Category: Music

Eachtra

By Simon

Tháinig mé ar ais go Bangor Dé Máirt an seachtaine seo caite i ndiaidh saoire ar fheabhas ar fad in Éirinn, Albain agus Sasana.

In Éirinn bhí sé an deas daoine a bhuail mé leis ag an scoil samhraidh anuraidh a fheiceáil arís, agus ag bualadh le a lán daoine eile. Bhí mé sa rang a sé i mbliana, agus bhí i bhfad níos mó deiseanna ann mo chuid Gaeilge a cleachtadh na a bhí sa rang a seacht anuraidh. Bhain mé triail as Gaeilge a labhairt an t-am ar fad taobh amuigh den rang freisin. Sa tráthnóna rinne mé an amhránaíocht sean-nóis le Gearóidín Bhreathnach agus bhain mé an-sult as.

Bhí ceolchoirmeacha ann san oíche le ceoltóirí, amhránaí agus scéalaí den scoth, agus seisiúin sa tithe tábhairne i ndiaidh sin. Sheinn mise an fheadóg íseal beagnach gach oíche sa seisiúin chomh maith -ní raibh gach port agam, ach bhí roinnt acu agam. Caithfidh mé níos mó a fhoghlaim de ghlanmheabhair -is féidir liom a lán port a sheinm ón ceol scríofa, ach ní féidir liom a oiread a sheinm gan ceol. Bhí roinnt againn ag seinn i ngach áit – sa tithe tábhairne, sa bhialann, sa lóistín agus nuair a bhí muid amuigh ag siúil.
Adventures

I got back to Bangor on Tuesday of last week after a fantastic holiday in Ireland, Scotland and England.

In Ireland it was lovely to see so many of the people I met at the summer school last year again, and to me many others. I was in the level 6 language class this year, and there many more opportunities to practice my Irish than there were in level 7 last year. I also tried to speak as much Irish as possible outside class. In the afternoons I was in the sean-nos singing class with Gearóidín Bhreathnach and really enjoyed it. Some of us in the class couldn’t help breaking into song wherever we happened to be – in pubs, restaurants, lodgings and while out walking.

There were concerts in the evenings with top musicians, singers and storytellers, and sessions in the pubs afterwards. I even played my low whistle in quite a few of the sessions – I didn’t know all the tunes, but could play along with some of them at least. I need to learn more tunes by heart – at the moment I can play plenty of them with written music, but not nearly so many without the music. I say this to myself everytime I go to Ireland, and am gradually building up my repertoire of tunes.

I’ve decided to write in one main language each time on this blog, rather than trying to write in Welsh, Irish and sometimes Chinese every time. This is mainly because it takes me quite a long time to write everything in two or three languages. And because I think it’s better to write directly in each language, rather than translating from Welsh into the others, as I usually do. So today it’s Irish (and English), yesterday was Welsh, and tomorrow I might have a go at Scottish Gaelic. When I get round to it, I’ll write English versions of the posts – sort of loose translations with extra bits.

Tá mé ar ais anois / Tha mi ar ais a-nis

By Simon

I’ve now returned from my adventures in Ireland and Scotland. Well, in fact I’m currently staying with my parents in Lancashire for a few days on my way back to Bangor.

Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal, Ireland

The summer school at Oideas Gael was as brilliant, and it was lovely to see so many of the people I met last year again, as well as to meet many new people. With such a gathering of friendly, interesting, talented and knowledgeable people you couldn’t help but have a great time.

I decided to go for the level 6 Irish language class rather than the level 7 one I did last year, which I found a bit too challenging and lacking in opportunities to speak Irish. The level 6 class was good fun and we all got to speak plenty of Irish. In fact I spoke Irish most of the time both inside and outside the classroom.

My Irish has now got to the level at which I can converse comfortably about everyday topics. When talking about more specialised areas my vocabulary isn’t always sufficient, but I can often find alternative ways to get across my meaning even if I don’t know the relevant words.

In the afternoons I did the sean-nós singing class with Gearóidín Bhreatnach, as I did last year, and enjoyed it immensely. We went over some of the songs we learnt last year, and learnt quite a few new ones. As well as explaining the backgrounds to the songs, Gearóidín also told us many interesting stories related to music traditions in Ireland.

