Here are some photos of my most recent three chanters.  One fully-keyed chanter in ebony, the other in black wood.  Can you tell the difference?  The chanter without keys is in Indian rosewood.

O'Flaherty's Retreat in October

Hello Folks,

I have been very busy in the shop this spring, and I will have some new photos to post, soon.
Also, in October I will be teaching reed-making at the O'Flaherty's retreat in Waxahachie, Texas.  Here is some info on the retreat:

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2013 O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat Announced

If you love learning and playing traditional Irish music and spending three days in a comfortable, scenic setting being saturated with great teaching and incredible performances sounds like a good idea, you might be interested in attending the 10^th annual O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat that will be held October 25-27, 2013 at the Lakeview Camp and Conference Center in Waxahachie, Texas, about 30 minutes south of Dallas. 

An exceptional lineup of instructors will teach including some of the finest musicians/instructors in the tradition, including Myron Bretholz – Bodhran; Pat Broaders – Bouzouki; Patty Furlong – Button Accordion (B/C & C#/D); Florence Fahy – Anglo Concertina; Brendan Mulvihill – Fiddle; Fergal Scahill – Fiddle; Liz Knowles – Fiddle; Patrick Ourceau – Fiddle; Laura Flanagan and Chris Buckley – Irish Fiddle Fundamentals; John Skelton – Flute; Josh Dukes – Guitar (DADGAD); Jeff Moore – Irish Guitar Fundamentals; Eileen Gannon – Harp; Rebekah Passmore – Irish Harp Fundamentals ; Marla Fibish – Mandolin; Jimmy Keane – Piano Accordion; Cathie Ryan – Singing; Enda Scahill – Tenor Banjo; Jonathan Milton – Irish Tinwhistle/Flute Fundamentals; and Kierann O’Hare – Uilleann Pipes.

In addition to the regular classes, there will be enrichment classes and workshops that address music history, learning by ear, reed making, Gaelic speaking and singing, ceili dancing, music theory, advanced techniques, Irish myths and folklore, session etiquette and more.

The retreat will officially begin on Thursday night, October 24th, with a “meet & greet” BBQ.  Classes start Friday morning and continue through Sunday late afternoon.  Each evening there will be concerts by instructors and mini-concerts during meals with a “farewell” concert on Sunday evening.  On the Saturday night program, there will be a “Texas Tune & Song Tussle” which features friendly competition among student ensembles that form at the retreat vying for “O’Diddley Awards.”  Sessions will be plentiful and organized by levels with some instructor-led and others not.

A variety of lodging options on campus will be available from Thursday evening through Sunday night including lodge rooms, bunkhouses (dorm beds), and RV sites.  Meals will be offered Thursday dinner through Monday breakfast.  The retreat will offer a shuttle service to and from the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport for $15 per trip per person at select times.

Tuition is $225 and just $135 for youth ages 11 to 18.  Tuition covers up to nine 90-minute core classes, three one-hour enrichment classes and three 90-minute workshops.   Meals, lodging and shuttle service may be reserved separately.  A limited number of scholarships are available for those requiring financial assistance. 

If you’re interested, visit the retreat’s website at  http://www.oflahertyretreat.org or call the retreat office at (972) 798-7890 or email info@oflahertyretreat.org.  Online registration begins May 4^th at 9 a.m.   Because there are caps on class sizes, early enrollment is recommended.

The O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat is produced by the Traditional Irish Music Education Society (TIMES), a 501 (c)(3) organization based in Richardson, Texas.  In addition to the retreat, TIMES also organizes the O’Flaherty Irish Music Youth Camp for children ages 5-17, the North Texas School of Irish Music, the TIMES Trad Camp and other Irish music education programs.