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Hello AmeriCeltic Reader, • Just in time for Burns Birthday, a friend in Edinburgh, Steve Shields, and his band, Drouthy Neebors, have sent us a link to listen to their new EP Slake Yer Drouth free.
• Earlier this month, The Fire Scottish Band, David, Rebecca and Adam, emerged from isolation with a new album, Marigold, and another new music video, Mrs. Jamieson's Favourite from the album. Enjoy, and please consider giving them a little financial support. More details here: https://www.thefirescottishband.com/store
• On Saturday, January 30th, 6:00 PM, the Saint Andrews Society of San Francsico is offering a catered Robert Burns Dinner along side their online Zoom Show to honor Robert Burns the Poet as well as all things Scottish. The catered Burns Supper is available to all who live within 70 miles of San Francisco. Purchase Tickets here before 1/16/21 and use Promo Code: 'FriendsOfCelts21' for 5% off your Tickets. (See Below for more details)
• Co-founders Celia and Tony offer their reaction to the late insurrection, and it's Celtic descended conspirators. (See Below)
• Beginning in mid-January, the annual rounds of Robert Burns Events begins, as Scots all around Northern California and the world gather to honor Burns the Poet as well as all things Scottish. (See Below)
• Beginning in mid-January, the annual rounds of Robert Burns Events begins, as Scots all around Northern California and the world gather to honor Burns the Poet as well as all things Scottish. (See Below)
• On Friday, January 8th, 7:00 PM, join Kathryn Rose entertains with Folktastic Fridays With Kathryn Rose, via Facebook LIVE from Portland, OR. (See Below)
• On Friday, January 8th at 8:00 PM, and again Wednesday, January 6th at 4:00 PM, Amelia Hogan will perform a few Songs LIVE Online via Facebook and YouTube Live from the Hobbit Hole in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, January 9th, at 1:00 PM, Sin Silver, will perform piano bar show with the theme 'Dreams'. Stay safe at home, and stream it online from from 'Murray's Pub' (her recreation/piano room) in Concord, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, January 9th at 2:00 PM PST John Whelan conducts the 7th in his new series of Online Master Sessions, featuring Liam Kelly and Tom Morrow! (See Below)
On Saturday, January 9th, at 8:00 PM, The Black Donnellys, Dave Rooney and Dave Browne, will stream their high-energy show to you from the RiRa @ Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV as you stay safely sequestered in your homes. (See Below)
• Sunday, January 10th at 11:00 AM, it's the Piper Sundays, Zoom meeting for an hour and one half with host Patrick D'Arcy and his guest Jarlath Henderson joining us from Scotland. (See Below)
• On Monday, January 11th, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM, Michael Eskin offers a free, Irish Whistle Master Class Workshop live on Zoom!(See Below)
• On Monday, January 11th at 7:30 PM, Folksong Sensei Shay Black will be beginning another 'Expand your Folk Song Repertoire' series of six weekly classes Online via Zoom from Berkeley, CA. (See Below)
• On Wednesday January 13th, at 6:00 PM and every 2nd Wednesday of the month The St. Andrew's Society of San Francisco hosts another Whisky Wednesdays event online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On January 17th, from 4:00-5:30 PM, the SCVFA is sponsoring a mandolin workshop with Marla Fibish, all non-contact via Zoom. (See Below)
NOTICE! Due to public health officials orders for social distancing to limit the spread of the COVID-19 infections, all in person events and festivals, especially those involving singing, wind instruments, etc. have been postponed or cancelled, and many will continued to be cancelled through at least the Winter. If you have plans to attend ANY such event, large or small, we recommend that you call and confirm that they are NOT cancelled.
• Returning from July 30th through August 7th 2021 Lark Camp, the annual Music, Song, & Dance event will return to the Redwoods near Mendocino, CA from . (See Below)
• Co-Founder Cecilia Fábos-Becker's e-book Ancestry & DNA: Beyond the basics, is available for download now! (See Below)
• Cedar Dobson offers one-on-one whistle lessons live on Zoom! (See Below)
• Michael Eskin offers one-on-one Irish whistle and flute, Uilleann pipes, and Anglo concertina lessons live on Zoom! (See Below)
• Sport your Celtic heritage! AmeriCeltic offers a colorful array of items, each emblazoned with the AmeriCeltic logo. (See Below)
• The Celtic Tea Shoppe, in San Jose is your source for Celtic and Celtic inspired carry-out fresh baked foods, confections and rare teas! (See Below)
• While Lark In The Morning in Berkeley, CA and Exploring Music in the outer sunset neighborhood of San Francisco, CA are closed for walk-ins, both stores are open for online sales and lessons. (See Below)
• Publican Stan Gamble has just recently re-opened The Duke of Edinburgh Pub & Restaurant, offering outdoor service 7 days a week from 4pm to late. (See Below)
• Sláinte Pub offers a full menu of great food and drink with outdoor dining service Wednesday through Sunday from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM at their location at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA. (See Below)
• The Plough and Stars, a SF Legacy Business, and THE place for Live Traditional Music in the inner Richmond district of San Francisco. (See Below)
• The Chieftain Irish Pub & Restaurant, local Irish Pub bringing the culture of Ireland to downtown at 5th and Howard in San Francisco. (See Below)
• The Celtic Society of Monterey Bay, has a 32 year record of producing Celtic Concerts in various venues in and around Santa Cruz and Monterey, CA. (See Below)
• The United Irish Cultural Center, hosts many Irish and other events in their large facility in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• Catherine Barry's Irish Culture Bay Area , offers a succinct listing of Irish events around Bay Area. (See Below)

