The Vernacular Music Center
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Next House Concert, Nov 27

11/11/2012

3 Comments

 
  • For immediate release. Please feel free to download, forward, and post. Apologies for any cross-postings.

    Nov 27: Harvest Dance Party with the TTU VMC & the Caprock Ceili Band!

    The Caprock Ceili Band, the Tech Irish Set Dancers, and special guests Caprock Morris
    TTU Vernacular Music Center 
    Tuesday November 27, Home of Mark & Janet Wallace 4508 8th St

    Call or email for information: [email protected]; (806) 792-8636

    Summary 

    On Tuesday, November 27, at 7:00 PM at the home of Mark & Janet Wallace, the Texas Tech University School of Music, the TTU Vernacular Music Center and the Roots Music Institute present a Summer Block Party, featuring the Caprock Ceili Band, joined by the Irish Set-Dancers, and special guests Caprock Morris! Tickets are $10 apiece, or $15/family. All proceeds go to support the TTU Vernacular Music Center. Seating is very limited, so reserve in advance!

    Grab your coolers and instruments, and picnic baskets and come celebrate the season with the VMC! Featuring a very special surprise from Milhouse Brewing Company: the premiere of VMC Brewmaster Rob DeVet’s “Vernacular Music Center Black & Red Fortified Creole Porter”!

    Ceili is a word from Irish which means “a music and dance party”. “To ceili” with someone is to participate in such a party, at which songs, tunes, dances, stories, jokes, food, and drink all swirl together in a celebration of inclusive, participatory community. Join us for this Autumn ceili, a fund-raiser for the educational missions of the TTU Vernacular Music Center (http://vernacularmusiccenter.com/) and its partner Roots Music Institute (http://rootsmusic.institute.com/). 

    Meantime, the Tech Irish Set Dancers (http://techsetdancers.com/) will host informal and participatory dancing, while Caprock Morris (http://caprockmorris.com/) will present the spectacular street dances of the Border Morris. Bring your dancin’ shoes! A sessiun—informal music-making—will follow; and all players and dancers are invited to participate. Players: bring your instruments!

    This is a family-friendly event and all are welcome. However, admission is by advance reservation only; contact Mark Wallace ([email protected]; 806-792-8636) for reservations. Pot-luck contributions especially welcomed and encouraged!

    Facebook “event” at: http://on.fb.me/VMXjBH 

    About the Band

    The Caprock Ceili Band (http://caprockceiliband.weebly.com/) plays music for Irish set-dancing: jigs & reels, polkas & slides, marches & hornpipes, and the occasional song or listening tune. 3 fiddles, banjo, piano and drums: the classic tunes of the 1920s and '30s bands who played for set-dancers in parish halls and crossroads platforms all across Ireland. It's a swinging, jazzy, infectious sound sure to get your feet tapping, and the dancing that goes with it is accessible and welcoming to participants of all ages & skill levels.

    The Band often partners with the Tech Irish Set Dancers to present concerts, educational programs, and participatory community learning & teaching events. The CCB also serves as the "house band" for the Lubbock branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, the international advocacy organization for Irish music and dance worldwide.


3 Comments

Another successful House Concert done & dusted!

9/26/2012

2 Comments

 
Lovely time had by all on Tuesday September 25 at the gracious home of Mark & Janet Wallace. Tech Set Dancers and the Caprock Ceili Band in the house, plus lots of friends old and new. Debut of the remarkable "High Plains Mild Ale," created by VMC Master Brewer Rob DeVet with a lovely custom label designed by our own Emily Furillo. Solo dancing from Sam and Emily, Morgan and more; group dancing by TSD and the assembled multitudes; song and instrumental music and a few guest songs besides. Next House Concert comes up November 13th...don't miss it!
2 Comments