A number of musicians and singers from Donegal and other parts of Ireland performed at concerts in the evenings, and I was particularly impressed by to Donegal fiddlers whose playing was outstanding. On other evenings there was story telling and a talk about the future of the Irish language. I found most of the stories quite difficult to follow, but could understand most of the talk.

After the evening concerts there were informal music sessions in the local pubs, and this year for the first time I played (the low whistle) in some of the sessions, as well as singing along with the songs I knew.

There’s a video made by one of the guys at the summer school here, and a video of Gearóidín and her daughters singing here. I even appear briefly in the first one.

After leaving Gleann Cholm Cille I travelled to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye for a week of Gaelic Song with Christine Primrose. The journey, which lasted two days, took me through some very beautiful scenery in both Ireland and Scotland. When I arrived at the college, the sun was shining and it continued to do so for the next few days. The second half of the week was quite wet, as it was in Ireland, but this did nothing to dampen my spirits.

A view of Àrainn Cholm Cille campus of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is located on the Sound of Sleat (An Linne Shlèiteach) in the south of Skye (an t-Eilean Sgitheanach) and just up the road from Armadale and Ardvasar. It has two campuses – Àrainn Ostaig and Àrainn Cholm Cille. The former is the original campus and was where I stayed. Our singing classes also took place there. The latter is a new campus just down the road with spectacular views across to the mainland. The college runs short courses during the summer in Gaelic language, music and singing, as well as a number full-time degree courses taught through the medium of Gaelic during the rest of the year.

There were 15 of us in the Gaelic song class from many countries, including Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Norway, Catalonia and Germany. Only three of us spoke Gaelic or had much knowledge of the language; the others found the pronunciation of the words quite tricky. Even so, in just five days we learnt over 30 songs, including waulking songs (òrain luaidh), mouth music (puirt a bheal), love songs (òrain gaoil), lullabys (talaidhean) and reels (ruidhlean). Christine, who is a great tutor, also told us the stories behind the songs, and about life on Lewis, where she grew up.

In the evenings there was more singing, and also dancing, films, a Gaelic conversation circle, and music sessions in the bar on Àrainn Ostaig. I went to some of the conversation circles and spoke a bit a Gaelic there. I also spoke Gaelic with a number of other people who were doing Gaelic classes, and with some of the tutors and staff, and realised that I can speak Gaelic reasonably well, at least at a fairly basic level. My knowledge of Irish certainly helps. I also got to speak plenty of Irish with some of the Irish speakers who were doing the Scottish Gaelic course for gaeilgeorí.

Long journey

By Simon

Tomorrow morning I’m off to Ireland for a week of Irish language and culture at Oideas Gael in Donegal. After this I’ll be going to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye, for a week of Gaelic song, and should have plenty of opportunities to speak Scottish Gaelic there as well.

Even though the journey will be long and complex involving trains, ferries, buses and planes, plus an overnight stay in Glasgow as it’s not possible to get from Donegal to Skye in one day, I’m really looking forward to it as it will take me through some beautiful scenery.

I probably won’t have internet access during the first week, but might during the second, so it could take a while for me to reply to your emails.

Ymgartrefu ym Mangor

By Simon

Dw i wedi bod ym Mangor ers wythnos a hanner bellach a dw i’n setlo i mewn yn dda. Yn ystod y dydd dw i’n arfer ateb yr e-bostiau sy’n dod o Omniglot, ac yn gwneud pethau eraill arno. Ateb yr e-bostiau ydy’r peth dw i’n treulio y mwyafrif fy amser amdano wrth i mi gweithio ar y wefan. Hefyd, dw i’n ysgrifennu erthyglau am ieithoedd ar gyfer asiantaeth iaith/teithio ym Mrighton, ac yn ymarfer y gitâr a’r chwiban, ac yn dysgu mwy o Wyddeleg a Gaeleg. Dw i’n mwynhau yn fawr ysgrifennu’r erthyglau.

Dw i’n wedi gwario gormod o bres yn ddiweddar yn prynu dodrefn a phethau eraill ar gyfer y tŷ. Nid peth rhad ydy symud tŷ! Yn ffodus mae’r costau yn llai ym Mangor nac ym Mrighton, a fan hyn dw i’n prynu bwyd mewn archfarchnadoedd rhad fel Aldi ac Iceland; yn Mrighton o’n i’n prynu bwyd yn Waitrose, archfarchnad costus iawn, ond roedd hi’n yr archfarchnad ymylaf i fy nhŷ. Un ddiog iawn ydw i weithiau.

