Celtic Session
We offer a free Celtic Session every second Saturday of the month,
From 10 AM - 1 PM.
Come enjoy Celtic music in a supportive, learning, non-alcoholic environment.
This is not a slow-session, nor is it a high-speed session. We use sheet-music and a carefully curated list of of tunes to help musicians become more familiar with Irish and Scottish music. Some of the best musicians in Roanoke come to this session to learn, to teach, and to help everyone grow.
Session Tune List
This is our tune list. This list has been carefully curated to provide beginner and intermediate students a good foundation of tunes they can quickly learn. It also features some local favorites.
A great resource for finding sheet music for Celtic tunes is thesession.org.
Tunes
Hornpipes
Chief O'Neill's Favourite
Harvest Home
The Galway
Humours of Tullycrine
King of the Fairies
Rights of Man
Sailor's
Jigs and Slip Jigs
Athol Highlanders
Butterfly
Donnybrook Fair
Father O'Flynn
Gallagher's Frolics
Jig of Slurs
Kesh
Kilfenora
Killavil
Morrison's
Out on the Ocean
Road to Lisdoonvarna
Swallowtail
Three Sea Captains
Polkas and Marches
Ballydesmond #1
Ballydesmond #2
Ballydesmond #3
Britches Full of Stitches
Denis Murphy's
Gypsy Princess
I'll Tell Me Ma
John Ryan's
Newmarket
O'Carolan's Concerto
Rakes of Mallow
Reels
Ashplant
Blair Athol
Boys of Malin
Castle Kelly
Cooley's
Drowsy Maggie
Father Kelly's
Gravel Walks
Jackie Coleman's
Silver Spear
Silver Spire
Tam Lin
Tongadale
Turnpike
Shetland Fiddler
Wind that Shakes the Barley
Waltzes
Crested Hens
Dark Island
Eagle's Whistle
Fanny Power
Planxty Irwin
Si Bheag, Si Mhor
Some Points of Etiquette
A Celtic Session is a fun thing to watch and participate in. Here are some pointers to make sure everyone enjoys themselves as much as possible. Some of these rules are typical for most sessions you'll find across Ireland, Scotland, and the USA. Others are particular to this session.
Understanding these rules will also help you enjoy other sessions all over Ireland, Scotland, and the US!
The rules of our session
If it’s someone’s turn, don’t ask them if they know “XYZ” tune. Let them choose.
We use sheet music at this session. Not every session approves of using sheet music; ours does.
You can always ask someone else to play “XYZ” tune when it’s YOUR turn. Not on theirs
Watch your tempo. Try to maintain the same tempo the song leader sets.
If you are only watching, please do not request tunes.
If you can’t sightread well, or if you don’t know the tune well, don’t try to figure it out as you go. Listen, don’t noodle.
At this session, harmonizing is encouraged, but only if you KNOW what you’re doing. Again, no noodling.
Do not touch or play instruments that are not your own without an invitation.
If someone is singing a song, keep accompaniment to a minimum, and to a low volume. Singers will usually ask one or two people to join them. If the singer did not invite you to accompany them, don't take it personally. Just listen and enjoy