Andee's week March 31 - April 6

I decided I would do a quick intro to myself since there may be new members joining us who don't know me.  .

I took lessons with Kathy DeAngelo for 10 years.  About 7 years into those lessons they became, for the most part fiddle lessons.  During this time I met Lucy and Laura who were also taking lessons with Kathy.  I lived in Philadelphia at the time, but 6 years ago I moved to Leeds, England (married a Brit).

I do miss all my old harp friends!  This little group will not only boost me to practice more but I love that it has re-connected me to some old friends and also new friends will be made, I'm sure!

My repertoire is 99% Irish , a sprinkling of Scottish, and a few bits and pieces.   Mike and I go to a regular open mic night (acoustic and very folk-friendly) which keeps me practicing, updating, and revising my repertoire.  In summer we go to Kilfenora, West Clare for 2 weeks and it's full-on sessions (but my fiddling needs to be brought back up to that standard again), hopefully this year I'll be able to participate a bit more in the sessions.  Mike plays guitar and mandolin.

Sunday  Getting a fair bit practiced today.  Besides much of what I practiced last week I also had a run through of Miss Hamilton, All Around the Faery Fort / The New Broom, Carolan's Concerto, Down By the Salley Gardens / Kitty's Wedding.  Mike played with me for a while on some new ones and a few old ones and had some good suggestions for me regarding alternate chords, as well as tempo and emphasis.  He's good like that!

Wednesday  Ahhhhh!  What have I done?  I've decided to compete in the Northern Regional Comhaltas Fleadh!  I didn't even know it was happening (this Saturday! Right here in Leeds!) until a new acquaintance of mine told me.  I sort of decided on the spot I'd do it.

So that gives me 3 evenings (after work) to decide which tunes I'm doing and to practice.  Tonight I spent about an hour going through stuff.  So far I've decided to do Cooley's Hornpipe, either All Around the Faery Fort (barndance) *or* O'Sullivan's March, for a reel it's a choice between Kitty's Gone a Milking, The Temperance Reel, or the Morningstar Reel, and my fourth piece will be Were You at the Rock?.

I'll have Mike help me decide which pieces to do out of my choices.

I am terrified and excited.  Kathy says, "Just have fun" but I don't think it will be fun--but it will be an experience that's for sure!

Thursday  Was coughing a lot a work, getting a bit worried.  By the time I got home I ate something and got straight into bed.  Called out sick on Friday which I never do.  Coughing, sneezing. achey, fever, headache, the whole shebang.  It's now Saturday morning (the day of the fleadh) and I'm feeling a lot better, can actually get out of bed but lost my practice time Thursday and Friday night.  Plus still not nearly 100% better.

Yeah only 3 days to get nervous about it was kind of nice.  But I will do it next year and so now I have a year to prepare and a year to get nervous about it!  I really do want to do it, I hope they hold it in Leeds next year as well.