🎻 It's not the hat I thought I'd want to wear. But I couldn't imagine it any other way!

Hi Reader!

At this rate, you're going to hear all of my Swannanoa stories way before I ever get around to editing and releasing my solo podcast episode recap... 😆

Which is recorded as of now, but definitely needs some polishing up before it's release ready!

I was aiming to release a new episode twice a month on the 15th and last day of the month (gotta love lining it up with payday), but have taken a bit more of a hiatus due to traveling in July and August. When you read this, I'll be recovering from a late night of tunes at Berea's Celtic Fest!

It's interesting to me how consistency and routines work. Some things are habit no matter what. I can guarantee you I'll drink a glass of water before my morning coffee, write a weekly Sunday newsletter (have yet to miss one in 2026, and I'm determined to keep it that way), go to a session, move my body via strength training or yoga or walking, teach lessons and usually release a new Tune Library video.

But there are only so many given hours in a day, and thus only so many things we can keep consistent. The students who I see make the most progress with their fiddling are the ones carving out a window of time every day to practice -- even if on occasion it's a five minute check-in. The times I feel like I'm playing the best are when I take some time to play each day for me.

(If you're curious what my personal practice looked like this week, it's been memorizing a new Sean nós song to add to Bear's and my setlist, playing through Liz Carroll's Collected II for fun, and learning two original tunes from local musician friends: Evan Chambers' "The Early Dark" and Marty Somberg's "Strait of Hormuz." Both fantastic reels.)

I digress though. Today's story is about role playing in the community.

For this year's Swannanoa Gathering, I was there as a Staff Musician, not an Instructor. This meant that I was providing melody for the dance class, participated in the evening concerts and in playing with the ceili band. But I was not teaching any classes.

Each time someone asked if I was teaching, it did feel a little awkward to say no (since that's what I do on a regular weekly basis in my own studio). When I imagined returning to Swannanoa prior to last Fall, I imagined doing so as an instructor.

But I quickly came to realize last month that this was the perfect role for me this year. I didn't need to be an instructor (though down the road of course I'd love contribute that way). It was enough for me to be able to be there.

After 9 years of not being at the Gathering, being a Staff Musician allowed me to get reacclimated to the experience with lower pressure. I got to take a class, help with a class, and spend most of my energy fostering the evening sessions with Bear.

We got to serve the collective by enhancing the class experience with live music instead of a recording (plus we got to partner with the wonderful Ranog Townsend who we both knew from our different exepriences at University of Limerick). And we got to hang out with everybody in the evenings and get tunes in with new and old friends.

During the week, and in retrospect, I realized the role didn't matter at all to me. What mattered was that I was there, and that so many friends were there, and that we got to be together regardless of what our primary role for the week was (instructor, volunteer, staff, student).

Weekly Tune Library Update

New tutorials are up in the Library for Martin Wynne's No. 5 and our second slip jig for August's slip jig theme, The Cock and the Hen!

Next week, you'll be getting a tutorial for Pigeon on the Gate (reel) and Hardiman the Fiddler (our 3rd slip jig in this month's series).

I've been thinking more about community roles this week since we had a wonderful trio from Japan (O'Jizo) play a concert in Detroit on Tuesday, and then our usual session on Wednesdays.

Whenever the Irish Music Institute (run by Seán Gavin) is putting on a concert in the area, I like to volunteer to take tickets at the door or assist with anything that's needed. So I am used to playing the role of performer, but I also enjoy wearing the hat of volunteer (something I may exercise more for festival season next year).

Again... a way to make it possible for me to be in the room!

I also take somewhat evil enjoyment in observing how someone who may talk to me when I'm collecting their ticket vs how they talk to me when I play in a session with the performers after the show. You learn a lot about character that way...!

In sessions, I enjoy wearing the hats of co-host, of visitor from out of town, and of simply attending to enjoy a night out decompressing from the day with friends and tunes.

I used to think of roles as linear. Student --> Instructor, Attendee --> Host. But from living in Detroit the last couple of years, my perspective has changed. I see the benefits of every role, and of cycling through them as each situation calls for. I'm realizing how much more I value being a team player regardless of role.

Glad to be on this team with you,

~Hannah