Scan our feature articles below, or as always, you can click here to check the full listings on our website.

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Editorial: Celtic American Rogues Disgrace their Heritage

Will Americans of Scottish, Irish and Scots-Irish descent stand up for the Constitution created by their Celtic Ancestors?

By Cecilia Fábos-Becker and Tony Becker - Published 2021-01-08

Last Wednesday, as Tony was writing our annual review of the upcoming Robert Burns celebrations, I was watching the BBC coverage of Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence beginning the people's business of counting the votes of our Electoral College, when a mob of seditionist thugs attacked our nation's Capitol building. Among the flags some carried were the 'Betsy Ross flag,' which is associated with the predominantly Scots, Scots-Irish and Irish founding of this nation--a nation founded to give its people what they did not have under the English, a flag that became associated with our success in doing so.

To see this flag disgraced in the hands of traitors who apparently know nothing about the real history of this country, made us go just about ballistic. We're human too and you really don't want to know what crossed Cecilia's mind about several states. It took awhile to regain our own relative calmness again, particularly for Cecilia, whose father's family has been decimated in Hungary by both fascists and communists who seized power in very similar ways to what was attempted yesterday.

Although Celia's maternal ancestry is mostly Scottish, her paternal ancestry is Hungarian. What happened yesterday is all too familiar to her and her family. It happened in 1918 (communists under Bela Kun), 1944 (Arrow Cross--Hungarian name for Nazi's, supported by Hitler and retreating Germans fleeing the Russians after they invaded Russia), post war Hungary, which allowed the communists to again take over. We personally know what happens when coups succeed. Massacres, such as large parts of my grandmother's family who had resisted the communists and fascists, civil war, regional to world war.

There can be NO excuses, NO toleration of ANYONE who participated in yesterday's attempted coup, for that is exactly what it was, nor for anyone who aided, abetted, supported it or those involved, organizations and individuals, including 139 Members of the U.S. House and 8 members of the U.S. Senate who voted against accepting the lawful votes of the U.S. Electoral College. And most disgrace to us is that fully one-quarter of these bear a Scottish, Irish or Welsh surname!

Nor can there be ANY tolerance for anyone who has tried to excuse or justify this TREASON since then! Please note their mug-shots and names in the panel on the right, and click this link to read the original article published by the New York Times last Thursday.

In 1774-83, the mostly Scottish and Scots-Irish and Irish Americans rebelled against the United Kingdom (UK). It was a UK whose acts of union had been done with threats of invasion, and who then broke most of the promises made in the very act the English, as the dominant party, wrote. There was no one-man one vote, no investments in Scotland, almost nothing. The colonies had even fewer rights. We had NO representation in Parliament. We were not allowed to build manufacturing businesses. Freedom of speech and press was limited, and petitions had no recipients who were truly willing to fairly consider them in London. The king was a tyrant, who was not always willing to even accept the acts of parliament. Parliament distributed seats and allowed persons who were not residents of the districts to run in them. Persons of certain religions could not obtain higher education, could not go into professions and could not hold seats in Parliament.

