About Session Etiquette

About Session Etiquette

Session Etiquette helps musicians, learners and culturally curious visitors understand the customs, courtesies and unspoken rules of Irish traditional music sessions.

From the outside, a session can look like a few musicians sitting in the corner playing tunes together. But inside the session, there are habits, signals, behaviours and social dynamics guiding what happens. Some are obvious once you know them. Many are not.

That is why sessions can be hard to read, especially for people coming to them from the outside. The signals are subtle, the expectations are rarely explained and the customs and courtesies are usually learned slowly over time. Uncertainty, nerves, or not yet understanding how to 'read the room' of a session can sometimes come across as rude, even when that is not the intention.

Session Etiquette was founded by Donegal fiddle player Tara Connaghan to help people make sense of the invisible part of Irish music sessions. It began through conversations with her adult fiddle students, many of whom love the music but feel confused, intimidated or overwhelmed by the idea of joining a session, especially when there are so many unanswered questions and so much conflicting advice. 

Where do you sit?
When do you play?
How do you know if you are welcome?
What happens if you only know some of the tunes?
Is this an open session or closed session?
Why did the musicians all go to the bar?

These are not small questions. They are often the difference between feeling part of the music and sitting on the edge of it.

Session Etiquette translates lived experience from inside the Irish traditional music community into practical guidance for people who want to take part with more confidence, awareness and understanding.

The project includes the award-winning In Tune with Tradition podcast, In Tune with Tradition: The Private Session Experience, a small-group immersive retreat in Ireland, and a growing collection of courses, resources, partnerships and cultural experiences.

This work is not about creating a rigid list of rules. It is about helping people develop the cultural fluency to recognise what is happening in the room, avoid common mistakes and become the kind of musician others want to share music with.