The Tucson Irish Music Showcase was conceived in an effort to highlight the talented traditional Irish Music artists in the Tucson area. The inaugural showcase was in February 2024 at The Live Theater Workshop in Tucson, AZ. Over 24 artists performed a variety of songs, instrumental tunes and dance to a sellout crowd. The second Showcase held February 2025 was another full house and featured even more musicians and dancers from the region bringing a crowd of over 400 to the Berger Center for the Performing Arts.

Katie will guide students through basic bodhrán techniques and rhythms in this workshop—perfect for those new to the drum or looking to build a solid foundation. All levels welcome.

Introductory Penny Whistle Class for beginners-improver. No previous experience necessary. Students should have a Penny/Tin Whistle in the Key of D. Instruction will cover basic fundamentals of holding, breathing, fingering, notes, scales and several tunes to include John Brosnan's Polka. All levels welcome.

This workshop will be open to both musicians and listeners who’d like to get an inside look at how sessions work. This workshop will combine discussion and a chance to play with others. Any traditional instruments are welcome, but musician participants should have a repertoire of at least 20 tunes you are able to play comfortably without reference to sheet music. The goal of the class will be to explore how to feel more comfortable when joining in at an Irish session, and for more experienced players, how to get more out of your session experience. We’ll combine playing and listening with discussion and will delve into some of the more esoteric aspects of session etiquette. Recommended reading/ listening ahead of time is this podcast presented by Shannon Heaton: https://shannonheatonmusic.com/episode-71-missed-manners/.

The singing working shop is open to all beginners intermediate and advanced singers. We will lead a few songs get to know each other and the Irish culture of singing. We will even get to sing a little in the Irish language. The emphasis will be on equal participation and not those with exceptional voices. Open to all and inclusive. The teacher grew up in Ireland and her father owned one of the best singing pubs in Ireland. Mairead had returned to Ireland over the years and taken classes with great Irish singers such as Rosie Steward.

Discover the timeless beauty of Turlough O'Carolan's music in this welcoming workshop, open to all instruments and skill levels. Together we'll explore his rich blend of Irish tradition and Baroque influence through accessible tunes and thoughtful arrangements. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned player, you'll leave inspired by the melodies of Ireland's most beloved harper-composer.

Mike is the teacher for the Irish class during the Irish showcase weekend. He has studied Irish for more than a couple years now. He has taken classes on Inis Oirr, at Oideas Gael but primarily from the Irish Language classes supported by Friends of Irish Studies in the West. He is strongest with the Munster dialect.

The class will be at an introductory level, but will progress further than simple greetings. We will have just a touch of grammar about sentence structure, look at short list of vocabulary, and practice speaking with a scripted dialogue and time permitting, practice using a preposition. Bígí linn.

For beginner to intermediate students with basic knowledge of their instrument who can competently play a 2 octave G major scale with and without slurs. We’ll be reviewing important foundations of posture, bow hold, and left hand technique; the fundamentals of learning tunes, how to make bowing choices, and the implementation of ornamentations. Together we’ll be working on the Jig commonly known as Out On the Ocean.

The class will use tune teaching to demonstrate and work on topics such as fingering, ornamentation, tune phrasing, and bellows control. Tips for tune learning, practicing, and playing in sessions will also be covered as time allows. The ability to play a few tunes and a strong working knowledge of your concertina’s layout are recommended for full participation. Listeners are also welcome.

This workshop is good for any guitarist who wants to be a better accompanist for Irish music. Students should be able to play chords and strum, but the better you play guitar already, the more you will get out of the workshop. In the workshop, Keith will demystify such things as modes, alternate chords, moving bass lines, melody mirroring, passing chords, and strumming rhythms for reels, jigs and hornpipes. Keith always emphasizes the eclectic, improvisational nature of Irish guitar accompaniment.

Irish Ceili Dance followed by an open Trad Session. All levels of dancers' welcome. No prior experience necessary. Trad musician participants should have a traditional folk instrument. All levels welcome. Ceili tickets may be purchased at the door.