Dw i’n mynd am dro bob dydd, heblaw pan mae’n bwrw glaw trwm, a dw i’n ceisio mynd i ddilyn llwybr gwahanol bob tro. Felly dw i’n mynd yn fwy cyfarwydd efo’r dref, ond dw i ddim wedi dod i nabod neb yma eto.

Ddydd Sul diwethaf es i i Landudno am y tro cyntaf. Mae’r lle yn hyfryd, yn enwedig y traeth, y bae, a’r Gogarth, ac roedd llawer o bobl yn mwynhau’r tywydd braf. Y tro nesaf, bydda i’n mynd â fy sgidiau sglefrolio ac yn manteisio ar y promenâd hir. Mi ges i synnu nac roedd neb arall yn gwneud yr un peth.

Ddoe es i i Gaernarfon yn y prynhawn. Dyna’r ail dro dw i wedi mynd yno a gweles i mwy o’r dref y tro hwn.

Socraigh isteach i mBangor

Tá mé i mBangor le seachtaine go leith anois agus tá mé ag socraigh isteach go maith. I rith an lae bím ag freagair ríomhphostanna atá ag teacht ó Omniglot, agus ag déanamh rudaí eile air. Ag freagair ríomhphostanna atá an rud bím ag caith an chuid is mó de m’am air agus mé ag obair ar an suíomh. Bím ag scríobh altanna faoi teangacha do ghníomhaireacht teangacha/taistil i mBrighton, ag cleachtadh an giotár agus an fheadóg stáin, agus ag foghlaim níos mó Gaeilge agus Gàidhlig freisin. Bainim an-sult as na haltanna ag scríobh.

Tá mé ag caitheamh barraíocht airgid le déanaí ag ceannaigh troscán agus rudaí eile don teach. Níl rud saor atá aistrigh i dteach nua! Go hádhúil bíonn an costas maireachtála níos lú i mBangor ná i mBrigthon, agus anseo bím ag ceannaigh bia in ollmhargaí saoire mar Aldi agus Iceland; i mBrighton bhí mé ag ceannaigh bia i Waitrose, ollmhargadh an daor, ach bhí sé an t-ollmhargadh is cóngaraí do m’árasán. An leisciúil atá mé amanna.

Bím ag dul ag siúil gach lá, ach nuair atá báisteach trom ann, agus bím ag triail as slí éagsúla a lean gach uair. Mar sin de, tá mé ag éirigh níos eolacha leis an áit, ach níl aithne agam ag aon duine anseo go fóill.

De Domhnaigh seo caite, chuaigh mé go Llandudno ar an chead uair. Is áit álainn í, go hairithe an trá, an bá agus an Great Orme agus Little Orme (cinn tíre móra ag gach ceann an trá), agus bhain a lán duine sult as an aimsir deas. An uair seo caite, tabharfaidh mé mo scataí agus scátálfaidh mé i rith an promanád.

Inné chuaigh mé go Caernarfon sa tráthnóna. Bhí sin an dara uair a bhí ag dol ansin agus chonaic mé níos mó an uair seo.

Rhyddid

By Simon

Ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf oedd fy nydd olaf yn y swyddfa. Bellach mae gen i rhyddid canolbwyntio ar y pethau ydw i’n mwynhau, sef Omniglot, cerddoriaeth, ieithoedd ayyb. Mae hi’n teimlo yn wych gallu dianc oddiar fy nesg.

Nos Iau yr wythnos hon, roedd parti gadael ar nghyfer i, ac ar gyfer un o’r fy nghyn-cydweithwyr sy priodi cyn bo hir, a phen-blwydd un arall. Cawson ni pryd o fwyd blasus mewn tŷ bwyta Eidalaidd yn gyntaf, ac yna aethon ni i dafarn am ddiod neu ddau.

Ddydd Mawrth cwrddais i â rhywun arall sy’n dysgu Cymraeg ac sy’n byw ym Mrighton trwy Gumtree. Er bod hi wedi dysgu’r iaith ers dim ond blwyddyn ar cwrs Wlpan yng Nghaerdydd, mae hi’n siarad yn dda iawn, ac roedd hi yn rownd derfynol dysgwyr y flwyddyn yn yr Eisteddfod eleni. Sgwrsion ni yn y Gymraeg am rhyw ddwy awr p’nawn Mawrth, a p’nawn Iau hefyd.