The Scots, Scots-Irish and Irish rebelled against that--successfully, and it was they, not the English who then wrote the Constitution to allow all that the English orchestrated 'Act of Union' did not. We have free speech--to a point--yelling fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire, and other such situations excepted. We have the right of petition and complaint and courts to hear them. There were 66 lawsuits about election complaints presented by Trump and his supporters. NOT ONE had any substantial evidence. These 90 American judges, including Republicans appointed by Donald Trump himself, rejected every one of them. That kind of redress did not exist prior to our Revolution. It has existed ever since. Complainants had the right to approach lawyers, Congresspersons and the media. The recipients, in their turn, had the right to investigate and ignore any complaints that were found to be specious or lacking in real evidence.

But what happened at our Capitol on January 6th, 2021 was an attempted coup, an insurrection against our own founding fathers and mothers, against the real patriots, who had real grievances, and very few rights, including the rights to speech, petition and government of 1776-1783.

The majority of Americans who are descended from Scots, Scots-Irish, and Irish did not participate and do not support wannabe dictators or violent attempted coups. However, some did, some have been supporting a wannabe dictator for 5 years. His administration has far too many of them within it. They have supported members of Congress willing to support the belief that a President is above the law and that he can be a dictator. We probably all know of some who have supported these ideas and persons, and we all deluded ourselves into thinking they would not do the worst, that we can tolerate their lies and threats, they are just blowhards, sound and fury signifying nothing. Well, we just learned that far too many were not just meaningless blowhards.

Shame on these traitors and seditionists of Scots, Scots-Irish and Irish descent who participated, supported, or have excused with false equivalencies based on unsubstantiated lies, and mental illness and weakness, these unpatriotic, fascist acts! Learn your real history, and the real history of this nation and make it work as it was intended to do so, peacefully. Learn the difference between propaganda and fact, real news and propaganda, lies and truth. Get your heads out of your bottles of booze and opioids, or out of your navels or kiesters or whatever it is you've been using to help delude yourselves and if necessary get appointments with your local county mental health professionals. Otherwise, those persons of Scottish, and Scots-Irish and irish descent who recognize and honor what we won in 1783, and who work in the FBI, in the Justice Department otherwise, in the states' justice departments, are coming for you, and there will be plenty of others who are now willing to help them. We are not letting you turn this nation into another dictatorship or other form of tyranny run by drug-addled madmen, as Nazi Germany was, as Serbia in the early 1990's was, as even England was with mad King George and all the drinking and other clubs whose members included members of the Parliament..

Click Here to review previous, clearly prescient, editorial we wrote on this same subject just one year ago. If you didn't pay attention then. Pay attention NOW.

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Robert Burns Events in Northern California

Celebrating the National Poet Of Scotland

A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns Performed by Andy M. Stewart

Robert Burns (January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796) was a poet and a lyricist. Burns is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is the best-known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a 'light' Scots dialect which would have been accessible to a wider audience than native Scottish speakers. Burns wrote many blunt political and civil commentaries about the Scottish condition. For more on Robert Burns, Click Here.

This is also the time of year when Scots everywhere organize formal gatherings to commemorate Robert Burns and all things Scottish at Burns Suppers, with plenty of Burns poetry, Highland Dancing, Pipers, readings of Burns 'Address tae the Haggis', Toasts to the Lads & Lassies, and Entertainment of all kinds Celtic.

Act Now! Find a Burns Suppers near you (list below) and claim a spot, but remember that they generally have a deadline for reservations weeks in advance, and they sell out quickly.

