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metro branch of the Irish-based organization charged with promoting Irish culture, and Mitch

Fanning (Director of FiddleWeek) are pleased to announce CCE FiddleWeek 2008.

The purpose of FiddleWeek is to offer violinists and fiddle

players of all ages and levels of ability a unique and funfilled

opportunity to improve their playing through the study

of traditional Irish music.

Students will be taught traditionally – in group classes,

arranged according to ability and level of experience with

traditional Irish music. Each group will have an opportunity

to perform at a closing concert and ceili dance and each

individual will also have a private lesson (half hour) with

one of our teaching staff during the week.

The teachers for the week are all accomplished performers of

traditional Irish music as well as excellent instructors. In

addition to our teaching staff of local talent, through the

Please see the bios on each!

Each class will learn a variety of traditional tunes – hornpipes, jigs, reels, mazurkas, barndances,

airs, and highlands among others. The tunes in each class are not only fun to play, but great ear

training exercises and playing them will give students the opportunity to learn or improve left

and right-hand ornamentation, technique, and memory skills.

In addition to class and private instruction, students will have an opportunity to play in

traditional Irish sessions and hear faculty performances throughout the week. Students may also

participate in classes in bodhran (Irish drumming), basic Irish step dancing, Celtic crafts, and

pennywhistle which will be offered during the week.

FiddleWeek is designed to accommodate beginning, intermediate and advanced fiddlers and

violinists of all ages and levels of experience. However, because of the demands of ensemble

playing, the fast tempi and ornamentation of many of the tunes, prospective students should

know that FiddleWeek beginner classes are not designed for people that are new to the

The beginning class for FiddleWeek 2008 is best suited for the student that has studied the violin

or fiddle for 8 months to a year. If you have substantially completed Book I of the Suzuki

method or can play well in the keys of A, D and G, have a good ear, sense of rhythm and tempo,

then you are well-prepared for a great week! The intermediate class is designed for violinists or

fiddlers with two to four years experience. The advanced class, for fiddlers with four or more

years experience.

The beginning class for FiddleWeek 2008 is best suited for the student that has studied the violin

or fiddle for 8 months to a year. If you have substantially completed Book I of the Suzuki

method or can play well in the keys of A, D and G, have a good ear, sense of rhythm and tempo,

then you are well-prepared for a great week! The intermediate class is designed for violinists or

fiddlers with two to four years experience. The advanced class, for fiddlers with four or more

years experience.

April 30 Early Registration Deadline – save $50 (please register early!)

July 7-11 CCE FiddleWeek (M-F, 9:00 am – 4 p.m.)

9 – 10 Daily orientation, tuning, warm-ups

10 – 11:30 Classes – Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced

11:30-1:30 Lunch, playground activities

Traditional sessions, private lesson, personal practice

Intro to Irish step-dancing w/local qualified instructor

Celtic crafts & pennywhistle with Karen Ashbrook

Intro to bodhran (Irish drumming) with Myron Bretholz

1:30 – 3 Classes – Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced

3 – 3:50 Daily Faculty Concert

4 Pick up

Faculty concerts are open to family members, who are also invited to attend the final ceili and

concert on Friday evening, 7-10:30 p.m. at the Washington Waldorf School Auditorium. There

will be a nominal admission fee for the Friday evening ceili for guests and the general public.

Classes and final concert and ceili will take place at the Washington Waldorf School, 4800

Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 20815. (http://www.washingtonwaldorf.org)

The school is the home of The Bog Band, a group of 8th grade traditional Irish fiddlers who

helped inspire CCE FiddleWeek.

Are you from out of town? Please let us know if you’re interested in special rates at a nearby

hotel. Depending on the number of out of town registrants, transportation to and from the hotel

can be arranged.

Tuition for CCE FiddleWeek is $395. Registrations postmarked or delivered by April 30th will

receive a $45 discount for early registration.

A single half-hour private lesson is included in the tuition.

There is one free lunch (pizza on Wednesday) for all registrants. All other days will be “brown

bag” or BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch).

The O’Neil-Malcolm Branch of CCE is delighted to announce that the Fitzpatrick Family,

represented by Linda Fitzpatrick and brother-in-law Shaun Fitzpatrick, has generously donated

funds to support a scholarship grant for CCE FiddleWeek 2008, July 7-11. The scholarship is

set up in the name and memory of Thomas M. Fitzpatrick II.

The award is restricted to students under the age of eighteen (18) who demonstrate financial need

and would be unable to attend CCE FiddleWeek without financial assistance.

For application requirements, please check the appropriate box on the registration form and

information will be sent to you.

Fiddler extraordinaire Brendan Mulvhill, recently inducted into the Mid-Atlantic CCE

Hall of Fame, will be one of the principal teachers at CCE FiddleWeek again this year.

