Ballyfermot College of Further Education will be expanding its Diploma in Irish Traditional Music Performance from September 2017 to include instrument-making.

The two-year Diploma for traditional musicians and singers, known as Ceoltóir, covers performance skills as well as technology, production and business. The new instrument-making course strand starting in September 2017 will be a one-year pilot project. It will be run in association with Na Píobairí Uilleann, who also run regular independent three-day courses in uilleann pipe-making at its PipeCraft Training Centre in Clonshaugh, Co. Dublin.

The course at BCFE will include three instrument strands, for uilleann pipes, flutes and whistles, with a maximum of 6 students in each. Tuition for the uilleann pipe strand will be provided by Na Piobairí Uilleann, while the flute and whistles strands will be taught by Hammy Hamilton. Students will have regular access to the workshop at PipeCraft, and the instruments created as part of the course will be used for performance as part of the Ceoltóir programme. 

Commenting on the new addition, course co-ordinator Paul McGrattan said:

We are very excited about this new project as we believe that it represents a unique opportunity in music education in Ireland. Our rationale is basically that the better the player the better the ability to voice and fine tune an instrument  and also that  an instrument maker who is  an accomplished performer is in a very strong position in terms of selling instruments.

This course aims to link the College’s long standing tradition of music performance with expert craftsmen to develop a group of musicians who have the ability to perform and to make musical instruments to a very high standard. We believe that this blend  will provide graduates with the skills necessary to develop a  sustainable lifelong career in music.

For further details, including information on how to apply, see PDF below or visit https://goo.gl/W7p5HR.

Watch a video on the establishment of Na Píobairí Uilleann’s PipeCraft centre below.