival...
Tunes featured in the class:
- The Lakes of Falcarragh (hornpipe)
- The Jockey at the Fair (set dance)
- Amhrán na Trá Báine (air)
- Mick Cooney's Fancy(Jig)
- Paddy Fahyֳ's (reel)
- Sliabh Luachra' (Hornpipe)