Button Accordion In this class you will learn fingering techniques, bellows control, rhythm & phrasing and how to play stress-free with your accordion. You will learn to understand better how the accordion works with your physiology and how to relax so you can bring out the best in your playing. Read more…
We’re glad to have Portal alumni, John Whelan returning in 2020 to teach button accordion! Born in London, in his youth John was blessed to play with some of great names in an older generation of players, such as Lucy Farr, Brian Rooney and Bobby Casey, to name but a Read more…
We’re pleased to once again offer an element of Irish dance! This will be an evening class each day (except Saturday) with the return of husband and wife team, Brian & Mary Lanni! Portal students and local residents will both be welcome at the class. The music and the dance Read more…
2013 Core Tune List We’ve come up with some core tunes for the 2013 Portal Irish Music Festival. These are generally “common” tunes, and our hope is that students either already know these tunes, or can try to learn at least some of the tunes prior to the festival. Read more…
We are very happy to announce that the Scholarship program for the Portal Irish Music Week has returned for 2013! This year, the father of one of our founders has stepped forward and offered a scholarship in honor of his wife and our co-founder’s mother. The Patricia Ryan Zazzali scholarship Read more…
Irish Flute and WhistleThis class will explore tone development, playing with lift and tapping foot while playing, integrating ornamentation into tunes (vs “adding later”), working on phrasing/where to breathe, switching from one tune to the next, and building confidence to start tunes at sessions. Improvement is the goal—but we will Read more…
Irish flute player/singer Shannon Heaton honed her traditional style at countless music sessions in Chicago, Ireland, and Boston. With guitarist-husband Matt Heaton, she has performed original and traditional Irish music to audiences on four continents. Her compositions have been widely recorded (Battlefield Band, Childsplay, Ailie Robertson, Tricolor), and The Irish Read more…
Thank you so much for your support of our 2012 Scholarship! Your generosity is most appreciated, and will help make the difference for a student who wouldn’t be able to otherwise afford to attend! Sincerely, the Portal Irish Music Week Staff Susan, Burt, Will, and Pete
We’re pleased to announce the formation of the first full scholarship to the Portal Irish Music Week. One recipient will receive full room, board, and tuition for the 2012 festival! The scholarship winner is responsible for transportation to and from Portal. We’ll help with arranging rides to and Read more…