• Saturday, January 23rd, 2:00 PM (noon Hawai‘i time) Honolulu, Hawai‘i, The Caledonian Society of Hawai‘i. $20. Online via Zoom. For an additional $30, Advanced Registrants on O’ahu can order a 2 person Caledonian Kitchen Highland Beef Haggis, two mini bottles of whisky, four Big Island cookies, and a paper program, all delivered by a kilted delivery person and a piper.
• Sunday, January 24th, St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles Online via Zoom. Contact Kimberlee Blair Bradford, FSA Scot, President, 310-614-0814 or kvbbradford@gmail.com
• Saturday, January 30th, 6:00 PM, San Francisco, CA, Saint Andrews Society of San Francisco. Online via Zoom. 159th Annual Robert Burns Event, sponsored by Isle of Arran Distillery. Advance Orders purchased by Saturday, January 16th include the complete, traditional 'Burns Supper' four course meal delivered to your door anywhere within 70 miles of San Francisco and all the add-on’s like wine/whisky! Purchase Tickets here before 1/16/21 and use Promo Code: 'FriendsOfCelts21' for 5% off your Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/saintandrewssocietyofsanfrancisco/310695# Email questions to Alex Sinclair 2ndvp@saintandrewssocietysf.org.
• Saturday, April 10th, 6:00 PM, Amador City, CA Mother Lode Scots Burns Supper, Imperial Hotel, 14202 Old Highway 49, $60, Registration and Details at Tickets Contact burnsdinner@motherlodescots.com
• Dixon Scottish Association is talking about a virtual event on January 30th.
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Folktastic Fridays with Kathryn Rose

Friday, January 8th 7:00 PM

Online via Facebook Live

Join Kathryn for Folktastic Fridays! Click Here to go to her Facebook Profile, and then look for the little red LIVE button.

Kathryn Rose is a folk singer and recording artist from Oregon. She has been singing since she could talk and grew up listening to Irish and Scottish folk music.

Kathryn says:
Join Me For My FRIDAY Evening Live-Stream Show!! Message Me With Any Requests. Your tips mean more than you could ever know!
paypal.me/kathrynrosefolk or Venmo -- @kathrynrosefolk
I Am Official Now!! Listen - Buy The New CD Here!! https://kathrynrose.hearnow.com/

Kathryn began seriously collecting songs after her grandmother passed away and she discovered a treasure trove of handwritten Irish folk songs tucked inside the piano bench. After that discovery, Kathryn transitioned from a classical singing background into the folk world. Her favorite musical style is Sean-nós, and she is working on her Gaeilge to perform more of these songs in the future. She performs folk music from both sides of the pond, with an emphasis on Ireland and even a dash of Gaeilge here and there.

Kathryn accompanies herself on the tenor guitar, but at various times in her life has had encounters with the piano, violin, lap harp, ukulele, and tin whistle. Her influences include Susan McKeown, Christy Moore, the Clancy Brothers, Seamus Begley, Sarah Ghriallais, Moya Brennan, and more. With her melodic voice, her love of world cultures and her attention to detail, she continues the tradition of Celtic folk music as an artist, a performer and an inspiration for peace and harmony in a complicated world. Kathryn and her husband live in somewhat peaceful harmony with their brood of hooligan cats.

More on Kathryn Rose Facebook Profile: https://facebook.com/kathrynrosefolk or check the Facebook Event.

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Amelia Hogan LIVE ONLINE
from the Hobbit Hole in San Francisco

Fridays at 8:00 PM & Wednesdays at 4:00 PM

Online via YouTube Live

Watch LIVE on Amelia's YouTube Channel or on Amelia's Facebook Profile.

Amelia Hogan sings traditional Irish, Scottish, English and American folk songs for over 30 years and plays a small Welsh lap-harp, across both sides of various ponds.

Amelia says:
Come sit a spell and sing along if you'd like, Wednesdays at 4:00 PM PT for Experimental renditions and all new songs, and Fridays at 8:00 PM for favorites you've already heard from my repertoire. These are mini-busking/ fireside chat sessions from my home in San Francisco.
Tip Jar: https://www.paypal.me/ameliahogan and if you'd like more content, Song-lists, blogposts, additional tracks, and other goodies, you can subscribe to my patreon at https://www.patreon.com/ameliahogan Thanks a million!

Here is a sample video of Amelia Hogan singing Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore https://youtu.be/pIr7XmLXDIc.

Check Amelia's Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/ameliahogansings

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Sin Silver

Saturday, January 9th, 1:00 - 2:00 PM PDT

Online via Facebook LIVE, from Concord, CA

Sin Silver is an Irish singer songwriter based in the Bay Area in California. To watch the show, go to Sin Silver's Facebook Profile, and then look for the little red LIVE button.

