Homespun

Here's a lovely traditonal instrument the whole family can enjoy. The pennywhistle (also known as the Irish tin whistle) can be used to play haunting slow airs or the most complex up-tempo jigs, reels, hornpipes and other dance tunes. While it can be simple enough for a child to play, it's also worthy of a lifetime of musical study.

Cathal McConnell, known world-wide for his work with the popular Celtic band Boys of the Lough, has long been considered one of the world's virtuoso Irish whistle players. He is also a kind and patient teacher, and he makes learning easy as he brings the beauty of the Irish repertoire to you in this unique play-along CD course.

You'll learn the basic scales and the proper way to hold and blow the whistle, to get you off to the right start. Cathal shows you how to play in a variety of keys (D, G, E and A Major; E, A, and B minor), adding important techniques such as slurring, trills and rolls as you go along, to give your playing a truly traditional "feel."

By the time you finish working through this interactive lesson you'll have a dozen top Irish session pieces under your belt, plus all the tools necessary for building a more advanced repertoire of tunes and techniques.

Master a dozen Irish airs and session pieces:"It's Not Yet Day" ("Neil Shay Na Law"), "O'Donnell Abú," "Sí Beag Sí Mór," "The South Wind," "The King Of The Faeries," "Brian Bohru's March," "The Lakes Of Ponchartrain," "The Little Beggarman," "The Foggy Dew," "The Kesh Jig," "The Temperance Reel," "Give Me Your Hand."

Bonus: Guitar (by Happy Traum) is on one stereo channel and whistle on the other. By adjusting the balance, you can play along with the accompaniment for invaluable practice sessions.

*Edited version of the three-cassette series, "Irish Pennywhistle."