The Festival runs a number of workshops for ticket holders to learn from guests and others. While most are music-focused, this year, we have a couple of non-music sessions as well.
Ethno NZ 2019 – workshop with Vanya Howell Kress and Fernando Figuroa Pereira
Come and get a taste of what Ethno is all about! Ethno is a world-wide movement for young players within the folk/trad music scene. Ethno NZ was founded in 2017 and you will meet some of their team members during this festival workshop. Come and learn a few songs and tunes from all around the world and learn more about Ethno. All instruments and abilities are welcome!
Storytelling for Print with Terence Blacker
As well as being a songwriter, Terence is a published author with dozens of children’s books and several adult books to his credit. This will be a relaxed, interactive workshop about storytelling for print, aimed at those 12+ who want to write for either adults or children.
Living in Tiny Spaces – with Peter Scott
Following up on his house trucks workshop last year, Peter will be covering alternate energy, condensation and his experiences and learning s over the last 12 months. Not just restricted to house trucks, the workshop will cover issues for those living in buses, caravans and tiny houses.
Overcoming Technical Issues for Fiddle Players – with Chris Stone of TSC
Explore tips, tricks and techniques to help break through your musical and technical barriers. Chris is passionate about bringing together the best of the classical, folk and jazz worlds to help fiddle players to expand their technical and musical capabilities. Topics could include left and right hand technique, posture, shifting, intonation, chord playing, tone production, and right/left hand co-ordination. The session will be individually tailored to the issues, questions and requests you bring to the workshop.
Penny Whistle – with Pat Higgins
Pat Higgins has 30 years’ experience in traditional music. In this workshop he will introduce the tin whistle in Irish music and demonstrate its distinctive sound.
Attendees will come away with an understanding of ornamentation in Irish music, including cuts, taps, rolls and crans. Attendees are free to listen or bring a standard D whistle. This will be an interactive workshop. Beginners will get an insight and a head start on the whistle, and advanced players will augment their skills
Irish Harp Music Favourites – with Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman
Celebrated blind harper Turlough O’Carolan (1670 – 1738) composed Irish court harp music, tunes with Baroque influence and tunes in the style of a slow air or traditional Irish dance. Each needs a different approach. You wouldn’t play a slow air that sounded baroque, or a baroque piece that sounded like a slow air. Máire will take gorgeous familiar and unfamiliar tunes and teach snippets of each in their specific authentic style to give you a real feel of the nuances. ALL LEVELS. NO MUSIC READING REQUIRED. RECORDING DEVICES WELCOME.
Introduction to Percussion – with OrigiNZ
This is an introductory workshop that will look at the rhythms and percussive instrument of folk music. Feel free to bring along your own hand drums, bodhrans, shakers, tambourines etc.
We will be looking at the basics, from keeping good time to simple beats and breaks that will add to any performance.