In place of physical Celtic Connections workshops, GFW have 18 online events over 3 weekends during January.
Tickets at £10 per event, plus booking fee, are available now using the Eventbrite links below each class description.
| Sat 16th Jan | Instrument | Content |
| Sat 16th Jan | Whistle | For Early Level Players |
| 10:30-12:00 | Whistle (D) | Learn a couple of simple common session tunes at an easy going pace. We'll cover some basic ornamentation and look at some ideas for variations in the tunes. All of these things put together will show you how to make these traditional melodies sound alive and exciting! |
| Tutor | Sean Gray | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 16th Jan | Nigel’s Big Session | For Improver Players of over a year |
| 13:00-14:30 | Mixed Instrument Session | In this workshop we’ll not only learn a couple of tunes but we will examine them to see what makes them tick, and explore what learning one tune can teach us about learning others. |
| Tutor | Nigel Gatherer | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 16th Jan | Ukulele School A | For Improver Players |
| 15:30-17:00 | Tips & Techniques | A workshop with a lot of little things to add to your enjoyment in playing the Ukulele. A strum, a shuffle, a line, a lick will add that bit of magic and lift your playing above your current standard. |
| Tutor | Finlay Allison | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 17th Jan | Instrument | Content |
| Sun 17th Jan | 5-String Banjo | For All 5-String Banjo Players |
| 10:30-12:00 | Introduction to Bluegrass Banjo Picking Styles | A fun Bluegrass workshop with Garry, demonstrating various picking styles including The 3 Finger Earl Scruggs style and much more. Get a thumbpick and two finger picks and you’re all set to play along! |
| Tutor | Garry McFadden | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 17th Jan | Fiddle Class A | For Upper Intermediate/Advanced players |
| 13:00-14:30 | Strathspeys - in many styles | "Strathspeys - one tune type - many styles” One the most diverse tune types around, delve into a variety of Strathspey styles from North East to Highland to Perthshire and Cape Breton. With practical advice on how to play Strathspeys in a variety of ways using sections of several tunes. |
| Tutor | Daniel Thorpe | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 17th Jan | Fiddle Class B | For Upper Intermediate / Advanced Players |
| 15:30-17:00 | Beyond the Tune | A session on creating a toolbox for how to approach tunes, including how to make a melody more musical using dynamics, tonal and rhythm changes, harmonies and chords. |
| Tutor | Emma Tomlinson | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 23rd Jan | Instrument | Content |
| Sat 23rd Jan | Guitar | For Early Level Players |
| 10:30-12:00 | with | Learn how to play along to a folk song or melody in a variety of ways. We'll cover the basic chords and strumming patterns as well as adding some simple variations on both to make for some interesting arrangements. |
| Tutor | Sean Grey | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 23rd Jan | Ceilidh Band | For Improver and above Players |
| 13:00-14:30 | with | A typical programme of basic dances used at a Ceilidh. Suitable tunes and music with Melody and Chords for each Dance. |
| Tutor | John Carmichael | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 23rd Jan | Ukulele School B | For Early Level Players |
| 15:30-17:00 | First Steps In Ukulele |
Even if you only know a very few chords you can raise your game with this fun workshop for players at an early stage of playing |
| Tutor | Finlay Allison | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 24th Jan | Instrument | Content |
| Sun 24th Jan | Cello | For All Cello Players |
| 10:30-12:00 | with | Have you ever wanted to make up your own bass line to play along with your tune playing pals? Come and learn some tools and tricks for stitching together a bass line for traditional tunes. We will talk chords and rhythmic patterns and some golden rules of accompaniment |
| Tutor | Trish Strain | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 24th Jan | Fiddle Class C | For Intermediate Players |
| 13:00-14:30 | Jigs & Reels | Some of the most fun tunes to play are the fast ones.....learn how to improve your speed, rhythm and timing whilst learning a couple of new tunes! |
| Tutor | Daniel Thorpe | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 24th Jan | Fiddle Class D | For Intermediate and above Players |
| 15:30-17:00 | Fiddle Gym | Fiddle Technique and Healthy Practise. Topics will include, how to relax when playing, connecting with your bow, tuning exercises and how to improve your tone as well as more advanced techniques such as vibrato and shifting positions. |
| Tutor | Emma Tomlinson | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 30th Jan | Instrument | Content |
| Sat 30th Jan | Mandolin | For Intermediate Players (all welcome) |
| 10:30-12:00 | With |
In this one-off workshop Laura-Beth will teach a popular tune from the exciting modern Glasgow session repertoire. This will include mandolin techniques and accompaniment styles along the way. Aimed at intermediate level learners, but all welcome. |
| Tutor | Laura-Beth Salter | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 30th Jan | Tenor (4-string) Banjo | For Intermediate Players |
| 13:00-14:30 | in GDAE tuning | From old pipe jigs to newly composed reels, this workshop will offer practical advice from Celine on playing techniques and ornamentation. |
| Tutor | Celine Donoghue | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sat 30th Jan | Ukulele School C | For Intermediate Players |
| 15:30-17:00 | One Step Beyond; Higher Up the Fingerboard |
Chord voicings can change the mood and colour of your music. This workshop for confident players will open up the potential of your ukulele and take you out of the first position and up to the dusty end of the fingerboard. |
| Tutor | Finlay Allison | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 31st Jan | Instrument | Content |
| Sun 31st Jan | Ukulele | For Improver Players |
| 10:30-12:00 | Strum & Sing | An easy and fun singalong session with the chance to play the chords you know with the songs you know. Amy and Brodie, two exciting young ukulele tutors will lead you through an enjoyable programme of great songs with chords on screen as you play. |
| Tutor | Amy & Brodie | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 31st Jan | Fiddle Class E | For Beginner / Improver Players |
| 13:00-14:30 | Build your Confidence | Learning fiddle can be a daunting experience and a difficult journey.....come and join in to build your confidence and learn some simple tunes alongside practical techniques to improve your playing and therefore (hopefully!) your enjoyment. |
| Tutor | Daniel Thorpe | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |
| Sun 31st Jan | Fiddle Class F | For Intermediate and above Players |
| 15:30-17:00 | “C” String Club | Tunes for Violas and 'Cellos – Learn how to adapt tunes to fit your instrument, how to accompany, as well as tips on finding tunes that work well for instruments with a C string. |
| Tutor | Emma Tomlinson | Click here for link to Eventbrite ticketing |