Sin live-streams from 'Murray's Pub' (her recreation/piano room) every week and this week's theme is 'Dreams'. Find Sin's Live Performance by checking Sin's Facebook Profile, or go to www.livestream.com/watch and search for Sin Silver.

During the live stream, just drop your requests in the comments.

Virtual Tip Jar:
PayPal https://www.paypal.me/sinsilversin
Venmo @Sin-Silver

With a unique style, her 'Irish piano' and angelic voice are delighting audiences. A featured artist at Northern California's Graton Casino Resort, she brings a unique flavor to her craft. Whether she is playing her expertly crafted originals, covers with her own twist or celtic music, Sin Silver is someone that deserves to be heard live.

Check out her website here:  www.sinsilverandtheavenue.com or email her at sinsilverandtheavenue@gmail.com.

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John Whelan Master Sessions #9

Liam Kelly and Tom Morrow
Saturday, January 9th, 2:00 PM

Online via Zoom

Seven-time All-Ireland Button Accordion Champion John Whelan is one of the world's best living Irish button accordion players. John was raised in the vibrant London Irish music scene of the 1970s, and learned his craft from such legends as Lucy Farr, Roger Sherlock, Paddy Taylor, Mick O Connor and his teacher Brendan Mulkaire. Along with his All-Ireland Championships, he was twice awarded musician of the year from the Irish Music Association. He has over 15 CDs and has performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. John's music has been featured on such TV shows as 'Sex in the City,' 'History's Mysteries' and 'History Detective.' John performs with the John Whelan Band and has also teamed up with his old pal Brian Conway forming the group Gailfean, which also features Máirtin De Cógáin and Don Penzien have released their first new CD. For over a decade, John has performed 'Monday's with John' every Monday evening on his Facebook Profile.

Since last March, John has stepped up his online activities, and his latest project is Master Sessions with John Whelan.

The next Whelan Master Session is happening next Saturday, January 9th, 2:00 PM, with John' friends Liam Kelly and Tom Morrow.

Born in Co. Sligo, Liam Kelly now lives in Dromahair, Co. Leitrim. He is a founding member of the renowned band Dervish - recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2019 - and has been touring the world with them for 32 years now.

Liam began playing traditional Irish music at the young age of 8; his first instrument was the tin whistle. He also played the accordion and later found his calling with the flute, mainly learning from local player, Carmel Gunning. In addition to his prolific and highly celebrated recording with Dervish, in 2009 Liam released a solo CD, Sweetwood. He also released a CD with Sligo fiddler Phillip Duffy in 2015, called Sets in Stone. When he's not touring the world with Dervish, Liam is a sought-after performer at music festivals and frequently lends his expertise in teaching workshops as well.

Tom Morrow is the newest member of Dervish, joining the group in Oct. '98 and since that time has toured extensively worldwide with the group Dervish. Tom is a native of Carrigallen in Co. Leitrim and is the eldest of a musical family including brothers John (banjo), Rob (accordion) and Andy (fiddle). He began playing music at an early age with Tommy Maguire, a native of Glenfarne, Co. Leitrim. During his younger years, he played extensively with a wide range of musicians around Leitrim and Cavan, including Paddy McDermott's Cornafean Group and Antoin McGabhann.

While studying in Limerick, Tom was part of the vibrant session scene that existed in the area. During this time he played and toured with many groups and musicians including Callino with the piper Mick O'Brien and the Conor Byrne group, as well as being a regular participant in sessions in Dublin and throughout the country. Since joining Dervish Tom continues to live and play in Dublin, although you are as likely to hear him playing anywhere in the country!

Tom has won numerous awards including the All Ireland Senior Fiddle championship in 1991. He has also guested on numerous albums, including John Wynne's 'With Each Breath', Galician piper Pepe Vaamonde's 'Aviouga', Eamonn Coyne's 'Through the Round Window' and singer Mary McPartland's 'The Holland Handkerchief', alongside regular guesting with other international artists including Chris Thile's Nickelcreek at the Cambridge Folk Festival.

