Courses ofered in January, 2013: Connecticut

Courses will be ofered from Academy of Irish Welcome to the outstanding instructors at both Music Connecticut Academy of the beginner and intermediate/ Irish Music advanced levels on a variety of traditional instruments: The Connecticut Academy of Irish Music, established by • Fiddle Director and fiddler Jeanne • Tin whistle Freeman, seeks to encourage • Flute young people and adults to • Mandolin explore the joys of learning • Banjo and playing traditional Irish • Guitar and Celtic music. Group • Concertina lessons will be ofered on a • Button accordion variety of instruments to children and adults for a 12- There will also be opportunities week session beginning in to play in mixed groups (youth late January, 2013. Classes ceili band, and mixed instrument will meet on Sunday sessions led by an instructor). afternoons at the Wethersfield Academy for the Registration begins in December, Arts in Old Wethersfield 2012. For more information and located at 431 Hartford to register, please contact Avenue. Director Jeanne Freeman at (860) 810-4852, or visit her website at Connecticut Academy of Irish Music www.jeannefreemanmusic.com Located at: Wethersfield Academy for the Arts for more information please contact Director Jeanne Freeman: (860) 810-4852 www.jeannefreemanmusic.com Claudine Langille - Claudine (tenor banjo, mandolin, Ben Gagliardi – Ben (concertina) is a multi- Jeanne Freeman – Jeanne (fiddle) is one of New guitar) is best known for her playing, singing, and instrumentalist and rising star in Connecticut’s England's leading Irish fiddlers. Classically trained, songwriting with Touchstone, the highly acclaimed Irish- traditional music scene. He discovered a cassette of she became interested in traditional music early on as a Appalachian fusion band based in Chapel Hill, North traditional music in his attic one day while fiddler in Colonial Williamsburg (VA) and eventually Carolina that featured the Bothy Band's Triona procrastinating on a homework assignment in high studied Irish fiddling with the late Donegal fiddler P.V. NiDhomhnaill. Claudine learned flat picked style tenor school and became so intrigued he bought a concertina O'Donnell, with whom she played and performed banjo from Charlie Piggott of DeDannan while living in on e-bay, taught himself to play and never looked regularly for many years. Jeanne regularly hosts Galway, Ireland, and she has been a popular instructor at back. He plays numerous instruments completely by many traditional Irish sessions around Connecticut, The Swannanoa Gathering, March Mandolin Fest, and ear and enjoys learning tunes the old fashioned way -- and has performed widely at concerts, festivals, and workshops/ festivals in the US, Canada, and England, as from other musicians who take the time to sit and venues across New England, most notably as the well as private instruction. She has toured and recorded teach the melody. Ben spends most weekends featured Irish fiddle soloist with the Hartford extensively across numerous continents and has been traversing New England in search of the best Symphony Orchestra on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2012 at featured on many radio shows, including Fiona Ritchie's traditional music. He regularly guest hosts Irish the Bushnell Center. She has taught both privately and "Thistle and Shamrock," and CBC's "Mainstreet." Claudine sessions in Connecticut, and has played at numerous in workshops, has performed on television and radio currently plays with the Vermont-based band, Gypsy Reel. festivals, coffeehouses, and venues with musicians programs, and appears on numerous recordings. She will offer classes in beginning and intermediate such as Robbie O’Connell, Dan Milner, Jeff Davis, Jeanne is the founder and Director of the Academy, mandolin and tenor banjo, as well as beginning and and his band, Full Gael. Ben will offer instruction in and will offer instruction on fiddle. intermediate guitar. concertina, lead a slow session for players of all instruments, and be his usual enthusiastic self.

John Whelan – John (button accordion; Artist- Ellen Redman – Ellen (Irish flute and tin whistle) is in-Residence) is a 7-time All-Ireland Champion, both a classically trained flutist and accomplished and perhaps the most accomplished Irish button traditional Irish flutist and whistle player. She has Eileen MacCallum – Eileen (button accordion) grew accordion player of his generation. He has studied with and attended workshops with noted Irish up on Staten Island, New York, where her love for toured and recorded extensively with many artists flutists such as Kevin Crawford (Lunasa) and Boston- Irish music began at very young age. She attended the – ranging from Celtic music superstars such as based Jimmy Noonan. Ellen is an instructor of classical Donny Golden School of Irish Dance, and studied Riverdance fiddler Eileen Ivers, to musicians as and Irish flute at Smith College, and has taught in button accordion with the late Maureen Glynn diverse as country star Kathy Mattea and the numerous other capacities, including Bay Path College, Connolly, the brilliant Brooklyn-born instructor of Sirius String Quartet. John has earned numerous Deerfield Academy, and the Elms College Celtic Irish music. Eileen spent childhood summers awards and accolades for his work, and has Adventures for Kids. She is a flutist with the Springfield immersed in the vibrant Irish cultural scene in East multiple recording, television and movie credits Symphony and regularly performs traditional music with Durham, NY and has attended Billy McComiskey’s to his name, including his 2012 release of her Massachusetts-based band, BlackSheep, as well as button accordion workshops for many years during original compositions, “Passage of Time.” In The Wailing Banshees, a traditional Irish group she the Catskills Irish Arts Week. She taught beginner 1997 he formed The John Whelan Band, with formed at Smith College. Ellen has qualified and ceili band classes for the Atlanta Irish Music School which he still tours. At the Academy, John will competed in two All-Ireland music championships and prior to moving to Connecticut, and is now a regular serve as the Artist-in-Residence and will leads sessions around Massachusetts and Connecticut. at the weekly sessions in the Hartford area. Eileen concentrate his efforts on preparing young people Ellen will offer beginner and intermediate classes in will assist Jeanne with administrative aspects of the in the youth ceili band to compete in the All- Irish flute and tin whistle. Academy and will work alongside John Whelan with Ireland competitions. the youth ceili band class.