Gaelic Club Sydney music dance language and events

Sydney School of Irish Music

Tuesday and Wednesday nights
Irish music lessons fron 6.00pm

beginners & advanced, adults & children

Teachers in fiddle, flute, whistle, tenor banjo,
guitar, and concertina

Ruairi McGorman - fiddle, bouzouki
and DADGAD guitar

Ruairi McGorman will be teaching and playing Irish music at the Gaelic Club for several months.

Ruairi is known as one of Ireland's finest young traditional musicians, on fiddle, bouzouki and DADGAD guitar. Aged only 22, he is from County Meath, born into a famous musical family. Both of his parents are highly regarded musicians, his mother being the great flute player Catherine McEvoy, originally from Roscommon (Ruairi produced and designed the cover of Catherine's recent CD).

On fiddle, Ruairi has developed his own distinctive and stron style of playing. As a bouzouki player, Ruairi is a keen proponent of the style of Alec Finn from De Danann. He has been very active in Meath as a player and teacher of music, and also organises concerts.

Ruairi has taught fiddle at the prestigious Pipers Club in Dublin, tutored a number of Ceilí bands, and has won many titles at the "All Ireland Fleadh" competitions. He has played with De Danann and their fiddle player Frankie Gavin, and also with the likes of Sharon Shannon and Shane McGowan. Ruairi has nearly finished a journalism degree in Dublin, and has taken some time off to travel to Australia.

Ben Stephenson - Flute

After humble beginnings bashing away at an old bodhrán he found in his Mum’s garage, Ben has risen to become one of Australia’s most sought-after Irish musicians. He is much in demand as a recording artist and has been a featured soloist on various film & television projects. In 2000 he won the Declan Affley memorial award for excellence in a young performer at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, which paid for his much-cherished Grinter flute.

Ben has also spent time living in Ireland, where he was particularly influenced by the playing of such flute legends as John Kelly & Kevin Ryan. An extraordinarily versatile musician, Ben is apparently constrained only by the lack of extra arms and hands – in addition to the above he is also a fine guitarist and bouzouki player.

Aoife Kelly - Anglo concertina

Aoife Kelly will also be teaching and playing the Anglo concertina for several months in the Gaelic Club.

Aoife, a concertina from Dublin has been playing traditional Irishmusic since the age of 4. From an early age, she has been surroundedby some of the finest traditional Irish musicians due to her musical heritage. John, her father is a well-respected fiddle player from Dublin, as is uncle James. It was her grandfather John Senior, the renowned fiddle and concertina player from West Clare that started Aoife playing the concertina at the age of 10 when he left her two of his concertina's in his will.

Aged 28, Aoife has been teaching the concertina for 10 years. From the age of 12, she was also an active member of Clontarf Comhaltas, traveling the world playing music at various festivals, competing and participating in All Ireland Fleadh wining Ceilí Bands and Grupaí Ceoil (music groups).

They will be teaching and playing music at the Gaelic Club for the newly formed Sydney School of Irish Music. This music school is connected to the current renaissance of the Gaelic Club as a centre for Irish music and culture in Sydney. For more informaiton about music and lessons at the Club, phone 0413 941 459.
info@gaelicclub.com.au

Elaine Clarke – flute & tin whistle

Elaine Clarke, a flute and tin whistle player from Co. Kildare, has been playing traditional Irish music from the age of 7. She was introduced to the traditional flute and keenly encouraged to play by her late uncle Eamon (Eddie) Clarke, a well respected musician, who had a great love and knowledge of the music.

Elaine has been an active member of the Leixlip branch of Comhaltas where she participated in both Ceilí Bands and Grupai Cheoil for many years. She enjoyed great success, most notably competing at the Senior All-Ireland Ceilí Band Competition in Tullamore, Co. Offaly in 2008, where she played with the Beartla Ó Flatharta Ceilí Band. She attributes her enthusiasm for Irish music to the friendships and connections she has maintained from her early years in the Irish music scene until today. As a student of flute player Catherine Mc Evoy she was encourage and developed her style over many years.

Elaine has been teaching the flute and tin whistle throughout Kildare to people of all ages from many years. She has recently graduated as a secondary school music teacher in Limerick and has taken some time off to travel.

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School of Irish Music