The Saturday master session is open to players and listeners of all levels, from anywhere in the world. It'll start at 2pm Pacific time, 5pm Eastern time, 10pm GMT, and run for two hours. The master sessions do have a requested $20 donation for attending and we need at least 30 attendees to ensure the musicians are adequately compensated, so please share this with anyone you know who might be interested. Just email John at whelanbx1@me.com for more details.

All attendees need to do is make their donation via paypal.me/buttonboxman or by Venmo to John-Whelan-37, and make sure to note that it is for Whelan Master Session #9. We'll send out the Zoom link and tune list for the master session on Friday, and any last-minute sign-ups will get the link and tune list about an hour before the session starts on Saturday.

Easily sharable information on all John's master sessions lives here.

P.S. John's Wednesday 'Taking Time' slow session is still continuing as well - Check it out here: http://johnwhelanmusic.com/slow-session. It remains free and open to all, and we'll send out a tune list and Zoom link for tomorrow's 'Taking Time' Wednesday sessions. Email John at whelanbx1@me.com to get on the list or for more details.

Get more details on Johns website: http://johnwhelanmusic.com

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The Black Donnellys LIVE

Dave Rooney and Dave Browne
Saturday, January 9th, 8:00 PM

Facebook LIVE, from the RiRa @ Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV

Each Saturday, The Black Donnellys, (Dave Rooney and Dave Browne), stream their high-energy show to you from Las Vegas, NV as you stay safe at home.

Watch the Black Donnellys streaming show via Facebook LIVE by pointing your browser to the Black Donnellys Facebook Page, where you will find the little red LIVE button.

The Daves say:
Tune into our Residency Gig at Rira at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay!! Join us and our audience for a live performance and a few Requests!!

Last year, the two Daves from Dublin had the crazy idea to attempt a new World Record: 60 shows. 50 states. 40 days. What could go wrong? Find out what happened along the road as their beloved Irish band, The Black Donnellys set out to break this ambitious world record when Vision Films and Frequency Pictures present An Irish Story: This Is My Home.

The film was released, on March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day, 2020 and is available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, and Vimeo. Here is a link to the WATCH IT NOW!

For more, check Dave Browne's Facebook Profile.

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Piper Sundays

Sundays at 11:00 AM
Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club

Online via Zoom
Join the Zoom Event:

Event Website: http://socalpipers.com/piper_sunday.html

Host Patrick D'Arcy says:
'It's every Sunday from 11:00 AM (PDT) for about 90 minutes. I try to get high profile Uilleann piper guests from Ireland and elsewhere. It's not so much a concert as it is a talk show with the guest playing a handful of tunes throughout. Drop by this Sunday to check it out. Our guest will be Jarlath Henderson joining us from Scotland.'

• January 17th, 2021: Cillian Vallely — Details
• January 24th, 2021: Éamonn Dillon — Details
• January 31th, 2021: Michael McGoldrick — Details
• February 07th, 2021: Máire Ní Ghráda — Details

Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club Facebook Events: https://www.facebook.com/SCUPC

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Irish Whistle Master Class with Michael Eskin

Monday, January 11th, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM PST

Live via Zoom

Free workshop best suited for intermediate level tin whistle players with some experience on the instrument.

This week I'll be going over the different standard common tune styles: Reels, jigs, single jigs, hornpipes, barndances, slip jigs, hop jigs, polkas, slides, mazurkas, and waltzes, with prototype examples of each on a PDF handout that will also include links to YouTube videos showing the common dance steps in both step dance and set dance contexts.

I'll be happy to answer questions or work with the attendees on specific challenges they are having with any of these styles.

It would be ideal if you already can play some tunes on the instrument and have at least some basic understanding of ornamentation on the whistle. This is not a new beginner's class, but certainly newer players may benefit from the workshop.

I have no fixed agenda. I'll tailor the event based on the needs and requests of the participants. If it's all advanced players, we can share ideas.

I can play tunes you request, go over my approach to ornamentation and variation, address any specific challenges you might have, whatever the participants would be interested in.

