January 2025 Newsletter

Dear CIM friends,

Happy New Year! I hope you have had time to relax, reconnect with loved ones, and learn a few new tunes over the holiday break. I enjoyed some time reflecting on the past year, and believe that 2025 will be a great year for music.

I see so many signs of hope for music and community in the year ahead. Here are a few sources of inspiration to keep you listening and playing all year long.

The Shamrock Shore - Brian Miller’s new Irish Music radio show on Saturdays (noon-1pm), a co-production of Jazz88 FM and Celtic Junction Arts Center
Ceol na gCoillte - a TG4 documentary hosted by Dáithí Sproule about the Irish song tradition in Canada. Be sure to turn on the closed captions in English as it is in Irish.
Gigs at the Celtic Junction Arts Center - check out all of the amazing gigs coming up on their events page
Many Paths to Handing Down a Tradition - enjoy four stories collected from CIM students and instructors (scroll down to the Community Interviews heading.)

As for CIM’s upcoming events, get your tickets now for Éigse CIM, A Gaela Event on February 22nd and sign up for pipes/whistle workshops, a lecture, and a concert with uilleann piper Nicolas Brown on the weekend of January 25-26th.

Also, save the date for the 17th Annual Minnesota Irish Music Weekend on June 5-8th. We will be announcing the line-up very soon!

I hope you’ll drop by the Metronome Brewery on January 12th for our Youth Session, hosted by Mary Vanorny, Brian Miller and myself. Bring a deck of cards, a few friends or family members, and have a chat while listening to some outstanding music.

I look forward to seeing you in 2025!

Norah Rendell

Executive Artistic Director

Center for Irish Music

P.S. we updated the Irish Sessions page on our website. Check it out!

Registration is now open for Spring classes and private lessons! Visit centerforirishmusic.org/register to sign up today.

NICOLAS BROWN WORKSHOPS & CONCERT

The Center for Irish Music is excited to host two workshops, a lecture, and an uilleann pipes concert with Nicolas Brown on January 25-26! All events will take place in the Scanlan Music Hall.

CONCERT

Saturday, January 25th, 5-6pm

Tickets: Adults $20 | 18 & under FREE

Details and tickets

CONCERT TICKETS

WORKSHOPS & LECTURE

Sunday, January 26

Workshop: Tin Whistle

Beginner-Early Intermediate

11am-12:15pm | $30

Details & Registration

Workshop: Uilleann Pipes

Intermediate-Advanced

12:30pm-1:45pm | $30

Details & Registration

Lecture: Oscar & Malvina

2:30-3:30pm in the Scanlan Music Hall

Free Will Donation

Details & Registration

WORKSHOP & LECTURE SIGN UP

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

PRICES INCREASE AFTER, JANUARY 15TH

Éigse [eg-shuh] is an Irish word used for festivals celebrating traditional Irish arts and culture. It is in this spirit that we gather to raise funds for The Center for Irish Music, Minnesota's only traditional Irish music school, dedicated to handing down the tradition.

This year’s Gaela event will include a cocktail reception, a stellar traditional Irish music concert by Center for Irish Music instructors, a small silent auction, and a live fund-a-need auction.

Visit www.centerforirishmusic.org/gaela for details and to purchase tickets!

TICKETS

$100 ($125 after January 15) — Mix, mingle, and enjoy a selection of hors d’oeuvres, desserts and drinks, followed by a live performance from CIM’s talented instructors and students.

$1,000+ — Sponsor the event at $1000 or more and you and a guest will receive reserved seating and complimentary service during the concert, as well as access to a special VIP reception.

FREE (VIRTUAL TICKET) — Enjoy access to the professionally-broadcast streaming concert featuring Center for Irish Music instructors, as well as access to our virtual silent auction. Suggested donation $25.

PURCHASE TICKETS

NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR ÉIGSE MYSTERY BOXES

We're looking for gift certificates to local businesses, restaurants, spas, and more, for our Éigse CIM Mystery Box prizes! Gift cards in any amount are welcome, with a suggested minimum of $20. Donations can be delivered to the Center for Irish Music office or dropped in the payment box in the upper CIM lobby. Click here for a list of local business suggestions!

METRONOME YOUTH SESSION

JANUARY 12, 2:00-4:00 PM

Join us at MetroNOME Brewery on January 12th from 2-4pm and enjoy a pint while listening to our award-winning young musicians play tunes in a fun, informal venue.

Students, if you haven't been to a session yet, this is a great opportunity to play Irish music in a non-performance setting. Play along or just listen and enjoy the tunes. You can stay for as little or as long as you like.

Click here for details .

We hope to see you there!

MINNESOTA IRISH MUSIC WEEKEND

JUNE 5-8, 2025

Minnesota Irish Music Weekend is a unique festival that 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.

Watch your inbox for updates and artist announcements!

UPCOMING CIM & COMMUNITY EVENTS

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

DEC. 23 - JANUARY 5

The Center for Irish Music is closed for Winter Break

JANUARY 6

CIM registration deadline for returning students to keep private lesson time

JANUARY 10

CIM registration deadline for group classes, family discounts.

JANUARY 12 | 2:00-4:00 PM

Youth Session at MetroNOME Brewing

MetroNOME Brewing

JANUARY 15 | 7:00-10:00 PM

Twin Cities Céilí Band

Dubliner Pub

JANUARY 25 | 5:00-6:00 PM

Nicolas Brown in Concert

Center for Irish Music, Scanlan Music Hall

Click Here for More Details

JANUARY 25 | 7:00-10:00 PM

Erik Brandt and the Urban Hillbilly Quartet (Contemporary Performance)

Celtic Junction Arts Center

JANUARY 26 | 11 AM - 3:30 PM

Nicolas Brown - Workshops and Lecture

Center for Irish Music, Scanlan Music Hall

Click Here to Register

JANUARY 26 | 2:00-5:00 PM

Erik Brandt and the Urban Hillbilly Quartet (Classic Performance)

Celtic Junction Arts Center

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!