Celtic Music through the Violin/Fiddle

Celtic Music through Violin/Fiddle gives a survey of traditional fiddle music of the Celtic isles, and then extends to the modern music of today’s age, which modifies the old while retaining the vibrancy of the traditional styles. The Celtic lands include Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany, Galicea and Asturias (North Atlantic coast of Spain), and Cape Breton Island (East Coast of Canada). All the instruments used are described, including Fiddle, Flute/tin whistle, Accordian/Concertina, Bagpipes, Uilleann pipes, and border pipes, and the types of tunes – Jigs, slip jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas and strathspeys (Scotland), and vocal music, in England and Gaelic. Michael demonstrates this music on the fiddle and augments his playing with the listening of recordings, all of which demonstrates the diverse styles of fiddling in Celtic music, such as the north and south of Ireland, and Scotland. He shares stories of his studies of fiddle music and about his teachers. Michael has himself composed Celtic tunes based on Indian ragas, and other examples of fusion in the music today, such as the Indian/Celtic, are also shown.

Michael gave this presentation, called Celtic Music: A Lecture Demonstration, focusing on the Celtic fiddle tradition in Scotland and Ireland, at Hofstra University on March 6, 2013. The talk was part of the Music of the World course of Professor Francesca Cassio, sponsored by the D’Addario Music Appreciation Initiative.

Indian Music with the Violin

Indian Music with the Violin gives an overview of the system of Indian ragas, its theory and practice. Michael demonstrates on the violin and voice, and the presentation includes an overview of influential Indian violinists in the Hindustani/North Indian tradition. Explained is the basic theory of Indian music, the notes used in ragas, its melody and rhythm, and how these elements are combined, bringing out the meditative and emotive quality of this music.

Ragas: Emotion, Meditation and Health was the name of a presentation given in a series of four meetings, at the Pace University in the Adult and Continuing Education division in 2002. The course covered the theory and practice of Indian music, and its application to health and meditation. The titles of the four meetings were: What is a raga and how does it feel: Emotion and Meditation; the World of Ragas; Ragas and Health; Ragas and other World music and the rhythms of ragas.