Gordon Ramsay was born in Ireland and raised in England. He had a varied military and civilian career before entering Queen’s University. His (2009) doctoral thesis was based on an ethnography of Ulster marching bands and focused on the relationships between aesthetic pleasure, embodied skills and political commitment as foundations of identity. Desi Wilkinson teaches […]
Read MoreBAND PRACTICE: CLASS, TASTE AND IDENTITY IN ULSTER LOYALIST FLUTE BANDS By Gordon Ramsey Introduction Parading to fife and drum has been part of working-class culture in Ulster since the 1780s, when the practice was popularised by part-time military forces such as the Volunteers and Yeomanry.[1] The marching flute-band became the dominant musical […]
Read MoreTechnology, Performance, and Presence by Karen Power This paper examines how current creative technological trends are affecting both the concept of ‘performers’ and, indeed, the performance space, within contemporary music practices. Through the increasing use of technology, alongside the increasing inadequacies of our standard Western art notational language composers and performers are exploring […]
Read MoreFrom Donegal to Senegal: An experience of the process of collaboration in intercultural ensemble practice by Desi Wilkinson Introduction People ‘get together’ (or are voluntarily organised in ensembles or groups) for a wide variety of context specific and socially meaningful reasons.[1] Symphony orchestras, ritual performance groupings, friendship groupings or professional bands; each shares […]
Read MoreThe Linguistic Turn at the Turn of the Tune: the language of ‘contemporary ensemble’ in Irish traditional music. by Niall Keegan The English language plays a pivotal role in ensembles as they exist in the world of what is called traditional Irish music.[1] If we take the linguistic turn, this language is essentially encultured, bring […]
Read MorePlaying Together and Solitary Play: Musicking and Surfing by Timothy J. Cooley (Cuailgne) Ensemble. Something happens when we music together. We’ve all felt it. Maybe it was the church, school, or university choir when during mid-motet something clicked and you lost a bit of yourself while simultaneously gaining an ensemble. Or maybe it was dancing—another form […]
Read MoreEditor’s Preface This is the inaugural volume of Ethnomusicology Ireland, the journal of the Irish National Committee of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM Ireland). It is our intention that the contents of our journal, like the activities of the society itself, reflect the range of music played, studied, and researched on the island […]
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