Brendan Mulvihill's roots in Irish music run deep. Brendan's grandmother, Bridget

Flynn, was a fiddler, and her brothers were all musicians as well. Brendan's father, the

late National Heritage Fellow, Martin Mulvihill of County Limerick, Ireland, was a

renowned fiddle player and one of the most highly respected Irish music teachers in

America. Even with these powerful influences, Brendan's style is uniquely his own.

Brendan’s strong tone, remarkable bow work and unsurpassed musicianship come from a deep love of the

music and from a surprising influence. Though inspired by many traditional Irish musicians, Brendan also

developed a passion for classical music. This classical influence can be heard most clearly perhaps in his

playing of the baroque music of Turlough O'Carolan. The final distinctive result of Brendan’s many

influences was best summed up by a quote printed by the Washington Irish Folk Festival, "...It's often

said that the difference between a fiddle and a violin lies not in the instrument but in the player. If that's

the case, then Brendan is not the player one should look to when trying to draw such distinctions. Here is

a man whose heritage, background and training epitomize that of the fiddler, but whose full, firm tone,

exquisite bow work and subtle, sensitive musicianship bear all the hallmarks of the classical violinist…."

Brendan immigrated to New York with his family in 1965. In the ‘70s he traveled to Ireland playing

throughout the country with his contemporaries and building a huge repertoire of tunes. During

this time, he won the All Ireland Fiddle Championship. Later, Brendan moved to Birmingham, England

where he played in ceilidh bands and with the many Irish musicians who had also settled in the

English Midlands.

In 1975, Brendan returned to New York, where he soon began playing with accordion player Billy

McComiskey and singer/guitarist Andy O'Brien. The three eventually made their way to Washington,

DC, ostensibly for a week-long gig in The Dubliner pub as The Irish Tradition. The week turned into

several years, and The Irish Tradition became a seminal influence in traditional music, helping to

establish it as a permanent and integral part of Washington's musical fabric. During this same time period,

Billy and Brendan traveled back to Ireland to win the All Ireland Fiddle/Accordion Duet Championship.

After recording several albums, the Irish Tradition disbanded. Brendan remained in the

Baltimore/Washington area, using the region as a home base for his travels. Brendan appeared at the

Eigse na Laoi at University College, Cork, Ireland in 1993 and again in 1995, where he played sets with

uilleann piper Paddy Keenan, fiddler Martin Hayes and accordionist John Williams. Brendan and pianist

Donna Long toured the country in 1994-95 as part of the Masters of the Folk Violin tour sponsored by the

National Council for the Traditional Arts. In 1995, the duo was featured in the Washington Irish Folk

Festival's evening concert, which was broadcast worldwide. In 1998 Brendan played in the PBS

broadcast, Performance at the White House, for President and Mrs. Clinton and their guests. Brendan is

an original member of The Green Fields of America all-star Irish concert tour. Brendan has also been

interviewed by Noah Adams on NPR's All Things Considered and has appeared on Garrison Keillor's

Prairie Home Companion.

The Washington Irish Folk Festival published the following about Brendan’s current playing style,

"...The raw, unbridled energy of his youth has given way to a seasoned, sophisticated and mature

immersion in an art form in which each individual note can speak volumes." In the current and past few

years Brendan has been leaving this impression on people at such venues as the Milwaukee Irish Festival;

the Dublin, Ohio Irish Festival; the Kansas City Irish Festival; the annual St. Patrick's Day concert at

Gaston Hall, Georgetown University; the Baltimore Irish Festival; the National Folk Festival; the Friends

of St. John's College concert series; the Washington Folk Festival; the Smithsonian Festival in

Washington, DC; the Celtic Colours International Festival in Nova Scotia; the Philadelphia Irish Festival;

the Washington Irish Folk Festival; the Institute of Musical Traditions; National Geographic; and the

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. He has also toured with Billy McComiskey and guitarist Zan McLeod

at The Prism Coffeehouse in Charlottesville, Virginia; the Tir na nOg pub in Somerville, Massachusetts;

the Celtic Trader concert series in Charlotte, North Carolina; and many others. Brendan currently plays

Wednesday nights at Nanny O'Brien's pub in Washington with singer/guitarist Brian Gaffney.

Michael O Suilleabhain referred to Brendan as "...A rare genius.…" This same thought has been shared

by others and that is why so many have sought him out as their teacher. Sharing his talent with students

of Irish music, Brendan has emerged as a highly respected and sought-after teacher. He taught for several

years at the Augusta Heritage Irish Week in Elkins, West Virginia, the Ceilidh Trail Summer School in

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the Milwaukee Irish Festival's summer school and most recently at the

Catskills Irish Arts Week in East Durham, NY. Brendan has also taught several rising young fiddle

players in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area. Brendan received the 2005 Maryland Traditions Folk

Arts and Culture Apprenticeship Award for teaching the art of traditional Irish fiddle playing.