Neithiwr roedd cyngerdd côr meibion yn Shalford – fy nghygerdd olaf gyda’r côr.

Saoirse

Dé hAoine an seachtain seo caite bhí mo lá deireanach san oifig. Anois tá saoirse agam m’intinn a dhíriú ar na rudaí a bhainím sult as – Omniglot, ceol, teangacha, srl. Tá mothú ionntach ann éalú ó mo dheasc.

Oíche Déardaoin an seachtain seo, bhí cóisir imeacht dom, agus do aon de mo chomhoibrí atá ag posú roimh i bhfad, agus breaithlá aon eile. Fuair muid béile blasta i bhialann Iodáilise ar dtús, agus ansin chuaigh muid i dteach tabhairne.

Aréir bhí ceolchoirm na cóir Breatnaise i Shalford – mo cheolchoirm deireach leis an cór.

自由

上個禮拜五是我辦公司裏的最後一天。現在我會重議我最喜歡的東西，就是我的網站、音樂、語言等。現在我不需要全天坐在我的電腦前面，而且我覺得很好。

這個禮拜四我跟我前同事去意大利的餐廳吃飯。那邊的食物很好吃。去餐廳之後，我們去酒吧喝喝。

昨天晚上布萊頓威爾斯男生合唱團表演在Shalford – 我跟他們最後一個表演。

Offeryn cerdd

By Simon

Some of my many musical instruments

Weithiau dw i’n meddwl bod fy nghasgliad o offeryn cerdd yn dipyn bach rhy fawr. Mae gen i pymtheg o offeryn – dau gitâr (gitâr clasurol a gitâr tannau dur), pum chwiban tun, dau chwiban isel, ffliwt, clarinét, recorder, harmonica a dau ocarina. Dw i’n gallu chwarae nhw i gyd mwy neu lai, heblaw y ffliwt, ond dw i’n canolbwyntio ar y gitâr a’r chwibanau ar hyn o bryd. Yn ffodus mae y mwyafrif ohonyn nhw yn eitha bach, felly does dim problem dod â lle iddyn nhw.

Gléasanna ceoil

Uaireanta tá mé ag smaoineamh go bhfuil mo bhailiúchán de gléasanna ceoil beagán ro mhór. Tá cúig gléasanna deag agam – dhá ghiotár (giotár clasaiceach agus giotár le téad chruach), cúig feadóige stáin, dhá fheadóg íseal, feadóg mhór, cláirnéid, fliúit Shasanach, orgán béil agus dhá ocarina. Is féidir liom an t-iomlán acu a sheinm a bheag nó a mhór, ach bím ag díriú ar an fheadóg stáin, an fheadóg íseal agus an giotár ar faoi láithir. Níl an chuid is mó de mo ghléasanna go ro mhór go hádhúil, mar sin de is féidir liom áiteanna a lorg dóibh.

Musical instruments

Sometimes I think that my collection of musical instruments is a bit too large. I currently have 15 instruments – two guitars (a classical one and a steel-string one), five tin whistles, two low whistles, a flute, a clarinet, a recorder, a harmonica and two ocarinas. I can more or less play all of them, with the exception of the flute, but I’m concentrating on the guitar and whistles at the moment. Fortunately most of them at fairly small, so finding places to keep them is not a problem.

Foreign songs

By Simon

Recently while looking for songs in various languages I came across the following sites:

Spanish Songs Translations – a blog featuring songs in Spanish from Spain and Latin America with English translations. There are also videos of the songs being sung.

Russian songs – a collection of traditional Russian, Cossack and Ukrainian songs with videos and background information.

I’ll try and learn some of these and add them to my collection of songs on Omniglot.

Do you know of any similar collections of songs in other languages?

