March 2024 Newsletter

Dear Center for Irish Music supporters,

Happy March!

As we gear up for Saint Paddy's Day celebrations and performances, I want to pause for a moment to thank everyone who supported the Center for Irish Music at Éigse CIM, A Gaela Event on Saturday, February 24th. Individual sponsors, corporate sponsors, attendees, musicians, students and volunteers - hundreds of people pulled together to raise over $60,000 for CIM's mission of handing down the tradition.

We surpassed our fundraising goals thanks to your generosity and involvement! We are so grateful and appreciative of YOU.

I look forward to seeing you at many of our upcoming student performances, or at some of the incredible gigs coming up this month. We have tried to list them all below, including Lunasa with JigJam and Daorit Farrell tonight!

I encourage all of you to take your instrument out and play a tune at your schools, churches and community gatherings this month! Let's share this beautiful music that we love with the people we know.

Norah Rendell

Executive Artistic Director

Center for Irish Music

ps. The Parkway is offering the CJAC audience a 50% discount on ticket sales for Dervish's concert on Friday, March 8th using the code HALF

THANK YOU FOR A SUCCESSFUL ÉIGSE CIM!

Thanks to your generosity, Éigse CIM, a Gaela Event was a massive success! We want to extend our deepest thanks to:

Our incredible donors and sponsors (listed below), whose support helped us surpass our fundraising goals
The outstanding volunteers whose hard work made this event possible
The CIM students, instructors, and emcee Máirtín de Cógáin, whose performances kept us entertained all evening long
Caterer Fig&Bleu for providing the delicious charcuterie table

Photos from the evening are available on our Facebook page. Click here to view them, and be sure to tag yourself and your friends!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Alexander Aavang • James Fahy • Mike Lynch

Thomas Dillon Redshaw • David & Suzanne Rhees • Tim & Kim Scanlan

Dennis Stanton & Denise Lien • Jo Ann Vano

IAM ST. PATRICK'S DAY & DAY OF IRISH DANCE

MARCH 16-17 AT THE LANDMARK CENTER

Join Center for Irish Music at the Landmark Center for Irish Arts Minnesota's St. Patrick's Day Celebration (March 16th) and Day of Irish Dance (March 17th). Click the buttons below to view the schedule of CIM student and instructor performances happening throughout the weekend!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY SCHEDULE (MARCH 16)

DAY OF IRISH DANCE SCHEDULE (MARCH 17)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We're seeking volunteers to staff the Center for Irish Music and Celtic Junction Arts Center booths March 16-17th at the Landmark Center. It's a great way to support your favorite Irish organizations while getting to know others in the community - no experience needed!

Click the button below to view the available shifts and sign up.

YOUTH GROUP CLASSES

Celtic Cuties: Fri. & Sat (April-May)

Singing Sweeties: Spring (April-May)

ADULT GROUP CLASSES

Music of O'Carolan for All Instruments

Session Playing

Songs of Frank Harte

Listening to the Greats

CENTER FOR IRISH MUSIC SUMMER CAMPS

Summer is a great time to explore a new extra-curricular activity! The Center for Irish Music has several summer offerings for children going into grades 1-6. These camps are open to all, whether you play an Irish or non-Irish instrument (or no instrument at all)!

Check out the Youth Summer Camps page on our registration website for details and contact [email protected] with questions regarding programming or placement.

Sibling Discount: Additional siblings can register for 5% off through March 17.

Early Bird Discount: Register by March 17 to get $35 off your tuition.

IRISH MUSIC & ARTS CAMP

Full-day Summer Camp

July 15-19

Monday-Friday

9:00 am-3:00 pm

FULL - join the waitlist!

IRISH MUSIC & ARTS CAMP

Half-Day Summer Camp

July 22-26

Monday-Friday

9:30 am-12:30 pm

INTRODUCTION TO IRISH HARP

Half-Day Summer Camp

July 29-August 1

Monday-Thursday

9:30 am-12:30 pm

SAVE THE DATE FOR

MINNESOTA IRISH MUSIC WEEKEND

Join us for the 16th annual Minnesota Irish Music Weekend, presented by the Center for Irish Music! This unique festival pairs world-class traditional Irish musicians and teachers with learners of all ages for a weekend of workshops, lectures, sessions and concerts.