New York-born fiddler Brian Conway is a leading exponent of

the highly ornamented Sligo fiddling style made famous by the

late Michael Coleman. The winner of two All- Ireland junior

titles in 1973 and 1974 and the All-Ireland senior championship

of 1986, Brian's early studies were with his father Jim of

Plumbridge, County Tyrone, and with Limerick born

fiddler/teacher Martin Mulvihill. However, it was the legendary

fiddler and composer Martin Wynne who taught him the real

secrets of the County Sligo style. Later, Brian met and

befriended the great Andy McGann of New York a direct student

of Michael Coleman, who further shaped his precision and skill

on the instrument.

In 1979, Brian recorded a duet album, The Apple In Winter (Green Linnet) with fellow New York fiddler

Tony Demarco. He released his debut solo CD, First through the Gate, on the Smithsonian-Folkways

label in July 2002. This CD was voted the prestigious Album of the Year by the Irish Echo. Brian is also

featured on the CD, My Love is in America, recorded at the Boston College Irish Fiddle Festival, and on

the documentary "Shore to Shore" which highlights traditional Irish music in New York. He is

considered one of the musical rocks of the New York area.

Brian remains faithful to the rich tradition handed down to him. The distinctness of his tone, the lift of his

playing, and the deft ornamentation he brings to the tunes have placed him among the finest Irish fiddlers

of any style, Sligo or otherwise. He has performed all over North America from San Francisco to New

York and places in between such as Chicago, Milwaukee and Colorado. His talents have also been

enthusiastically received throughout Ireland and the rest of Europe. His CD, First through the Gate,

exemplifies the versatility that characterizes his concert performances and festival appearances. Brian is

also featured on a new CD with Felix Dolan and Joe Burke entitled Tribute to Andy McGann, by Irish

label and publisher Cló Iar-Chonnachta. Brian will soon release new solo CD through the same

publisher.

Brian is also a noted instructor who has mentored many fine fiddle players, including Heather Bixler, and

several others who have gone on to win All-Ireland championships.

Heather Martin Bixler began her violin studies at the age of eight in Racine,

Wisconsin. After completing a bachelor of Music degree from Indiana

University studying with Yuval Yaron, and a Master of Music degree at the

Juilliard School studying with Margaret Pardee, Heather began working as a

violinist in New York City. As soloist Heather has been heard live on WQXR

in New York City and has performed as recitalist and orchestra soloist

throughout Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United Sates performing frequently

at Alice Tully Hall and Weill Recital Hall in New York City.

In 1992, Mrs. Bixler won a first violin position in the Orquestra Ciutat de

Barcelona in Spain and represented that orchestra in their chamber music series

at the Salon de Cent recital Hall in Barcelona

Upon returning to New York Heather was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival. In addition, she

held concertmaster positions with South Dakota Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de la Mineria in Mexico

City, and has worked as a substitute violinist with New York Orchestras including The New York

Philharmonic. New York City Ballet, American Symphony, and Orchestra of St. Lukes. In addition to

playing classical violin, Heather has played in a rock band on the Rosie O’Donnell show in New York

City, and appeared on such singers’ videos as Maria Carey, Shania Twain, Jewel, and Donna Summer.

Currently Heather is concertmaster of Garden State Philharmonic.

In 2002-2003, Mrs. Bixler held a one-year position as guest violin professor at Sarah Lawrence College in

Bronxville, NY, and the following years taught Theory, Music History and violin at Nyack College

Manhattan Campus.

In the recent past Heather became interested in traditional Irish music and began studying with Irish-

American fiddler Brian Conway. After one and a half years of studying Irish music, Heather won the third

medal for the senior slow airs at All-Ireland fleadh in Donegal, Ireland. Since then she has taught and

performed Irish music throughout the United States, Canada, and Ireland in New York City, Philadelphia,

Cleveland, Milwaukee, Goderich, Ontario Canada, Dublin, and Galway just to name a few. Heather

returns this summer to teach at Scoil Rince De Danaan in Harrison Hot Springs in BC, Canada

In addition, she created an unusual combination of orchestra accompanying traditional tunes which she

performed as guest soloist with Garden State Philharmonic in Toms River, NJ.

Heather recently completed a successful tour of Northern Ireland where she performed not only

traditional Irish music, but also arrangements written by her that combine traditional protestant hymns

with traditional Irish tunes. Because of the political implications of this combination she was interviewed

on Downtown Radio by political songwriter, Tommy Sands in Belfast.

Currently, Heather lives in New York City with her jazz saxophonist husband, David Bixler and their four

children performing and teaching classical violin and traditional Irish fiddle.

In 1976, Karen Ashbrook built her first hammered dulcimer as a high

school project. She attended the Eastman Preparatory School in Rochester,

NY. In search of Irish music, she went overseas and spent 5 years playing

in Europe and Asia, traversing the globe twice.

