Karen Fetsk, New york, Christine Hedden, Connecticut, Erika Damiania, Rode Island NY & Ruadh Duggan, Cork pictured at the 15th annual Blas Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance, UL.
Blas Summer School Launched
Wednesday, 22nd June 2011
The Blas Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance was launched by the Grammy Award-nominated sean-nós singer and Afro Celt front-man Iarla Ó Lionáird. The Blas Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance runs the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick from June 20th - July 1st 2011. Now firmly established as one of Ireland’s most prestigious Summer Schools, Blas is the only University-based Irish traditional music summer-school worldwide and continues to attract students from around the globe to spend two weeks gaining one-to-one access to the expertise of a who’s who of Ireland’s traditional musicians, singers and dancers; including Martin Hayes, Paul Brady, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Dónal Lunny, fiddlers John Carty and Siobhan Peoples; singers Karan Casey and Séamus Begley, dancers Breandán de Gallaí, Michael Ryan and many more.
The calibre of the tutors has this year attracted students from as far afield as Mexico, Canada, Japan, Norway, Denmark, the US as well as from all around Ireland. Blas is aimed at musicians, singers and dancers who are already familiar with the Irish traditions and who wish to extend their technique, repertoire and knowledge. It also attracts many performers from other genres who find it beneficial to study at the summer school as a form of induction to the Irish traditions. Tuition takes place in the new Irish World Academy building, with its state-of-the art performance, rehearsal and recording facilities.