A short letter from me today due to gigs and yesterday being the 4th of July (cue holiday brain mode). But I did want to take an opportunity to share three conversations I've had with some fantastic women in the Irish traditional music space over the past few months in case you haven't had a chance to tune in yet!
โLiz Knowles has a knack for making practicing your instrument fun. Basically think of the last time you went down a rabbit hole researching something you were curious about (could be anything, not just trad music). Now apply that mindset to practicing your instrument, take any of the tips and ideas Liz shared in our chat, and experience what happens with your playing. She is one of my favorite people to go to for inspiration on how to practice!
I knew right away that I wanted to be friends with Mary Vanorny when we "re-met" on one of Liz Knowles' Teacher Gathering calls. She has a warm, friendly and enthusiastic personality that just makes you think "how lucky are all these kids to get to work with a teacher like her!" Like me, Mary has a Suzuki method background when she was learning violin, and she has put together a really cool project of applying Suzuki concepts to Irish traditional music. For those of you who love a methodical approach and practical examples to teach skills you're developing, you'll love hearing about this book (and checking it out too I hope)!
Lastly, Liz Carroll has been an unofficial mentor of mine for over a decade now, and it's not just because she's an amazing musician. It truly is for her heart and the way she genuinely connects with so many people in the Irish music space. If you've met her, you'll know what I mean -- she's one of those heroes who you actually do want to meet because it'll be even better than you expected!
Also I've been toying around with the idea of doing a bonus training where I show you how I use sheet music in my own practice. The general idea is that I'd sight read a tune I don't know very well so you can see how I'm applying the feel for the tune even though that feel isn't something someone would pick up from only reading the notes on the page.
If that's a topic of interest, hit reply and let me know!
I hope you enjoy the three podcast episodes shared (particularly if you're traveling this weekend and need to pass the time on a long commute)! And for those celebrating, Happy 4th!
~Hannah
Hannah Harris
I help aspiring Irish fiddlers find their lilt and get the real feel for the music.
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