If you have ever thought about trying your hand at playing the bodhrán, this course is for you.

Students who don’t own a bodhrán but are interested in exploring the instrument are encouraged to join the class. Everyone may experience the drum by making friends with the staff at their local pizzeria. Get an unused, medium-size pizza box as a stand-in for a drum. A half-inch wooden dowel 9 – 11 inches long can serve as a cipín [variously called tipper, beater, or striker]. A cardboard pizza box won’t hold up for long. However, it will provide a means to understand the movements required in playing a bodhrán. From there you can make an informed decision about whether or not to buy a drum.

The class will demonstrate the basic skills required to master the instrument: how to hold the drum and cipín how to strike the drum, playing the essential reel and jig rhythms, how to make a cheap drum sound great, and what to look for when buying a drum. Students will have access to a website with handouts that support the class. If you can count to 9, turn a door knob, and shake water off your hands, odds are you can master the bodhrán.

NOTE: This class is available in Traditions Weeks 1 and 3.