Here’s the Zoom meeting link:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/6193681854?pwd=eXd3L2ZEeWNnMDBZYVI0RkJ2c3Vudz09
or if you prefer:
Meeting ID: 6193681854
Password: session

Bookmark my Website here: http://michaeleskin.com/whistle

This workshop is free, but if you find the event useful, I would very much appreciate it if you would consider donating a few dollars to my PayPal tip jar:
https://paypal.me/MichaelEskin
Venmo: @MichaelEskin

Michael Eskin
http://michaeleskin.com
Michael's Facebook Profile

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Expand your Folk Song Repertoire w/ Shay Black

Mondays 7:30 - 8:45 PM — Starts January 11th for six weeks

Online via Zoom

$145.00 in advance Register online. You will receive a Zoom link from your Teacher via email before your first class. Please register with an email address you check regularly.

Shay Black is known for his extensive knowledge of the Irish, English, Scottish, and other folk traditions. His teaching style is learning by repetition, so no background knowledge of music theory is necessary.

Click Here to watch Shay's introductory video.

Shay says:
Are you missing singing with people? Want to learn new songs? Would you like to sing with me?

If you have been missing singing and would like to learn some new material, come join me (virtually) for the next session of my Folk Repertoire class. I will be teaching ONLINE through the Freight and Salvage on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm, (Pacific Standard Time) starting next Monday, January 11th!

The session will run from January 11 - February 15.

I will teach up to five songs per class, with our last class focusing on individual performance. If you like you may bring a recording device to help memorize melody. However, both lyrics and music will be forwarded weekly to you, so you can access the music throughout the course and afterwards as well.

I will teach up to five songs per class period (75 minutes), 25 songs in total, and they will come from different Irish, Scottish, English, sea music and other traditions. These range from basic folk songs, to tragic Scottish Ballads, a sea shanty or a love song. Even in the on-line class, we are learning through repetition and I work through songs in an easy to learn call-and-response fashion so no background knowledge of music theory is necessary.

After you sign up, you'll get a Zoom link via email before the first class. You will be able to tune into the class via video from your computer, smartphone, or tablet. If you don't have one of those, you could also tune into the audio only, via a regular phone (but video would be a much fuller experience!).

Note that because there is a bit of a time lag with Zoom, we won't all be able to sing together at the same time, but students WILL be able to see/hear me teaching the songs (and can sing along while muted!), see the lyrics, communicate with one another, and on our last Monday night, we will have a virtual singaround, where you can sing a song of your own choosing and share it with the class.

We will be having fun, fun, fun. Come and join us. Send me a message if you have questions. Warm regards,

Shay

Irish-born Shay Black has lived in the east bay for eighteen years, and his most regular gig these days is the weekly "Starry Irish Session" at The Starry Plough pub in Berkeley. With a background steeped in traditional and folk music, he performs and records with brothers Michael and Martin, and also at times with sisters Frances and Mary Black. In Europe, he has also toured and recorded with the late great Stan Hugill and the fabled sea shanty group Stormalong John and Irish band Garva. Shay continues to be an avid songcatcher, with a huge song collection, and has taught repertoire building at many music camps and festivals.

For more details, email Shay Black shay_black@hotmail.com.

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Whisky Wednesdays - Charitable Benefit

January 13th, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Presented by The St. Andrew's Society of San Francisco

Online via Zoom - By Alex J. Sinclair

After the success from the first Whisky Wednesdays, the Saint Andrew's Society of San Francisco is proud continue this monthly social event in collaboration with The Whisky Shop of San Francisco presented every 2nd Wednesday. Don't Wait — You only have until January 7th to get your ticket for this January 13th event.

This January, in the lead up to our Virtual Burns Supper on January 30th, the St. Andrew's Society Of San Francisco in conjunction with the Isle of Arran Distillers will explore what the Isle has to offer. Whisky Wednesdays will present five tastings from the distillers culminating in their signature Burns Single Malt Whisky.

Whisky Wednesdays tickets are priced at $50 for SASSF members and $75 for non-members. Each ticket holder will receive five curated Scotch whiskies (50ml per tasting, 250ml per ticket) highlighting Scotland's regions during our monthly tasting event from the comfort of your home.

For more information and tickets, go to https://www.tickettailor.com/events/saintandrewssocietyofsanfrancisco

This month's tasting will tour some of Arran's best Whiskies, comparing the differences between their production styles. The month after will go over the basics of Scotch Whisky in our introductory Whisky 101 event.

