Traditional Irish Music Sessions: How to Find Them, Survive Them and Enjoy Them
		Irish Music Sessions.  You've heard about them, maybe seen a few as a punter (bystander), but now you've learned a few tunes and are summoning the courage to go to a session as a player.  Sessions can be very intimidateing for newbies, but they don't have to be (and in fact they can be really really really fun) if you follow some simple common-sense guidelines. Prof. Chris Smith's excellent essay on Session Dynamics , located on Michael Eskin's equally excellent site, is very informative, and, IMHO, is ESSENTIAL READING for any Whistle Newbie before attending their first session.  Another great essay on Session Ettiquette is found at Irishbanjo.com.  DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND READ THESE ESSAYS THOUGHLY.  Most sessions are friendly affairs, but like any social gathering, musical or not, it is possible to commit faux paus(es).  These essays will help clue you in to some dos and don'ts and may save you from inadvertently doing something that detracts from the other players' enjoyment of the session. To gain experience playing along with others in a session-like context, try logging on to the Virtual Session site, hosted by the BBC.  This is a way cool site that features streaming audio of tons of three-tune sets of typical session tunes.  Sheet music displays on screen while the musicians play, and you can print the music to practice on your own.  The tunes are played mercifully slowly, allowing newbies like me a reasonable chance of keeping up.
			Return to Home Page