Festivals, music, dance, sessions, tuition, places to play, advertising and publicity opportunities, etc

We advise you to check with the venues or organisers of regular events before travelling – sometimes sessions and regular events cease, change, or miss a week. While we give the latest information we have here, some of it may be out of date!

If you know that an event has changed, please let us know via email to events@folktas.org

Folk Dance

Festivals

Cygnet Folk Festival -6-8th January 2012 . Full program details online shortly before festival.  See the websitefor details of various Tasmanian and other performers.

Tamar Valley Festival, Georgetown, 13-15th January. See http://www.tamarvalleyfolkfestival.com/ for details.

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Celtic Summer School Presented by Celtic Southern Cross

Music Under the Southern Cross, is on the week between Cygnet and Tamar Folk Festivals each year. The next Summer School is at Campaspe Downs, Victoria, Jan 15th – 20th 2012

Classes: $270
($200 Under 16)
Accommodation: (bunk bed with linen provided, all food – $380)

These are the Classes:

Scottish Advanced Fiddle	Chris Duncan & Matthew Robertson
Scottish Intermediate Fiddle	Emma Nixon
Irish Intermediate Fiddle	Bridget Hickey
Irish Intermediate Tin Whistle	Kathy Hickey
Advanced Uilleann Pipes – sorry already FULL	Patrick Lyons and Damien Hingston
Celtic Mandolin	Luke Plumb
Singing	Nicole Murray & John Thompson (Cloudstreet)
Canadian Fiddle Styles	Pria Schwall-Kearney and Sarah Davies
English Concertina	Mike Watts
Celtic Harp	David Alleway ( a harp can be provided)
Scottish Piano	Catherine Strutt
Celtic Guitar – standard tuning	Dave O’Neill
Folk Ensemble harmony, arrangement etc	Lachlan Green

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Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Hobart, February every second year.

Rosebery Festival (Axemen, Bushmen, Miners, Blarney) – February/March long-weekend.

St Patrick’s Day festival – Westbury - weekend near St Patrick’s Day, March.

Mt Roland Folklore Festival

A Cappella Festival, Hobart, since August 2002. Contact singfest@tasmail.com

Fleadh Ceol – weekend of Irish music in March each year, run by the Irish Association of Tasmania.

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South – Music

Every Monday, 5:30pm: Union Choir at Unions Tasmania Hobart. We meet every fortnight. All are encouraged, no particular skill at singing is required, just an enthusiasm for singing and union history and solidarity (much needed in these times).  Come along and have fun warming up those vocal chords. — Peter Hicks.  Phone (03) 6266 3010.

3rd Wednesday of every month, The Craic Is Back
New Sydney Hotel, 87 Bathurst St, Hobart
8:00-10:30pm.     No Cover Charge.

Meet other lovers of Celtic styled folk music and enjoy several performances each month,
culminating in December’s ‘drawn from the hat’ One-Shot-Band night.   see www.thecraicisback.com

To perform at the Craic yourself email Mike on  contact@thecraicisback.com

Every Friday, live Folk entertainment at the Lark Distillery, Davey St, about 6pm-8pm.

Second Friday of every Month: from 8:00pm, mixed session at the Cygnet Supper Room, Cygnet

Every Saturday: 4:00pm to 6:30pm, Irish music session, New Sydney Hotel, Bathurst St, Hobart

Last Saturday of every month: VerandahCoots and friends invite you to join us at “TASSIE TUNES SESSION”. Now being held at “The Village Cafe” 46a Hampden Rd. Battery Point from 2-4pm.
Everyone welcome. Relax with a cuppa, or bring your instrument and join us for collected music from Tassie’s older generation: waltzes, polkas, jigs, marches and schottisches from the Huon Valley to Cape Barren Island and the NW Coast.

1st Sunday of the month: Pan-Celtic Music and Dance Session

(Play, Dance or Listen)

 Wesley Hall, 58 Melville St, Hobart

4:00–6:30pm

1^st Sunday of the month (except Jan)

New format: 4:00-4:30 tune exchange workshop

4:30-6:30 round robin session plays for dancing

Entry: $4.  Tea and coffee available free.  BYO anything else.

