manx celtic music and dance

Free Celtic music & song workshops

16 Oct 2024


Two leading lights from the Scottish trad music scene are coming to the Isle of Man in November to perform and share their skills and experience through a concert, workshops and educational outreach.

Award winning Scottish Singer, BBC TV & Radio Presenter, Stepdancer and Educator Joy Dunlop and guitarist and fiddle player Ron Jappy are the special guests at this year’s Cooish Manx Language Festival which will be held from 6-10 November.

On Saturday 9 November, the duo will lead several workshops, all free of charge and organised by Culture Vannin.

Joy will teach Scottish Gaelic song and language for beginners, alongside Culture Vannin’s own Yn Greinneyder Manx Language Officer and singer, Ruth Keggin Gell, who will present a range of Manx language and easy song workshops. These workshops will be held in Peel Methodist Church and the Guild Room on Atholl Street in Peel. More information is here: Cooish 2024.

Meanwhile, Ron Jappy, who has played with harpist Rachel Hair, Jamie Smith’s Mabon, Manran and the Scott Wood Band, will lead two instrumental workshops for adults musicians – Scottish tunes and guitar accompaniment skills. These workshops will take place in Thie dy Vea on Tynwald Road in Peel at 10.30am and 12pm on Saturday 9 November and participants are required to sign up in advance:

Scottish traditional tunes for adult instrumentalists
10.30am - 11.45am (duration: 1 hour 15 minutes)
Aimed at musicians who are fairly proficient on their instrument, come and learn a Scottish tune or two from multi-instrumentalist Ron Jappy. Ron will teach by ear, but musical notation can be available if you would prefer to see the dots! Let us know your preference.
Free - Limited places so please sign up in advance: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N3PVWSB

Trad guitar accompaniment skills with Ron Jappy
12pm - 1.15pm (duration: 1 hour 15 minutes)
Ron is one of Scotland’s prominent go to guitarists for traditional and folk music. Learn some top tips for accompanying traditional music and song on the guitar. Aimed at proficient guitarists. Aimed at adult players but guitarists 14-18 are welcome to attend with adult supervision.
Free - Limited places so please sign up in advance: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N3PVWSB

Dr Chloë Woolley, Manx Music Development Officer for Culture Vannin, is coordinating the instrumental workshops:

“These sessions with Ron Jappy will be really useful for musicians who wish to add a few Scottish tunes to their repertoire and learn some tips of the trade. The guitar skills one will really benefit those who are proficient on the instrument but would like to get more involved in accompanying melody players and strumming along in trad music sessions. It will be a great opportunity to tap into Ron’s expertise and get some top tips!”

During their visit to the Island, Ron will also be working with Culture Vannin’s youth music groups, Scran and Bree, and Joy will be joining forces with Gaelic choir Un Choraa to explore our Manx/Scottish connections.

As well as school outreach supported by Soundcheck Charity, and working with the Manx language community during Cooish, Joy and Ron will star in a concert organised by Yn Chruinnaght in the Centenary Centre, Peel on Friday 8 November. The duo will be supported by Manx Gaelic choir, Un Choraa.

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