from Mitchell

7/31/2012

3 Comments

 
I played fiddle in the Celtic Ensemble for five semesters. Admittedly at first I was somewhat intimidated to participate because I was not a music major and had absolutely no affiliation with the Texas Tech School of Music or any other arts program at Texas Tech. The decision to join took my college experience to a whole new level. Everyone was friendly. The group was very welcoming, encouraging, and supportive. The music of course was stimulating and fun. However, the Ensemble was about so much more than just playing music, singing songs, telling stories, and dancing. It opened my eyes to a different flavor of human history - a less well-known one defined by community, culture, individuality, and plight of the common man. In the five semesters that I actively participated, there were many different show themes that we performed - Irish, Old-Time Appalachian, Balkan, Gypsy, and even Pirate Sea Shanties. However, one common theme to all of the shows was sharing. The Ensemble experience was a daily reminder of the difference one can make through sharing. Sharing music. Sharing stories. Sharing time. Sharing burdens. Sharing experiences. Sharing life.
3 Comments

from William

7/30/2012

0 Comments

 
My name is William Combs and I have been playing trombone in the Celtic Ensemble for about 6 years. Playing in this ensemble has given me the opportunity to learn how to create and manage a project from the very glimmer of life or inspiration to a final product that can be presented to an audience. My experiences in that group have shaped me into the professional musician I am today.
0 Comments

from Heather

7/30/2012

5 Comments

 
As a music student at Texas Tech University, the Vernacular Music Center not only helped me develop my musicianship, but also helped me appreciate the traditions of other cultures and find my passion for musicology. 

I decided to join the Celtic Ensemble my sophomore year of college for an experience that was different from the classical music norm. I ended up falling in love with both the tradition and the ensemble. Dr. Christopher Smith, the ensemble director, was incredibly inspiring--he taught me to look at music in new ways and cultivated my love for understanding the culture and history of the music I was performing. Just looking at pictures of the ensemble on the homepage brings a tear to my eye, since the ensemble itself was such a welcoming and warm place. It was there that I formed some of my best friendships of all time, and I did it through music.


After my experience with the Celtic Ensemble, I went on to participate in the TTU World Music Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Cimarusti. Once again, I had a phenomenal experience. The ensemble explored cultures from across the world, including Argentina, Mexico, Italy, and West Africa, and presented these traditions to both Texas Tech University and the Lubbock Community. Through dance, drumming, and singing, I made wonderful friendships, made connections between musics of different cultures, and truly fell in love with the study of world music.


Through performing with the VMC and working on research projects with VMC professors Dr. Jocoy and Dr. Cimarusti, I discovered my passion for musicology. After college, I went on to intern at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Archive in Washington, DC, where I digitized reel-to-reels of traditional music from across the world. I will be pursuing a degree in library science this fall at the University of Maryland, where I hope to gain the tools I need to become a music  archivist. Through this career, I wish to work towards preserving and researching world music, bringing it to the public eye, and making the same impact on the world that the VMC made on me. Thank you, VMC! I wouldn't be here without you!
5 Comments

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  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Staff
    • Advisory Board
  • Activities
    • For Students >
      • Ensembles >
        • Current >
          • TTU Balkan Ensemble
          • TTU Celtic Ensemble / ESO
          • TTU Historical Performance Ensemble
          • Community Ensembles
        • Sponsored
        • Former
      • Courses
      • Certificates >
        • World Music
        • Early Music
        • Introduction to Community Arts
      • Scholarships
      • Study Abroad
    • For Educators
    • Professional training
  • Podcast
    • VVMC Series 1
    • VVMC Series 2
    • VVMC Series 3
  • Arts Practice Research
    • Research: The Crossroads Project
  • Events
    • Past >
      • VMC @ Lubbock-Con
      • Light Out of Darkness: A VMC Solstice Concert
      • Sailing Home: A Celtic Solstice Celebration
      • The Caprock Celtic Christmas
      • Balfolk
      • Dancing at the Crossroads
      • Dancing with Mr Darcy
      • Pirates & Cowboys
      • Gypsy Ceilis
    • Summer Dance Workshops
    • House concerts & soirees
    • Guest artists & teachers
  • Press/Gallery
    • Testimonials
    • Gallery
    • Poster Gallery
  • Partners
    • The Electric Guitar in American Culture
  • Support/Contact