Cruinniú na bhFliúít was founded in 2006 in Baile Bhuirne, in the Muscraí Gaeltacht in South West Ireland.
Its main focus is to provide a unique, relaxed environment for teaching and sharing the music of the traditional Irish flute with enthusiasts from all over the globe. The Cruinniú consistently features the finest Irish flute teachers and performers in the world.
The festival is held during the second week of Easter each year. (beginning the Wednesday after Easter Sunday) with our students come from near and far with many returning year after year.
For those considering attending for the first time, here are some of the things you can expect:
Classes are aimed at intermediate and advanced students and take place over three mornings, Thursday to Saturday. Class numbers are small, with a maximum of twelve students per class. Students get to experience the teaching styles of each teacher over the three days of the Cruinniú.
· Unlike other teaching festivals, we don’t grade our classes. We believe a student’s/musician’s holistic understanding of the tradition, and the wooden flute’s place in it, is of greater importance than technical ability. We’ve found over the years that every student takes something different from each class, regardless of their level. So, there’s no pressure to prove your ability on day one!
· While new tunes are of course taught at Cruinniú na bhFliúít, our emphasis is more on expanding the student’s awareness of how the music is played, broadening technical abilities, helping to enrich how you play the repertoire you already know. Many a tune, both old and new, are shared between students and teachers in our music sessions every evening.
The festival also includes:
· Lectures on many diverse aspects of the flute in the Irish tradition
· Concerts and showcases, featuring some of the best performers, old and new, in the Irish traditional flute world
· Open discussions and Q & As involving everyone
· Interviews, both live and recorded with significant figures in the flute tradition Opportunities to engage with other related flute traditions
launches of relevant books and recordings
And last but certainly not least…
· The Saturday night Fluter’s Ball is a highlight of the festival. It features the week’s flute teachers, visiting flute players, all experienced over delicious local food and drink.
We look forward every year to welcoming all our students, teachers, lecturers, and performers, both new and regular visitors down through the years.
We hope to see you soon.