EDUCATION:
Music Lessons
Come and engage with traditional instruments and music through our weekly classes for all ages and levels of ability. Children aged 8+ are welcome in our classes and we offer a range of youth music and dance scholarships. Contact us with any questions!
Irish Traditional Instruments
Bodhrán Lessons
The ICC is delighted to run a social and fun Bodhrán club for beginners. Improvers are also welcome! Classes are taught by Oisin Cooke who is a talented multi instrumentalist.
Please bring your own instrument.
About Oisin:
Born and raised in Birmingham, Oisín found his music at a young age. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Oisín has played with everything from blues and rock bands, to indie and folk music projects. Eventually finding his way back to his Irish roots, Oisín took to Irish music on the flute, and quickly became a well known session player. Having spent the last 5 years as part of a successful Irish pub band in the Midlands, Oisín recently moved to London and can already be found as an integral part of the Irish session scene, whilst also working on his debut album which he hopes to release next year.
Tutor Oisin Cooke
Date 13th January- 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: 11AM - 12.00PM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £115/£105
Banjo & Mandolin Lessons
The ICC are pleased to offer a group learning class in banjo and mandolin tuition. There are opportunities in these sessions for group practice and playing. We encourage anyone interested in learning a new skill to join.
Classes are suitable for adults and children aged 8+.
Tutor Mick O'Connor
Date 13th January - 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: 11.00AM- 1.00PM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £125/£115
Concertina Lessons
We offer concertina tuition on Saturdays. Open to complete beginners and all other levels of experience. Lessons are usually tailored to the level of the group majority.
Please note that it is the C/G Anglo 30 key Concertina that is played in Irish music. Any make of concertina is fine for the lessons as long as it is an instrument with this layout.
Available from 8 years+.
About Caitlin Mannion
With Irish roots in Donegal and Galway, Caitlin grew up in London and began playing music and learning music theory, at a young age. Now a multi-instrumentalist with an extended diploma in music production & performance, and studying music production & sound engineering at university, Caitlin is frequently playing at gigs and sessions. The concertina was her fourth instrument that she picked up which she also self-taught, her interest in the concertina grew as time passed to which she now considers it one of her main instruments alongside the fiddle. With experience in teaching, she ensures that her students feel comfortable with their instrument and what they are learning. Sheet music with both musical symbols & ABC notation will be provided, with learning by ear encouraged, as well as information sheets on the instrument, tune history, and practice recordings given.
Tutor Caitlin Mannion
Date 13th January - 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: Beginners -11.30am, Intermediate 12.30PM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £120/£105
Whistle Lessons (Online)
The ICC are pleased to offer a online class in whistle tuition. There are opportunities in these sessions for group practice and playing. We encourage anyone interested in learning a new skill to join.
Classes are suitable for adults and children aged 8+.
Specific lessons will be held in person and will be agreed on in class.
Beginner: 10am - 11am
Intermediate: 11am - 12pm
Advanced: 1pm - 2pm
Tutor Jacquelyn Hynes
Date 13th January- 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: 10.00AM- 2.00PM
Venue Online
Cost £125/£115
Fiddle Classes
We offer Fiddle tuition on Saturdays. There are morning mixed level sessions from 10am and afternoon mixed level sessions from 12 noon - with an opportunity in both sessions for group practice and playing.
A brief outline of the fiddle course content*
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For beginners, there will be everything you need to get you started from scratch - includes colour coded charts and video
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Learning by ear is taught and encouraged
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Sheet music provided in a variety of forms to suit your needs e.g. ABC notation
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More experienced players will have the opportunity to play along in a session (of an appropriate level)
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Set building sessions are provided for advanced players
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History of traditional fiddle music
Lessons take place within the setting of a beautiful library filled with mountains of information about Irish music.
*For a comprehensive syllabus, please contact [email protected]
Class times:
Classes between 10am - 2pm
Online Classes also available on Tuesday Evenings - please email [email protected] for details on this class.
Available from 8 years+.
Tutor Michael Sweeney
Date 13rd January - 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: 10AM - 2.00PM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £105 - £135
Harp Lessons
The ICC are pleased to offer an intimate group learning class in harp tuition. The class is open to complete beginners and post beginners and will explore a range of beautiful traditional pieces each term.
