Gaelic Language & Song Workshop

Join us on Saturday, October 14th for our Gaelic Language and Song Workshop! After the fantastic success of our first Gaelic Language and Song Workshop in April, we are pleased to announce that we will now have bi-annual Gaelic workshops at the Littlefield Celtic Center! Instructors Stacey Giermann and Rich Hill from Seattle-based Slighe nan Gaidheal have a great workshop planned to help beginners speak–and sing!–in Gaelic before the end of the day. This is a wonderful continuation for those who attended in April, complete with new content and vocabulary as well as refreshers, but is also completely suitable for first-time visitors with no previous experience with Gaelic. The workshop is designed as a beginning course for newcomers to the language; all levels of language learners are welcome, however. Participants will start the day with a quick introduction to what Scottish Gaelic is and a bit of the language’s history. Background information will help students wrap their minds (and tongues) around words that look like a jumble of letters, focusing on pronunciation and basic vocabulary. Students will begin talking with basic, beginning conversational games. After a lunch break, studetns will then learn about various types of Gaelic songs, including Puirt, waulking, laments, and more, as well as their purpose and significance in Celtic culture. Song sheets and pronunciation guides will be provided for students to sing along. Instructors will demonstrate each song and then teach it line-by-line. Recording devices are encouraged to assist students in later practice. This is sure to be another fascinating and fun workshop for those who want to learn more about Celtic culture and the Gaelic language! Stacey Giermann is a Gaelic language coach and speech teacher, and Rich Hill has 25 years of experience teaching Gaelic. Both have studied with some of the best Gaelic teachers and singers in the industry. CAF members may recognize Stacey and Rich from some of the events they have sung at, including the Traditional Scottish Breakfast. Students have the option of purchasing a boxed lunch option provided at the Littlefield Celtic Center for convenience. Lunches include a generously sized deli sandwich, chips, cookie, and bottled water. Please email events@celticarts.org or call 360-416-4934 at least 10 days before the event if you would like to take advantage of this option but have specific dietary restrictions in order for us to investigate alternatives and make special arrangements if possible. The Littlefield Celtic Center is within walking distance from several dining options in downtown Mount Vernon. Workshop participants are able to take advantage of discounted lodging at the Best Western Plus Skagit Valley Inn. For more information on how to take advantage of this discount, please contact the Celtic Arts Foundation at 360-416-4934 or events@celticarts.org. Information about cancellations, refunds, and exchanges can be found on our Ticket Policy page.