Dear Center for Irish Music supporters,

The Minnesota Irish Music Weekend at Home was a great success! We were honored to have the opportunity to present one of the first virtual Irish music teaching festivals in the country.

From June 11th to 14th, 200 learners ages 9-75 logged into learn from this year's master artists Matt Cranitch, Conal Ó Gráda, Benny McCarthy, Pauline Conneely, Danny Diamond, and Brian Ó hAirt, with additional workshops by Brian Miller, Amy Pennington, Hannah Flowers, and Dáithí Sproule. 13 Trad Immersion Campers, taught by Mary Vanorny and Danielle Enblom, enjoyed a surprise visit from Matt Cranitch and learned a few polkas.

Virtual concerts and the Great Session Experience sessions drew thousands of viewers from around the world! Since going online, CIM has reached Irish music enthusiasts in 26 states and 4 countries.

Thanks to Jo Ann Vano, the MIM event planning chair, and to a team of volunteer workshop hosts who worked together to make the event happen. These wonderful volunteers included Mary Vanorny (Great Session Experience coordinator), Dáithí Sproule, Iain Dove-Lempke, Alisa Mee, Mattie Ernst, Brian Miller, Hannah Flowers, Adrienne O'Shea, and Emily Flagstad.

Thanks to CIM staff Aja, Hannah, and Erika for working so hard to create the event and respond to the incredible surge of interest in MIM @ Home 2020.

Here's what some of our participants told us:

"Honestly, I am amazed at how much I enjoyed this! The teachers were incredibly well-prepared, and the tech and organization were top-notch. I can't imagine a better virtual experience!" - 2020 MIM @ Home student

"THIS WAS SOOOOOOO GOOD!" - 2020 MIM @ Home student

I hope you will join us for one of our summer classes, or for our virtual open house on August 23rd. Happy 4th!

Norah Rendell
Executive Artistic Director

Note: the CIM office is closed Friday, July 3rd, and no classes or lessons are scheduled on that date.

*CIM students: The " students " webpage is updated on a weekly basis. We request that current students bookmark this page and check in regularly to find out about upcoming dates, deadlines, events and student-related announcements. Thank you!
LATE START SUMMER CLASSES
Summer Term is in full swing, but there's still time to register for these late-start group classes!

Email Hannah Carr-Murphy with questions about classes, or to enroll in private lessons on any of the 16 instruments we teach. Don't have an instrument? Contact us to see if we have one available for rent.

Instructor: Brian Miller
Thursdays from 8-9pm, starting 7/16

Many people know of Chief O'Neill's incredible printed collections of Irish music collected in Chicago over 100 years ago but there is more to these books than the notes on the page. O'Neill's own memoirs and wax cylinder recordings reveal the incredible personalities, biographies and playing styles of the fiddlers, pipers, flute players, singers and others who contributed tunes and song melodies to his collection. We'll learn about new musicians each week and pick up some tunes along the way.
Instructor: Alisa Mee
Fridays from 9:30-10:15am, starting 7/10

This summer, join Alisa and other families online via Zoom to learn a brand new collection of Celtic Cuties rhymes, finger plays, and songs at home! This class is a great way to introduce your little ones to Irish music and movement. The virtual classroom will be open for 10-15 minutes before class so you can meet new friends and catch up with Alisa. Click here to register online .
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE - AUGUST 23
We invite you to join us on August 23rd for a virtual Center for Irish Music Open House!

Enjoy demos of our upcoming group classes, get your questions answered by CIM instructors and staff, and register for Fall Term.

More information to come, so watch your inbox for updates.
THANK YOU FOR A MEMORABLE MIM @ HOME
Thank you to our donors, sponsors, volunteers, teaching artists, and participants for making the first ever MIM @ Home an event to remember. We're thrilled that so many of you joined us from across the United States and Ireland.

Mark your calendars for the next Minnesota Irish Music Weekend, June 10-13, 2021!
SEÁN GAVIN RELOCATES TO DETROIT
After three years in St. Paul, with his partner Kelsey who was studying law at the University of Minnesota, Seán Gavin has moved back to his home town of Detroit.

Seán continues to teach at the CIM, and in fact, it's not too late to sign up for Seán's Iconic Recordings of Traditional Musicians, an online class on Fridays at 3:00pm. Seán teaches flute, whistle, and uilleann pipes as well.

Seán, we will miss having you at our sessions, and regret that we couldn't host a massive going away party for you! One of the silver linings of the current situation is that we have learned how to stay connected online. We look forward to seeing you again, and hearing you play in person.
FAREWELL TO KEEGAN'S IRISH PUB
We're saddened by the news that Keegan's Irish pub is now closed.

As the host of Sunday trad sessions for many years, Keegan's was a second home to much of the Irish music community, and will be sorely missed.

To owner Marty Neumann and everyone else who made Keegan's such a special place for Twin Cities musicians, thank you. We wish you all the best of luck in your next endeavors!
HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE
It's hard to believe that it is already week 4 of our 10-week summer term, and we have been teaching Irish music lessons online for 16 weeks already!

We are so extremely grateful for the technology that brings us together during this time of isolation, uncertainty and heartbreak around the world.

While it is difficult to be apart, the CIM staff and board want to reiterate the importance of continuing to meet online. The health of our students and instructors is of utmost importance. As such, we request that students and instructors continue to meet online for the remainder of the summer term. This has been our plan, but as different organizations in the Twin Cities re-open, we wanted to confirm that it is still the plan.

CIM instructors, board, and staff are working on potential scenarios for the fall, looking into new and existing research around various musical instruments, singing, and the spread of covid. We are also taking note of guidelines coming from the state of Minnesota and the City of St. Paul. 

Thank you for understanding, and for being a part of the CIM family. We miss you all greatly!
VIRTUAL SESSIONS ALL OVER TOWN
If you've been itching to play music with others, some groups are finding ways to gather online via Zoom, including the Keegan's Learners' Session and the Traditional Singers Club Song Session.

The Keegan's Learners Session (KLS) has transitioned to the Virtually Unstoppable KLS. Their weekly session is happening online every Sunday from 4:00pm-6:00pm. If you'd like to sign up, contact us directly and we'll send you the info.

The Traditional Singer's Club has decided to meet on a weekly basis during the COVID-19 crisis on Sunday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. To find out more, join their mailing list by sending an email to Shawn McBurnie at shawn@rumgumption.com.
ONLINE FESTIVALS & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
If you enjoyed MIM @ Home, you may want to check out these upcoming music festivals that have moved online. This is the perfect chance to sample workshops from across the United States and Ireland!

JULY 4-12

STARTING JULY 12

JULY 19-24

AUGUST 3-7

AUGUST 8-11
Support the CIM
The Center for Irish Music is a 501c3 nonprofit, and we depend on your support to continue passing down the tradition of Irish music and song. Please consider making a gift to the CIM today!
Located inside the Celtic Junction, across from Blackstack Brewery & Can Can Wonderland
This activity is made
possible by the voters of
Minnesota through
a Minnesota State Arts
Board Operating Support
grant, thanks to a
legislative appropriation
from the arts and
cultural heritage fund.