About Tara Viscardi
Hailing from the Beara Peninsula in the South-West of Ireland, Tara Viscardi is an Irish traditional, baroque and classical harpist. First prize winner of the 2021 London Camac Harp Competition, Tara has performed and recorded in venues including Wigmore Hall, Abbey Road Studios, the Irish Cultural Centre, the London Irish Centre, the Irish Embassy London, Áras an Uachtaráin, the National Concert Hall Dublin and the Mansion House in London and Dublin. She has featured at festivals including the 2023 Cairde na Cruite International Festival for Irish Harp, Bloomsbury Festival, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, 13th World Harp Congress Hong Kong, Harp on Wight International Festival, 2022 Dutch Harp Festival World Music Competition and the 2023 Wales International Harp Festival, where she was a prize winner in the World Music Competition. A graduate of the Royal College of Music London, Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado Milan and TU Dublin Conservatoire, she holds a Master of Music in Performance (Distinction), Postgraduate Diploma in Harp Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Performance (Honours).
Tara was a recipient of the 2022 Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award, which enabled her to commence studies in the Italian baroque triple harp with Dr Siobhán Armstrong, and was featured at the 14th World Harp Congress, Cardiff performing her original compositions for traditional harp and flute paired with chamber music by 19th and 20th century female composers. Passionate about outreach and education, she is Administrator for Irish Heritage, the harp teacher at Junior King’s School Canterbury and very much looks forward to joining the ICC as harp tutor from September. In 2021, Tara’s early music/folk group Nobody’s Jig held the Wigmore Learning/Royal Academy of Music Fellowship, delivering workshops and performances as part of the Wigmore Learning outreach programme.
Tutor Tara Viscardi
Date 10th January - 20th March (Half term February)
Times Wednesdays: 6.00PM - 7.00PM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £115/£105
Flute Lessons (Online)
The ICC are pleased to offer a online class in flute tuition. There are opportunities in these sessions for group practice and playing. We encourage anyone interested in learning a new skill to join.
Classes are suitable for adults and children aged 8+.
Specific lessons will be held in person and will be agreed on in class.
Tutor Jacquelyn Hynes
Date 13th January - 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: 1.00PM- 2.00PM
Venue Online and In centre (specific dates to be agreed.)
Cost £125/£115
Backers club
(How to accompany Irish Traditional Music)
with Oisin Cooke.
These lessons will cover:
- Basic knowledge of keys played in Irish music
- Colour coded system of learning keys and progressions
- Rhythm techniques and dynamics
- Tune/melody studying from an accompanists perspective
- History of backing styles in traditional Irish music
Instruments that can be covered will be:
- Guitar (DADGAD tuning)
- Bouzouki (GDAD tuning)
Students will be able to choose an instrument they want to focus on. Except for the piano, they must come in with their own instrument.
About Oisin
Born and raised in Birmingham, Oisín found his music at a young age. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Oisín has played with everything from blues and rock bands, to indie and folk music projects. Eventually finding his way back to his Irish roots, Oisín took to Irish music on the flute, and quickly became a well known session player. Having spent the last 5 years as part of a successful Irish pub band in the Midlands, Oisín recently moved to London and can already be found as an integral part of the Irish session scene, whilst also working on his debut album which he hopes to release next year.
Tutor Oisin Cooke
Date 13th January - 23rd March (Half term 17th February)
Times Saturdays: 10AM - 11.00AM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £115/£105
Singing
Our singing classes focus on the harmony of group singing using Irish songs and ballads. If you are interested in finding out how to use your voice safely as a singer and explore your musicality, this is the class for you. It is also a great way to meet people and there will be lots of public performance opportunities!
Caroline Regan is a professional, experienced singing and music teacher and performer. 
She holds a Masters Degree in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick and a Diploma in Contemporary Vocal Performance from the ICMP in London.
Caroline takes group lessons that teach a mixture of Irish traditional songs and ballads along with basic harmonies and vocal warm-up exercises. She is patient and encouraging with students.
Tutor Caroline Regan
Date 9th January - 19th March (Half term 17th February)
Times Tuesdays: 7.00PM - 9.00PM
Venue Irish Cultural Centre
Cost £115/£105
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