Dear Reader -
So said one of our new students this week…but then he opened the book!
The Big Thing
Micky Downs makes the best omelette I know.
And Rory Maitland has been the only man to cut my hair for as long as I can remember.
We worked out this week that Micky has made approximately 2000 omelettes in the last eight years. And Rory has completed almost 45,000 haircuts since he began training to be a barber in 2013. No wonder they are great.
What would you like to be great at?
There is no substitute for putting in time. Get your numbers up. Off you go…
Where else but Sligo?
Sept 16th has been THE date in my head for quite a while.
The start of term. The date by which we need to have books printed, timetables sorted, premises secured and furnished, teachers prepared.
And we made it! We hit the ground running yesterday with lessons taking place simultaneously in Strandhill, Rathcormac and Clontarf.
And then the stories start to come in - and there’s the payoff!
The 7 yr old who after 5 minutes of being put to work on her own came back and played Love Story.
Annette Hayden showing up unprompted and giving her time to help the new teachers because she remembers what it was like to teach her first lesson.
The boy who told his teacher in no uncertain terms that music was boring and that he wouldn’t be practising but then spotted The Rattlin’ Bog in the book and now wants to move on already to Old Town Road.
The two girls who asked me was their new teacher a ‘chatter like their old one’ and vowed to turn her into one if she wasn’t!
And - hearing The Irish Rover last night on the piano at home -my son playing it 3 decades after his uncle used to sing it as a party piece at the same age!
What’s New?
JAMES NELSON: Back by popular demand after a successful solo show last year. This Sunday.
SWEENEY TODD: Karen Gordon and Pop-Up Theatre are planning something big for next Spring! Auditions coming soon. Follow them here for more info.
FIRST OPEN MIC: We had a fantastic night in Kilmacowen Hall last Thursday at the first Theme Night Academy Open Mic. My favourite moment happened before the show when I asked for any guitarists to come down and soundcheck their instruments - and a dozen or more appeared out of the darkness. So good to see!
Finally…
Our first Theme Nights Unplugged gig of the year takes place this Thursday 19th in Cloonacool. I came across this song recently - and we may just have to do it!
Till next time - Kieran.
