This article is from page 43 of the 2008-07-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 43 JPG
AS WE speak, a young Clare tra- ditional musician is mixing it with the very best in the world at the Blas Summer School in Limerick. Six- teen-year-old Ballyvaughan student Caoimhe Greene has spent the last 10 days playing with and learning from some of musical idols.
After spending her transition year work experience at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick Caoimhe was hooked. Finding no scholarships easily available, she set about taking matters into her own hands.
“After the work experience [| start-
ed making up a Blas music biogra- phy and sent it out to a few different places, just to see what would hap- pen. One of the organisations that I sent it to was Clare County Council and they got back to me and said that even though they don’t usually spon- sor scholarships, they would make an exception for me,’ said Caoimhe.
“We have a master-class each morn- ing with one of the lecturers. There are so many brilliant teachers down here. Then we have lectures before a lunchtime concert with some of the teachers. Then there are more classes and lesson in the evening.”
This year’s Blas features some of Ireland’s foremost musician includ-
ing Donal Lunny, Mairtin O’Connor, Steve Cooney, Iarla O Lionaird, Mar- tin Hayes and Dennis Cahill.
“Tt’s really amazing. Take today for example. I just had a two hour one- on-one lesson with Steve Cooney. Something like that is just unbeliev- able. A private lesson with Steve Cooney and he’s off to Glastonbury on Friday. You couldn’t dream it up,” continues Caoimhe.
“T love to get into music as a Ca- reer. If you look at the people who are here then it would have to be your aim to try and emulate what they are doing. I like trad and classical but I’d love to get into some jazzy music and different things like that.”
Some 70 students from all over the world are taking part in this years festival. Besides a large Irish con- tingent, students have travelled from Israel, Columbia, Finland, Russia, France, the UK and America to learn from Ireland’s best.
Caoimhe will continue her mu- sic lessons and concerts at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance until the Blas Summer School come to aclose later this week.