About Us - North Coast Trad

North Coast Trad Programme– 2020-2021

North Coast Trad is an independent traditional music club based in Portrush. We host weekly music classes in a number of instruments in St Patrick’s Primary School, Portrush. The classes will operate throughout three semesters in the year.

For more information phone: 07786084069

E-mail northcoasttrad@gmail.com

FEES FOR 2021 – 2022

Semester One September to December

Semester Two January- March

Semester Three April-June

One student (adult or child) – £80

Two students – £150

Three students – £220

Family Membership – £280 (four or more students, parents/ children)

Fees are payable at the beginning of each semester.

Fees include access to weekly classes, monthly sessions and guest sessions. They do not include admission to concerts and instrument loans.

North Coast Trad is a non-profit club which has no employees we pay our tutors on an hourly basis and our committee members are elected at our AGM. The committee members are also unpaid. As we rely on funding to operate, we greatly appreciate the support our members for fundraising.

During the semesters students are expected to attend all events as these are designed to develop the students’ musical knowledge and skills:

Music Lessons-Our classes are held in St Patrick’s Primary School in Portrush on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. We have classes for Whistle, Fiddle, Flute, Accordion, Singing, Bodhrán, Guitar and Pipes. We recommend that all junior students play whistle for at least a year before beginning another instrument. The classes allow students to work closely with a professional tutor learning the basic to advanced fundamentals of traditional music. The club will also facilitate examinations in traditional music from grade 1-8 through LCM, London College of Music. The examinations contribute towards the UCAS points scheme.
Monthly Sessions– Sessions are a central component for the learning and transmission of traditional music. As it is an oral tradition, many musicians pick up and learn their repertoire from both listening and playing in the session. We strive to create an inclusive fun environment in the club sessions, which is open to all ages and abilities. The session will be led by our tutors and are hosted in a child friendly space.
Concerts and Guest Sessions-Twice per semester students will be expected to attend concerts featuring established traditional musicians. Akin to the session, listening to an expert and learning from observation is crucial for the students’ musical development. The opportunity to hear some of the best musicians in Ireland is vital aspect for the preservation and promotion of traditional music. There may also be master classes if required and the ability levels are suitable.
Performance and Collaboration– Students will perform at least once a year in the end of year concert. Students will learn how to arrange music through playing in a group setting. They will also learn how to conduct themselves on stage and communicate effectively with their audience. These live concerts will involve playing through a PA system, which contributes towards musical development. North Coast Trad are in collaboration with Fasttrad which involves travelling to different events and supporting other clubs. Currently we are working on creating links with traditional festivals in Scotland.

We will provide parents and students with two Newsletters per semester. The Newsletter ensures that parents are informed and gives us an opportunity to celebrate our activities. Students should be brought to the entrance area of Mill Strand and the tutor will bring the students to their allocated classroom. We do not encourage parents to sit in the classes unless they are registered as a student. Children are expected to be dropped off and collected on time and that due respect is demonstrated to Mill Strand Primary School. All parts of the classroom must be left in the condition it was found. Furthermore, we expect all our students to behave and regular disruption to classes will not be tolerated.

A copy of our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website and to anyone on request. For our senior safeguarding officer contact: Martin, 07748530604.

Practice
Practice makes Perfect! It is an essential part of the students’ development; beginners should be aiming to practice for fifteen minutes per day. Our advanced students should be aiming for forty-five to sixty minutes per day. Students are expected to learn the tunes by heart and memorise the melodies. When the student learns five tunes and can play from memory they are awarded a certificate.