New This Year:

• Part-day program for true beginners

• Piper’s will be striated based on ability level to better address specific needs

• Registrations will be limited to maintain an appropriate instructor to student ratio.

• Classes will be in 1-hour blocks - geared toward participant levels.

All participants must have their own pipes. Intermediate and Advanced pipers should work to ensure their entire kit is in acceptable playing condition. Beginners will be assisted - as able - on-site to address issues with their reed/kit.


Date: May 11, 2024

Location: Charlottesville Waldorf School Classrooms/Music Room

Schedule:

Intermediate and Advanced Pipers 10-4pm

Beginning Pipers 10-1pm (beginners are welcome to stay and listen)

Lunch will be on-site. Participants can either bring their own lunch, or join the pizza order ($15.00 extra)

Evening Concert 7pm 

Joey Abarta has spent more than half his life traveling, teaching, and performing music on the uilleann pipes. Originally from California, he first received instruction on the pipes from Dubliner Pat D’Arcy, a founding member of the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club.

 In August of 2009, Joey’s accomplished playing won him a second place title worldwide at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. In the fall of 2014 Joey won first prize at the An tOireachtas, becoming the first American uilleann piper to do so since 1969. In 2015 Joey was honored to be a recipient of a traditional arts apprenticeship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council meaning he was awarded a grant to teach his art to the next generation. This year Joey was awarded an Artist Fellowship in the Traditional Arts from the Massachusetts Cultural Council meaning he was recognized as a bearer and conduit of a cultural tradition by his peers and the state of Massachusetts.


 Currently based in Boston, Joey divides his attention between performance, teaching, and recording. In addition to performing solo, he performs with his wife, old-style step dancer Jaclyn O'Riley, Nathan Gourley of “Life is all Checkered", and has toured with Mick Moloney and the group The Green Fields of America. He is currently the acting President of the Boston Pipers Club (1908-present) and through the club organizes uilleann piping workshops and concerts for its members and public. Joey is also the president of The Patrick J. Touhey Memorial Weekend which is an annual festival focusing on historical presentations and workshops based around early American piping styles and pipers. In 2018 Joey was invited by Na Píobairí Uilleann to represent piping in America by performing for the president of Ireland at the Abbey Theater in Dublin Ireland. The concert was a part of the country's celebration of uilleann piping being recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Registration Options

  • Learning basic skills, developing auditory skills, takes
    more time to learn, has learned 20 tunes or less; not playing drones or regulators)
    Half day of instruction - beginners are welcome to stay and observe later classes.

  • able to tune and maintain instrument; working on tune intermediate
    ornamentation; can tune and play drones; starting or ready to start regulators if equipped)
    Full day

  • Good auditory learner; Can pick up tunes quickly, working on
    advanced ornamentation; regular drone play; Regular regulator play if pipes are equipped
    Full Day

($20.00/ea.)
$

Our Instructors

My name is Brandon Davis,

I have been obsessed with uilleann piping for fifteen years and counting. I've had instruction from many world class pipers at tionóls in the US and Ireland.  I have been hosting my local Irish session in Roanoke VA for thirteen years now and also host a slow session for the last three. I play pipes and whistles in the Star City Céilí Band.

Randy is a retired Physical Therapist and has lived in the Charlottesville area for most of the last 30 years. During the second year of Covid lockdown, he started to learn the Uilleann pipes and has been taking regular Zoom lessons with piper. Michael Roddy. He has also been taking regular lessons with Cillian Vallely. For the past 2 years. He has had the opportunity to attend the Willie Clancy school in Miltown Malbay Ireland for the past 3 years as well as other Tionóls and workshops. His interests outside of piping include spending time with his family, 5 grandchildren, and recreational boating. He has been a member of BRIMS for the past 4 years and has been assisting in developing their Uilleann Piping Program.

Janis Deane began playing Irish music in the 1980’s, initially on whistle and Irish flute. She began her journey with the Uillean Pipes in 2012.  Since that time, she has studied with many of the top players through private lessons and Tionol/Retreats.  She currently plays with the Trinity Hall Session Players on a regular basis, teaches lessons and performs at the O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat.  


Participant Information

$0.00
$0.00

Almost done. Where should we send the confirmation?

RegFox Event Registration Software
Event Registration Software by RegFox