About The Website:
My hope is that by using this site a musician will have all of the tools needed to get started as a feis musician.
This website grew out of a necessity to convey information during the Covid-19 lockdown to an advanced fiddle student who was interested in learning how to play for Irish dancers. I started brainstorming and focusing on what a musician needs to know in order to play for a feis. I found, upon researching online, that there was no website which was tailored specifically to the education of feis musicians. It was equally difficult to find recorded and written versions of the music that is required for playing the feis all compiled into one place online.
Learning how to play for feiseanna is an oral tradition that’s usually organically learned by hours of being at feiseanna observing other feis musicians and dancers in action. Covid-19 lockdown halted all large public gatherings, so I’ve been forced to be inventive in order to continue passing on the tradition until things return back to normal.
About The Author:
Heather Lewin is a professional musician and teacher (violin, viola, cello, vocals) in the Milwaukee area. She currently teaches for the Milwaukee Irish Fest School of Music and performs with local Irish bands Athas and Blackthorn Folly. Heather is a two-time Midwest Fleadh Cheoil champion, has twice competed in the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, and also adjudicates music competitions at feiseanna. She loves playing for dancers and has been playing for feiseanna for about 20 years.
The Musicians Guide To Feis 