Focus on celtic music from Scotland, Ireland, Cape Breton, Sweden, the Shetland Isles, Brittany, Quebec, Galicia and more (even a few Balkan tunes).

Sheet music available, or learn by ear.

Contribute your own tunes (with dots).

Re-unite celtic dance music with the dance!

All dances taught.  No partner or dancing experience required.

www.folktas.org                  6297 8565

Folk Federation of Tasmania Inc

North – Concerts and sessions

Every Monday: “That’s All Folk”, City Park Radio 103.7 FM, 8-10pm.  Launceston’s only locally produced folk music program.

Last Tuesday of month: Jazz at the Royal Oak.  14 Brisbane St.  20% off main meals for FFT members.  Contact 6331 9653.

Third Friday of month: Liffey Music Gathering (folk, blues etc.), at the Old School, Liffey, 8-12pm. Open fire and good music.  Bring a log for the fire, and some nosh.  BYO.  Tea and coffee available.  Contact Gay Stewart, 6397 3324 or Beth Sowter, 6330 1886.

Every Sunday: Celtic session at the Royal Oak, Brisbane St, Launceston 5.00 – 7:30pm.  Don’t forget FFT members get 20% discount on meals at the Royal Oak.

Nominated Sundays: St Helens Coffee Shop, Acoustic venue.  Acoustic, but amplification is available.  12-3pm.  This venue has become a centre for new singers, new songs, different music, any music. All performers are most welcome, and admission is free.  Contact Susie Pike, 6376 0270.

North – Things to learn

Scottish Bagpipe lessons - Ron Grant, 44 Arthur St, E. Launceston.

Violin maker and bow repairs – Warren Nolan Fordham, 6354 1043.

Launceston Recorder Society - ph Olga Trojan, 6343 3011.

The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).  Join in the current middle ages.  Contacts: Derek Binns  6344 2273, Kim Strong 6326 4256, Paul Harris 6327 1252.

Celtic Southern Cross: PO Box 100, Legana Tas 7277 Ph: 03 6330 1886. For all your Celtic Music needs: Music books, CDs, Tapes, Videos, Instruments etc. Email music@celt.com.au

Tasmanian artists with CD’s available.  If you want to be heard nationwide on Radio National, send a copy of your CD and a biography to Doug Spencer, The Planet, ABC Radio National, Box 9994, Perth WA 6848.

Gay Stewart CD Release – “Itchy Fingers” – A collection of Busking Tunes.To purchase ph. 6397 3324

String Powered Productions: CD mastering, digital recording, graphic design, web page design.Bill Myers 0409 – 013459 Email – info@stringpower.com

Updating these details

If you know of any other events or changes to the above details, please email updates to events@folktas.org.

Places for performers to play around Tas

South: Republic Bar & Café: 299 Elizabeth St Hobart 6234 6954

New Sydney Hotel: Alistair Derham, 87 Bathurst St Hobart 6234 4516 fax 6236 9965

Moonah Arts Centre: fortnightly series of concerts, 03 6274 0318.

North: Royal Oak Hotel, Brisbane St, Launceston. Bruce Potter 6331 5346

North-East: “Todd’s Hall” at St.Marys. Phone: Astrid Hunkeler & Todd Dudley, 6376 1049

North-West : Bridge Hotel, Forth, near Devonport 6428 2239
Molly Malone’s, 34 Best St.

Devonport 7310 6424 1898 McGinty’s (Burnie Town House) 139 Wilson St

Burnie 7320, 03 6431 4455 fax 03 6431 1026 (sold recently)

See also our Venues Page

Events Database

If you wish to have your event(s) published on the Tasmanian Government’s ‘Events Database’submit your entry/entries by: Email: arts.tasmania@arts.tas.gov.au
Fax: 03 6233 8424
Post: Arts Tasmania, 161 Davey Street, HOBART TAS 7000 http://www.tas.gov.au/

If you have recently forwarded information, please let us know of any changes and/or alterations. Remember – there is no charge for this service. Di Spencer

Advertising for Music Performers!!!

If you want to be heard nation-wide on Radio National send a copy of your CD and a bio to Doug Spencer, The Planet, ABC Radio NationalBox 9994, Perth 6848, WA