Irish SessionIn his "Field Guide to the Irish Music Session," Barry Foy defines a session as:
...a gathering of Irish traditional musicians for the purpose of celebrating their common interest in the music by playing it together in a relaxed, informal setting, while in the process generally beefing up the mystical cultural mantra that hums along uninterruptedly beneath all manifestations of Irishness worldwide. The sessions are a key aspect of traditional music; some say it is the main sphere in which the music is formulated and innovated. Further, the sessions enable less advanced musicians to practice in a group. Socially, sessions have often been compared to an evening of playing card games, where the conversation and cameraderie are an essential component. In many rural communities in Ireland, sessions are an integral part of community life. Playing in a good session can be fun, invaluable playing experience, and a great chance to improve your music--all at the same time. Good sessions can produce some of the best Irish music in the world, and they can do so for hours on end--under the right circumstances. In reality, Irish sessions are much more like other casual social gatherings than they are like open forums. Often, sessions are groups of friends getting together for a few tunes. People who come in off the street are always welcomed, but they may be met with a certain amount of circumspection until they demonstrate their ability to "play well with others". Join us every Monday night for Fado Irish Pub's own Irish session. Our event begins at 7:30pm. Come down for dinner or cocktails and enjoy some of the best Irish music our session has to offer. See you there.
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