Flight for January 13th 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Isle of Arran

Flight for February 10th 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Whisky 101

Whisky Wednesdays tickets include free shipping for the whisky within the continental United States. If you are purchasing from outside of California, please order well in advance. There is also a reduced ticket for anyone who only wants to observe. All participants must be aged 21+.

The profits of this event will help fund our benevolent activities. Thank you for supporting this event and let me know if you have any questions!

Alex J. Sinclair
2nd Vice President
2ndvp@saintandrewssocietysf.org
Saint Andrews Society of San Francisco
https://saintandrewssocietysf.org

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Irish Mandolin Workshop from Marla Fibish
Free event Sponsored by SCVFA

January 17, 2021 4:00-5:30 PM (doors open at 3:45)

Online via Zoom - Free Tickets from Eventbrite

Learn how to put the pulse of Irish dance music into your playing! Free Tickets for this workshop are available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marla-fibish-mandolin-workshop-session-tickets-133040683265

San Francisco native, Marla Fibish is one of the prominent mandolinists in Irish music. She brings a deep and distinctive sensibility to the tradition on one of its lesser-heard instruments. She is a dynamic performer and a sought after teacher. Since March, Marla has offered non-contact mandolin classes.

Marla Fibish has performed and taught nationally and in Ireland, and was a featured performer at the 2018 Masters of Tradition festival in Bantry, Co. Cork. Her playing is featured on her 2020 album, The Bright Hollow Fog, the 2017 Noctambule release A Sweetish Tune, and The Morning Star, a duo CD with legendary Irish singer and bouzouki player Jimmy Crowley, as well as on the eponymous Three Mile Stone recording.

An experienced and sought-after teacher, Marla teaches private students and classes, online at Peghead Nation, and has been on the faculty of many music camps including The Swannanoa Gathering, The Mandolin Symposium, O'Flaherty Irish Music Retreat, Portal Irish Music Week, Lark Camp and others. Her instructional DVD has been a popular self-learning tool, focused on acquiring the foundational technique for playing Irish music on the mandolin. A multi-instrumentalist, Marla is known for her musical settings of works from a variety of poets, as well as original tunes written in traditional forms. This work is featured in the duo Noctambule, her longtime collaboration with guitarist and husband Bruce Victor. Their earlier releases include Travel in the Shadows in 2013 and The Waking in 2015.

'Some of the best mandolin playing in Irish music.' - Dennis Cahill, Guitarist

'Marla is a wonder on the mandolin; rhythmic beyond imagination, clear as a bell tone, great invention, lovely ornaments at just the right times and places, and a sureness and ease that allows the listener to relax and be carried away.' - Kevin Carr, Folkworks

'Though I have taught 1:1 over the web for years, it is only since the pandemic that I've held online classes. To my surprise I've learned that, though it's different and has it drawbacks, it also has a few distinct advantages -- participants really enjoy having the privacy to work on phrases or techniques during class without anyone hearing them, and you never have trouble hearing yourself because the person next to you is too loud! You also get plenty of practice time while others are playing for me, and the chance to hear your classmates individually has proved helpful and enlightening in surprising ways. And you can get a close up view of my hands in a way that would hardly be socially acceptable even if we weren't in a pandemic!' - Marla Fibish

TIP JAR: Instead of paying us for this amazing event, we ask that you leave a generous Tip. 100% of your TIP will go directly to Marla. Thanks for supporting independent musicians. Marla's Tip Jar will be available during the workshop.

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Lark Camp

July 30th - August 7th, 2021

World Music, Song, and Dance Camp

Mendocino Woodlands State Park

Spend idyllic days and nights in the magical redwood forest filled with music, dance, and good times — that's the Lark Camp experience.

Click Here for the Video by Doug Plummer.

Take as many or as few of the workshops as you like; jam sessions 24 hours a day, big dances every evening. Plenty of good food, new friends, and musical stimulation for adults and families. Workshops for professional and beginner, alike.

Check out the Mendocino Woodlands website: Click Here

Visit http://larkcamp.org, Questions, email: registration@larkcamp.org or call (707) 397-5275 (LARK)

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