Llygoden wedi ei boddi

By Simon

Nos Sadwrn canais mewn cyngerdd gyda’r côr meibion yn Woodingdean, tref fach ger Brighton. Cyrhaeddais yno mewn amser, ond yn anffodus, es i hollol ar goll ar y ffordd o’r stop bws i’r eglwys lle cafodd y cyngerdd ei gynnal. Ar ôl disgyn o’r bws, sylweddolais mod i’n yn y lle anghywir. Ro’n i’n nabod roedd yr eglwys ar ffordd o’r enw Ridgeway ond doedd dim ond syniad amwys ‘da fi lle roedd honna. Felly cerddais yn ôl i fyny’r bryn yn chwilio am y Ridgeway. Pan cyrhaeddais ar ben y bryn o’r diwedd heb ddod o hyd i’r Ridgeway neu’r eglwys, es i i fyny ac i lawr pob un o’r ffyrdd hyn cyn i mi ddod o hyd i rywun i ofyn cyfarwyddiadau amdano. Dywedodd ef wrthaf lle roedd y Ridgeway a meddyliais fyddwn i’n cyrraedd i’r eglwys cyn bo hir.

Felly ro’n i’n ar y ffordd gywir, o’r diwedd, ond ar ben anghywir hi. Felly cerddais i lawr y ffordd, a nid ffordd fyr roedd hi. Pan cyrhaeddais i’r ben arall heb weld yr eglwys, meddyliais wrtho fy hun mod i wedi blino, yn wlyb dros ben – roedd hi’n bwrw glaw trwm trwy’r amser – ac mae’r cyngerdd wedi dechrau yn barod, felly mae’n well ‘da fi mynd adref. Ond yna weles i’r eglwys, es i mewn, a llithrais i mewn sedd yng nghefn hyd at yr egwyl – roedd yr hanner cyntaf bron wedi gorffen hyd hynny. Dyma’r tro cyntaf mod i wedi clywed y côr fel aelod o’r cynulleidfa a swniodd yn wych.

Ces i canu yn ail hanner y cyngerdd o leiaf.

Cynghorodd ein arweinydd mod i’n gorfod cael lifft i gyngherddau yn y dyfodol rhag ofn i mi cyrraedd yn edrych fel ‘llygoden wedi ei boddi’. Cyngor da! Dod â’r map byddai yn syniad da hefyd.

Luchóg báite

Oíche Shatharn chan mé i gceolchoirm le cór Breatnach i Woodingdean, baile beag i aice le Brighton. Shroich mé ansin in am, ach ar an drochuair, chuaigh mé ar seachrán idir stad na mbus agus an eaglais cá raibh an cheolchoirm ar siúil. I ndiaidh an mbus a fhágáil, shíl mé go raibh mé san áit mícheart. Bhí fios agam go raibh an eaglais ar bóthar dar bh’ainm an Ridgeway, ach ní raibh mé cinnte cá raibh an bóthar sin. Mar sin de shiúl mé air ais suas an cnoc agus mé ag lorg an Ridgeway. Nuair a shroich mé ar bharr cnoic gan tar ar an Ridgeway nó an eaglais, chuaigh mé suas agus síos gach bóthar ansin roimh tháinig mé ar duine agus chuir mé faisnéis an bhealaigh air. Dúirt sé liom cá raibh an Rideway agus shíl go shroichfinn mé ann gan mhoill.

Raibh mé ar an bóthar ceart ar deireadh, ach ag barr an cnoic in áit bun an cnoic, cá raibh an eaglais. Mar sin de shiúl mé síos an bóthar, agus ní raibh sé bóthar gearr. Nuair a tháinig mé ag bun an cnoic gan an eaglais a fheiceáil, dúirt mé liom féin go raibh mé tuirseach agus fliuch go craiceann – bhí sé ag cur báisteach an t-am ar fad – agus go mbeidh an cheolchoirm ag tosú cheana, agus rachaidh mé abhaile anois. Agus ansin, chonaic mé an eaglais, chuaigh mé isteach agus shuigh mé síos ag cúl na lucht féachana – bhí an chéad leath thart faoin am sin. Sin é a chéad uair atá mé an cór a chluinstin mar ball na lucht féachana agus bhí sé go hiontach.

Ar a laghad chan mé sa dara leath.

Dúirt ár stiúrthóir liom gur cheart dom síob a fháil agus mé ag dúl chúig cheolchoirmeacha as seo amach, nó tiocfaidh mé ann ag féachaint mar luchóg báite. Comhairle mhaith! Mapa a thógáil bhiodh smaoineamh maith freisin.

