Upcoming performances!

We’ve got two official GNIPC performances this month, about which we’re especially excited.

First, we’re providing 90 minutes’ worth of music for the Lift Bridge Brewery’s “Irish Coffee Stout Release Event” at Lift Bridge Brewery in Stillwater, MN, on Saturday 7 March from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Details available at Facebook (must be logged in to view) or at Eventbrite.

Second, we’re making our annual appearance at the Irish Music and Dance Association’s “Day of Irish Dance” at the Landmark Center in St. Paul in the Tea Room at 3:40 pm on Sunday 15 March.

We hope you’ll join us — bask in the piping-ensemble vibrations, and support your favorite local uilleann pipers!

Next Pipers’ Session: 12/28/2014 @ 2:00 pm

The next GNIPC Pipers’ Session will take place on Sunday 28 December at The Celtic Junction (836 Prior Ave., St. Paul). The Beginners’/Newcomers’ segment begins at 2:00 pm, and the Maximum Tune Density portion commences at 3:00 pm, the whole deal concluding at 4:00 pm (or whenever — I left at 4 last time, and people just kept playing!).

All current, lapsed, and prospective members and fellow-travelers, and the morbidly curious, are welcome. Hope to see you on the 28th.

In the mean time, Happy Holidays!

Set List from Nov. 16

November brought another great Pipers’ Session! Nine of us attended, and played the following:

1. Eileen Aroon*
2. Dawning of the Day*
3. Slip Jigs: Drops of Brandy / Leitrim Quickstep*
4. Jim Ward’s Jig / Merrily Kiss the Quaker*
5. Lesson: Merrily Kiss the Quaker (thanks, Adam!)*
6. March of the Kings of Laois
7. Hag With the Money
8. Reel: Teampall an Ghleanntáin
9. Reels: The Green Mountain / The Sligo Maid / Rolling in the Ryegrass
10. Jig: The Yellow Wattle
11. Reels: The West Wind / Sean Reid’s Fancy
12. Reels: Milliner’s Daughter / Garret Barry’s Reel / Corney is Coming / Dunmore Lasses
13. Reels: The Earl’s Chair / Miss MacLeod’s
14. Slip Jigs: Kid on the Mountain / An Phis Fliuch / White Cannavans
15. Jigs: Humors of Ballyloughlin / Out on the Ocean / Julia Clifford’s
16. Jigs: Blarney Pilgrim / Jim Ward’s (reprise)

*Beginner’s session

Latest Pipers’ Session Setlist

We had a great turnout at yesterday’s Pipers’ Session, and shared some terrific tunes. Here’s the setlist:

Hour 1: Beginner/Newcomer Session

• March: Eagle’s Whistle
• Tune lesson: March of the Kings of Laois
• Jim Ward’s Jig
• Jig: Humors of Ballyloughlin (not a beginners’ tune — Mick got carried away)
• March: Dawning of the Day

Hour 2: Maximum Tunes Session

• Jigs: Rolling Wave / Garret Barry’s / Out on the Ocean / Julia Clifford’s (The Cordal)
• Jig: The Hag With the Money (Tommy Reck version)
• Jigs: Sliabh Russell / Blarney Pilgrim / Kesh Jig
• Reels: Jenny’s Wedding / Bank of Ireland
• Reels: Silver Spear / ? / Rolling in the Ryegrass
• Reels: Earl’s Chair / Dublin Reel / Donegal Reel
• Peter Byrne’s Jig
• Hornpipes: Tuamgraney Castle / Cronin’s
• Hornpipes: The Fairy’s Hornpipe / The Cuckoo’s Hornpipe
• Reels: Fermoy Lasses / Heathery Breeze

Hope you can join us next time: Sunday 16 November at The Celtic Junction

Tionól Hotel Announced

The official hotel for the GNIPC 2014 Tionól is the Days Inn University Ave. SE, at 2407 University Ave. SE in Minneapolis (612-623-3999). Mick Bauer has reserved a total of four rooms there for Friday 9/26 through Sunday 9/28 (two nights total). If you wish to add a night onto either end of the reservation, this shouldn’t be a problem. The rate they’ve tentatively quoted us is $164/night; I’m hoping to negotiate that down.

As of today, three of these rooms are still available!

If you’d like one of them, please email Mick as soon as possible (mick att wiremonkeys dott org), saying how many people you’ll be traveling with. You’ll have to pay for the room; when you check in, the reservation will be transferred to you.

And if you live in the Twin Cities and plan on attending the Tionól, please register soon at http://www.gnipc.org/tionol-main/tionol-2014/ — the sooner we know who’s coming, the sooner we’ll know how many private lessons everyone can have!

Hope to see you at the Tionól!