Each of our visiting artists is recognized for their musical mastery, and will offer insights and techniques to help learners tap into the deep roots of traditional Irish music.

Bookmark www.centerforirishmusic.org/mim and watch your inbox for updates!

KICKIN' IT IRISH WITH O'SHEA IRISH DANCE

Celebrate Saint Paddy’s Day in true Irish style with Kickin’ It Irish, a modern fusion of show-style Irish dance and live Irish music featuring Cormac O’Sé and the O’Shea Irish dancers. The lineup consists of 22 world-class dancers and an international six-piece band, which includes CIM instructors Todd Menton and Mary Vanorny.

March 2, 3, 10, 15 & 17 at the Celtic Junction Arts Center

March 9 at the St. Paul Hotel

March 11 at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre

March 16 at Chatfield Center for the Arts

For more information, visit www.celticjunction.org.

SEEKING PR & MEDIA RELATIONS BOARD MEMBER

The Center for Irish Music is seeking a new board member with experience in PR or Media Relations to help extend our reach in the community. If you or someone you know might be interested, contact Norah Rendell.

UPCOMING CIM & COMMUNITY EVENTS

Parentheses indicate CIM instructors, students or staff members performing with a group

FRIDAY MARCH 1 | 7:00 PM

Lunasa with Daori Farrell & JigJam (Gavin Strappe)

Pantages Theatre

SATURDAY MARCH 2 | 1:45 PM

McNordiques (Tom Klein)

American Swedish Institute’s Midwinter Folk Festival

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 | 7:00 PM

Rince na Chroi From the Stage to Your Heart with Two Tap Trio Dance Band (Brian Miller, Norah Rendell, Danny Diamond, Eric Carlson)

O'Shaughnessy

TUESDAY, MARCH 12 | 10:00 AM

Toddler Tuesdays Live: Luck of the Little Ones with Norah Rendell, Brian Miller, and the Rince na Chroi Irish Dancers

Mall of America Huntington Bank Rotunda

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

IAM St. Patrick's Day Celebration

(Click here for a list of CIM performances)

Landmark Center

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 | 7:00 PM

Twin Cities Ceili Band

St. Patrick's Day Ceili

Olivet Congregational Church Hall

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 | 8:00 PM

Áit Ait (Aja McCullough & Patrick Maun) with Superior Siren & Anothernight

Hook & Ladder Mission Room

SUNDAY MARCH 17 | 9:30 AM

Tom Klein at St. Patrick’s Day Service

Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church

SUNDAY, MARCH 17 | 11:00 AM-5:00 PM

IAM Day of Irish Dance

(Click here for a list of CIM performances)

Landmark Center

SUNDAY MARCH 17 | 3:00 PM

The Burning Wisdom of Finn McCool, narrated by Kevin Kling with Tom Klein on uilleann pipes, part of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra Celtic Dreams Family Concert

Augustana Lutheran Church

SUNDAY March 17 | 7:00 PM

The McNordiques (Tom Klein)

Waldmann Brewery, St. Paul

SUNDAY, MARCH 17 | 8:00-9:00 PM

Áit Ait (Aja McCullough & Patrick Maun)

White Squirrel Bar

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 | 6:00-9:00 PM

Ceili Dance with the Twin Cities Ceili Band, 6pm music, 7-9pm Ceili

Dubliner Pub

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 | 7:00 PM

Boiled in Lead (Todd Menton) with Áit Ait (Aja McCullough & Patrick Maun) and Brian Boru Pipe Band (John McCormick, Ryan Behnke)

Parkway Theater

SUNDAY MARCH 24 | 3:00 PM

Catharus vocal ensemble with Tom Klein

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul

TUESDAY MARCH 26 | 7:00 PM

Altan (Dáithí Sproule)

The Dakota

THURSDAY MARCH 28 | 7:00 PM

The BreTones (Tom Klein)

Alliance Francaise MN

This is not an exhaustive listing of all events in the Twin Cities Irish community. For more listings, visit the IAM Event Calendar and the Celtic Junction Arts Center (CJAC). CJAC concerts are free for ages 18 and under.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING 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 joining us as a volunteer or making a gift to the CIM today!