Workshops & Leading sessions
Round the House members teach a variety of workshops, engaging the participants and providing useful handouts at every workshop. Round the House members are all strong session players and can create a lively and inclusive music scene for your group or event. Dave Firestine is widely recognized as a jam/session leader. Both he and Sharon will welcome people, encourage musicians of all levels, and bring everyone up to tempo. We have taught a variety of workshops and led sessions at the following festivals:
North Texas Irish Festival, Dallas, Texas
California Traditional Music Summer Solstice Festival, Calabasas, California
Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, Durango, Colorado
Tucson Folk Festival, Tucson, Arizona
Tucson Highland Games and Celtic Festival, Tucson, Arizona
Dance in the Desert Contra Dance Camp, Oracle, Arizona
May Madness Contra Dance Camp, Prescott, Arizona
Sharlot Hall Folk Festival, Prescott, Arizona
Bandology 101
Round the House
A practical workshop for new and established bands that covers the basics skills needed to be a success. The workshop presenters will address the specific interests of the participants including the following topics: Creating a distinctive band sound/identity, arranging songs and tune sets, roles of melody, harmony, rhythm, dynamics and chordal accompaniment, musical communication, organizing sets for flow and to showcase individual strengths, nuts and bolts of band business, basic amplification/sound equipment.
Mandolin, Bouzouki, Irish banjo
Dave Firestine
Dave is an enthusiastic and excellent teacher who can adeptly tailor each workshop to the needs of the participants. In workshops, he emphasizes pick direction, precision in your playing, learning new tunes, and how to have fun at whatever level you are playing. Workshops can focus on melody and/or accompaniment. He can also highlight Irish, old time or contra dance styles. Several different workshops can be offered at a single festival, each one focusing on different elements of playing these instruments.
Fiddle – Fiddle Basics, Irish Fiddle, Accompanying Irish Dancers (all instruments)
Sharon Goldwasser
Sharon’s fiddle workshops draw on a broad knowledge of tunes, style and technique. Her general workshop focuses on topics such as tune choice, tempos, style variations, and playing in different traditions (old time versus Irish). Introduction to Irish fiddle covers basics of Irish style fiddling, including bowing, ornamentation, and variation. For beginner workshops, discussions include how to let go of a classical note-reading approach to become more of a traditional fiddler.
Irish songs and vocal technique
Claire Zucker
Claire offers two very different workshops to festival goers. In her Irish songs workshop (accompanied by Mark), she charmingly interweaves the history of Ireland and it’s impact on Irish song development with group singing accessible to all. In Claire’s vocal technique workshop, she helps participants learn techniques that help add proficiency, while maintaining the traditional style of the singer. Emphasis is on breath control, focussing tone, head and chest voice, the role of certain consonants and vowels, and traditional song performance. Lyrics are included in the workshop handouts.
Mandolin, Bouzouki, Guitar
Mark Robertson-Tessi
Mark teaches various topics on these instruments, including basic and advanced instrument techniques, melodic playing and variations, harmony and accompaniment, and basic music theory. The workshops can be tailored to the interests of the participants. Several different workshops can be offered at a single festival, each one focusing on different elements of playing these instruments.
Bodhran
Claire Zucker and/or Dave Firestine
Claire and Dave help participants with their drumming mastery. They discuss consistent beater direction, different drumming rhythms (reels, jigs, hornpipes, slides and slip jigs), syncopation, creating tones with the back hand, and session etiquette.
Music Arrangement
Mark Robertson-Tessi
Mark offers ideas on how to arrange traditional music in unique and creative ways, using instrumentation, vocals, and musical interpretation as a guide. Elements of the workshop include consideration of variation, form, rhythm, harmony, and texture.
Growing your band
Sharon Goldwasser and Claire Zucker
Claire and Sharon team up to teach a lively and fact-filled workshop on building your band from the ground up. They discuss creating promotional materials, identifying your market, choosing venues, networking to get gigs, working with a band and much more.
Clogging
Claire Zucker (Round the House provides music)
Claire teaches attendees the basics of Appalachian style flat foot style clogging. She also covers matching clogging rhythms to the music and the connection between clogging and sean nós (old style) Irish step dancing.
Community and Contra Dancing
Claire Zucker
Claire leads a fun-filled community dance workshop for all ages and abilities. She adjusts her dance selection based on the group and can include contra dances, American country dances, family dances, ceili dances and waltzes. Claire also teaches a calling workshop and a workshop on zesty dance tips. Her enthusiastic rapport with people makes even non-dancers feel welcome.
