THE CENTER FOR IRISH MUSIC

Mission statement

The Center for Irish Music (CIM) is dedicated to handing down traditional Irish music to the next generation in our community. The vision of the school is to inspire and support the traditional Irish music community in the Twin Cities now and into the future.

General Background

In just over six years, the Center for Irish Music has grown into the Twin Cities’ leading gathering place for professional artists and musicians dedicated to the mission of handing down traditional Celtic music and song to the next generation.

The center was founded by professional musicians Kate and Jode Dowling, who recognized there were no formal educational programs to teach students traditional Irish music. The school first began in 2004 as a program of the St. Paul Conservatory of Music, but enthusiastic response from our students and a community of like-minded musicians soon helped CIM evolve into a thriving nonprofit community music school. From its humble beginnings of two instructors and five students, the CIM now employs 18 professional musicians, and serves more than 250 students of all ages with a year-long course schedule that includes everything from individual lessons in traditional Irish instruments to intergenerational “trad sessions,” and master workshops featuring world renowned Irish musicians.

Officially recognized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit community music school in 2008, the Center for Irish Music moved to its permanent home at the Celtic Junction in St. Paul in 2009, a new consortium of Irish cultural groups and classrooms that have made our programs more accessible to our core audience of Irish music lovers, and has enabled us to grow and engage a wider audience across the region.

Impact of CIM

The artistic impact forged by the Center for Irish Music can be seen in a number of ways:

• CIM programming brings the best of Irish music to St. Paul through its master classes and the Harvest Home Festival and Minnesota Irish Music Weekend, enhancing the Twin Cities' reputation as a hub for world-class Irish music and enhancing the depth of musical offerings to the community
• CIM offers instruction on endangered and revived instruments like wire strung harp and uilleann pipes making Minnesota a center for the revitalization of traditional Irish music.
• CIM supports its community of traditional Irish music instructors by providing artistic and financial opportunities. CIM instructors are passing on their artistic expertise through educational outreach, in new CD productions, and in community performances across the state.
• CIM reaches out to new and under-served audiences through educational demonstrations and performances at public events, areas schools, and nursing homes.

CIM in detail

The Center for Irish Music offers the highest-caliber traditional Irish music instruction in the State of Minnesota and arguably, across the country. We take a unique and comprehensive approach to educating our students and their families by offering a well-rounded curriculum in music instruction, cultural programming and performance opportunities.

First, we offer individual and group lessons in a plethora of traditional instruments – from fiddle to wire-strung harp to uilleann pipes, and more.

We also provide a context for the experience of learning traditional Irish music by offering complementary course programming including:

• Twice-monthly, intergenerational “trad” or traditional sessions where instructors, students and family members can gather and share music in a collaborative, supportive environment;
• Courses in traditional songs in Irish and English, so students can learn about Irish ballads and experience singing songs in Irish;
• Adult and student ensembles for more seasoned students to test their knowledge and experience the joy of performing for a wide audience;
• Summer camps where children can learn Irish mythology and adults can learn about topics such as Minnesota Irish Lumberjack songs from the mid-1800s.

Diverse, creative, rigorous, comprehensive, fun—these are just a few ways to describe the ever-expanding programming that the Center for Irish Music offers.