Drowned rat

On Saturday evening I sang in a concert with the Welsh choir in Woodingdean, a small town near Brighton. I arrived there on time, but unfortunately got completely lost between the bus stop and the church where the concert was taking place. After getting of the bus I realised that I was in the wrong place. I knew that the church was on a road called the Ridgeway but only had a vague idea where that was. So I marched back up the hill looking for the Ridgeway. When I finally arrived at the top of the hill without finding the Ridgeway or the church, I went up and down all the roads there before finding someone to ask for directions. He told me where was the Ridgeway and I thought that I’d soon be arriving at the church.

I was on the right road at last, but at the wrong end of it. So I off I went down the road, and it wasn’t a short road either. When I finally arrived at the other end without seeing the church, I thought to myself I’m tired, soaked – it was raining heavily all this time – and the concert will have already started, so I might as well go home. But then I saw the church, went in and slipped into a seat at the back until the interval – the first half was almost over by then. This was the first time I’d heard the choir as part of the audience and it sounded great.

At least I got to sing in the second half of the concert.

Our conductor advised me to get a lift to future concerts so that I don’t turn up looking like a drowned rat. Good advice! Taking a map would also be a good idea.

Sesiynau cerddoriaeth

By Simon

Yn ddiwethar dechreuais mynd i sesiwn cerddoriaeth mewn tafarn yn Rottingdean, pentref ger Brighton, pob nos Sul. Rhwng deg o gerddorwyr sy’n chwarae yn y sesiwn ‘ma ac maen nhw’n i gyd yn dalentog iawn. Mae’r mwyafrif ohonynt yn chwarae dau neu fwy offeryn cerddoriaeth yn dda, ac mae rhan ohonynt yn canu hefyd. Dan ni’n chwarae alawon o Iwerddon yn bennaf, a dw i’n nabod cryn dipyn onhonynt, ond llawer mwy o ymarfer sy’n angen cyn i mi gallu chwarae’r alawon yn gyflym ac yn dda heb gamgymeriadau. Dim ond chwarae’r darnau mod i’n gallu chwarae ydw i.

Dw i’n ceisio dysgu mwy o alawon wrth fy nghlustiau heb wrando ar y gerddoriaeth. Sgil defnyddiol iawn yw ‘ny, a gobeithio bydda i’n gallu dysgu bron unrhyw alawon ar ôl wrando arno tipyn o weithiau. Ar hyn o bryd dw i’n gorddibynnu ar gerddoriaeth ysgrifenedig. Dw i’n gallu dysgu caneon fel ‘ny yn barod, ond mae alawon symlach ‘da nhw.

Seisiúin Ceoil

Le déanaí thosaigh mé páirt a ghlachadh i seisiún ceoil i dteach tabharine i Rottingdean, sráidbhaile in aice le Brighton gach oíche Dhomhnaigh. Bíonn thart ar deich daoine ag sheinm sa seisúin seo agus is ceoltoirí ildánach iad – bíonn an chuid is mó acu ag sheinm dhá uirlis ceoil nó níos mó, agus bíonn chuid acu ag canadh freisin. Bíonn muid ag seinm poirt as Éirinn go príomha, agus tá aithne agam ar go leor acu, ach tá orm i bhfad níos mó cleachtadh riomh gur féidir liom iad a sheinm go mhaith, go tapaigh agus gan botúin. Níl ach seinm na páirt gur féidir liom atá mé.

Bhainím triail as páirt a fhoghlaim gan feachaint ar an ceol. Is scil an úsáideach sin agus tá súil agam go mbeidh mé in ann páirt a fhoghlaim i ndiaidh iad a chloisteáil cúpla uair. Ar faoi láithair bhainím an iomarca úsáid as ceol scríofa agus mé páirt a fhoghlaim. Is féidir liom amhrain a fhoghlaim trí mó cluais, ach bíonn fonn níos simplí acu.

Music sessions

Recently I’ve started going to an Irish music session at a pub in Rottingdean, a village not far from Brighton every Sunday evening. About ten or so people go to this session and they are all very talented musicians. Most of them play two or more instruments and some of them sing as well. We play mostly tunes from Ireland and I know quite a few of them, though a lot more practice is needed before I can play quickly and well without mistakes. I just play the bits I can.

I’m trying to learn more tunes by ear without looking at the music, a very useful skill which will hopefully develop over time until I can pick up more or less any new tune after hearing it only a couple of times – I tend to rely too much on written music at the moment. I can already do this for songs, though they tend to have simpler melodies.