Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present, Sensing the Future

Gael Music is a new organisation that was set up in 2006 to promote understanding and appreciation of traditional music amongst people of all ages but particularly the young and to help more schools become aware of the benefits this genre can offer children who may have not yet found a voice within existing music services.

We provide taster sessions and beginner workshops for all ages on a range of folk related instruments including, pennywhistle, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, clasarch harp and uilléann pipes, masterclass sessions and courses for existing or accomplished music students on violin, piano and guitar whilst also running an academy for musically gifted children who find their way us through our work in schools.

Our teaching methodology is simple “Music Is Fun.” Students are encouraged to practice only when they want to, to play in groups as much as possible and to form friendships across existing boundaries that provide an element of social cohesion to their experience of playing music.

Examples of our learning materials are available to download from this site and we offer music theory to students who request it but as we represent an aural music tradition virtually all of our music is taught by ear. This is both an inclusive way to work with children who may not have engaged with structured music tuition in the past and as an effective means for developing ‘readers’ and new areas of their musical ability.

Aurally based music traditions that are both complex in design and inclusive in nature have been passed forward for thousands of years as a means of binding people together and providing us with that which we need above all things, the sense that we are part of a community. This is perhaps our purpose whilst music is merely our means.

Our track record is excellent, including regular funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, The Scottish Arts Council, The Performing Rights Society Foundation, The Berkshire Community Foundation, Slough and Bracknell Forest Borough Councils, The British Council and Visiting Arts and we have made the most of previous investment, creating opportunities for professional performers and young people from a background of folk and traditional music to work with organisation such as The London Jazz Festival, The London Philharmonic, the BBC, English National Opera and The Royal Opera House. Whilst showing the capacity and imagination to make a real impact with the investment we have received without support from public bodies and local businesses our work would not be possible at all. We now aim to build on recent successes to fulfil our wider ambitions of tackling existing barriers that stop people engaging with the traditional arts.