🎻 I could regularly get behind this method of ringing in the New Year

Hi, Reader!

Happy New Year! Bear and I rang in 2026 along with our dear friend, Marty Somberg, playing tunes for a Contra dance in Lansing right next to the Michigan Capitol Building. It was a snowy night, but filled with community and dancers of all different levels coming together to enjoy an evening with one another.

Honestly, it set the perfect tone for what I'd like to focus on this year!

The draw of Irish traditional music has always been about the people for me, and I suspect you've felt that same draw whether in a session or playing tunes together with a friend or family member.

At the Lansing Contra dance, we were told later that it had been one of the largest draws for new dancers and also the most seamless experience in guiding new dancers to keep up with the experienced ones, while providing good tempos and an enjoyable experience for all.

I think the reason why it worked was because everyone in that room was communicating their needs and we were all listening and responding without ego getting in the way -- we musicians were happy to play slower or faster, and the dancers were having fun learning from and guiding one another.

A lot of us were saying it would be nice if the world operated more like that on a larger scale!

But control the controllables as they say... and small waves can make a difference even in something as niche as Irish traditional music.

The following morning we spent 3 hours chatting with our wonderful hosts over coffee and a scrumptious breakfast -- people who we'd never met until the evening prior, but who warmly welcomed us into their home.

Again, setting the tone for the new year and beyond!

It's been a lovely couple of weeks off to recharge, and I'm looking forward to working with some new and returning students this first quarter of the year, as well as a couple of live events across the eastern United States! Here's the scoop:

• Jan 24th - Sliabh Luachra Polkas and Slides workshop in Cleveland OH (details TBA)
• Feb 6-8 - Returning to Tune Junkie Weekend to teach the Nuts and Bolts fiddle class in Knoxville TN! Registration available here.
• Feb 20th - Shannon Lee playing at Trinity House in Livonia MI. Tickets here!
• Mar 1 - Music at Main Shannon Lee (Free Concert!) at Clinton Macomb Library in Clinton Township MI.

In the online side of things, I'll be continuing to hang out with you in the Tune Library and am (fingers crossed) going to record and release Season 2 of the Find Your Lilt podcast! I have a starting list, but if you have episode topics or guests you'd like to see on, let me know!

The first part of the year, you can expect to see a lot more polka and slide tutorials in the Library. If you're new to learning by ear, these tune types are perfect for getting comfortable with this skill both in their simplicity of phrasing and in how fun they are to play!

If you're a more experienced ear learner, then you can focus more on building your polka and slide repertoire and honing the style of these tune types!

Hope your 2026 is starting out smoothly, and looking forward to being in community with you this year either in the online or in-person capacity!

Happy playing!

~Hannah