FIDDLERS, flautists, tin-whistlers, pipers, guitarists, harpists, singers, dancers and poets brought Koroit a little bit closer to the Emerald Isle last week.
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More than 200 people descended on the town for the 14th annual Lake School, full of workshops and impromptu music sessions, all with a Celtic flair.
Workshops were held in a whole range of different genres, and co-ordinator Felix Meagher said it would take half-an-hour to list them all.
He said there were 200 enrolled students for this year’s school, taking part in everything from workshops on songwriting through to a youth program which developed an animated film. “When you take into account the tutors, volunteers and other support people I would estimate there would be close to 500 people involved all up,” he said.
“Everyone arrived in town last Wednesday and we wound up with our grand ceilidhe in the Koroit Theatre on Sunday night, which featured all our adult students.
“People have come from all over the country, and even around the world to attend. It has become a very popular boutique event.
“We had a number of organised sessions across the week, and impromptu sessions all around town. It brings a great atmosphere to the town.”
Mr Meagher said a children’s concert yesterday morning, Stars on the Lake performance at midday and songwriters’ performance at 3pm rounded out the jam-packed program.
Mr Meagher said the basis for the school was traditional Irish music, which the students use as a base to create new and interesting Australian Celtic pieces.
“We call that our lake,” he said. “We draw from the lake and create modern Australian Celtic music. Everybody wants to do something different, has different ideas and different skills and has a different story to tell.
“We end up with some very interesting and different creations.”
?jwoolley@fairfaxmedia.com.au