With her delicate touch, trademark shimmering lilt and ear for authentic

ornamentation, Karen Ashbrook is considered one of the finest Irish

hammered dulcimer players anywhere. Add her wooden flute and

pennywhistle playing, and you have the consummate Irish musician. Irish

reviewer John O'Regan calls her recordings "Celtic music for the mind and

body."

Based in the Washington, DC area, Karen teaches and performs Celtic, contra dance, and Jewish music.

These days she primarily performs as a duo with her husband Paul Oorts, playing his native Belgian and

French music and as a trio in Pavilion 3 with percussionist Steve Bloom added. She has several

recordings both solo and with the group Ceoltoiri, on the Maggie's Music label. Playing the Hammered

Dulcimer in the Irish Tradition book/CD set on Oak Publications, is a standard text in dulcimer literature.

She appears at numerous folk music camps and festivals around the country. Performance highlights

include RTE 1-Irish National Television, the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic, and

playing at the White House for President Bill Clinton. Karen also plays with Cabaret Sauvignon. Check out her

4/13/01 performance at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage.

Karen's newest CD "Spring Will Come." is a live recording featuring her 30th anniversary as a dulcimer

player, teacher and advocate, and celebrates her rich musical partnerships with Ceoltoiri, David Scheim

(King David's Harp, Hills of Erin) and Pavilion 3.

In addition to her performing and recording career, Karen has done much to promote traditional Irish

music and arts to the next generation of Irish musicians. Karen has taught and coached two-time All-

Ireland winner Arjuna Balaranjan (Miscellaneous Instrument, 2 different age groups). Karen compiled

The Hedge School Tune Book the compendium of traditional Irish dance tunes that are used by children’s

sessions throughout the area. Karen hosts a children’s session at McGinty’s Public House in Silver

School” summer camps for children of all ages throughout each summer. For details about summer

http://www.karenashbrook.com

CCE FiddleWeek is pleased to have Karen on board to lead interested participants in daily pennywhistle

classes and Celtic arts and crafts during the daily elective period from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

http://www.wfma.net/bretholz.htm

Myron Bretholz of Baltimore, MD, has been playing bodhran (Irish drum) and bones for over

fifteen years. He has played on and/or produced over thirty albums, by such artists, as Ceoltoiri,

Clishmaclaver, The Irish Tradition, Sodabread, Zan McLeod, Danny Doyle, Robin Bullock,

Bonnie Rideout, and Al Petteway. Myron has also appeared in concert with the likes of Mary

Bergin, Altan, The Beltway Broads, and Aine Minogue, among many others. He wrote the liner

notes to the Green Linnet 20th Anniversary Compilation which they released in the summer of

1996.

Mitch Fanning, Director of CCE FiddleWeek, is a violinist and fiddler based in Silver Spring,

Maryland. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree (1982) in violin performance from Catholic

University of America, where he studied with Jody Gatwood and Robert Gerle. He has studied

Suzuki violin pedagogy with John Kendall and Ronda Cole. Mitch has also studied traditional

Irish fiddling with Brendan Mulvihill and participated in music festivals in Ireland over the last

five years.

He teaches violin and fiddle out of his home studio in the Forest Glen area of Silver Spring and

is on the music faculty at the Washington Waldorf School, home of “Pete Moss & The Bog

Band”, a group of middle school fiddler’s featured at last year’s Potomac Celtic Festival. Mitch

performs regularly at area sessions and ceili’s around town and at the Irish Inn in Glen Echo on

Monday nights.

When: July 7-11 (M– F, 9 am - 4 pm)

Where: Washington Waldorf School - 4800 Sangamore Road, Bethesda MD, 20816

Student Name: ________________________________________

Adult (circle) or Grade Completed: ______________________________

Parent Name(s): _______________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________

City/State/ZIP: _______________________________________

Phone(s): ______________________ ; Email: ____________________

Private Teacher Name (if any): ___________________________

Years of Study: ____________________; Age in July 2008: _______________

Tuition for CCE FiddleWeek 2008 is $395. A forty-five dollar ($45) discount is available to all

applicants who send in their registration and check postmarked by the early registration deadline

of April 30th, 2008. Please make your check payable to “Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.”

If you need financial assistance in order to participate, please check the box above and

information and an application for CCE’s Thomas M. Fitzpatrick II Memorial Scholarship Fund

will be sent to you. Be sure to include accurate and legible email and mailing address above.

Half Day Sessions? (private lessons not included)

Mornings, 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Enclosed is my payment of $250.

Afternoons, Noon to 4 p.m. Enclosed is my payment of $250.

_________________________________________________________________

Mitch Fanning, Director

CCE FiddleWeek 2008 Questions? Please call 301.565.3657

9824 Rosensteel Avenue or write: jmitchellf@yahoo.com