Goldfields Piping Weekend 2023
10th Anniversary
Goldfields Piping Weekend
Thursday 10th (~5pm) to Sunday 13th August 2023 (~1pm)
Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, Djadjawurrong Country
Celtic Piping Club welcomes international guest tutors from Portland Maine USA:
Will Woodson teaching uilleann pipes, border pipes, flute and pipe maintentence
Caitlin Finley teaching Irish-American style fiddle
Register early to secure your place. Early bird pricing available until Wed 26July.
Will Woodson (USA)
Uilleann pipes, Flute, Border pipes
An East Coast USA native, Will Woodson lived in Glasgow, Scotland and New York City before moving to Portland, Maine. On the flute, he’s heavily influenced by the music of the older generations of North Connacht flute players, particularly those who recorded in America in the 1920s and 30s; on the pipes, he’s inspired by the Irish-American tradition of pipers such as Patsy Touhey, Michael Carney, Bernard Delaney, and Tom Ennis. Will has toured extensively with the band Daymark, and is active in the Portland and Boston traditional music scenes. He’s taught and performed at a number of music festivals and summer schools in North America, including the Boxwood Festival and The Pipers’ Gathering. When he’s not performing and teaching, Will keeps busy as a maker of uilleann pipes.
Caitlin Finley (USA)
Fiddle
Originally from Philadelphia, Caitlin Finley learned much of her music from the great traditional players in the area, including box player Kevin McGillian and flute player Paddy O’Neill. Caitlin’s playing is greatly influenced by the music of the Sligo fiddlers who recorded in New York in the 1920s and 30s, including James Morrison, Paddy Killoran, and Michael Coleman. As a teenager, she studied fiddle with Rose Flanagan and Brian Conway, which situated her firmly within the New York Sligo tradition. Caitlin has performed throughout the East Coast, including frequent performances alongside Mick Moloney’s Green Fields of America. Since leaving Philadelphia, Caitlin has lived in New York and Boston, where she played an active part in both cities’ superb traditional music scenes.
Workshops
Friday 11 to Sunday 13 August
Castlemaine Community House
30 Templeton Street, Castlemaine
Soiree
Friday 11 August, Xpm
Maurocco's Bar
4a Templeton Street, Castlemaine
Headline Concert
Saturday 12 August, 7.30pm
Castlemaine Uniting Church
24 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine
Sessions
Thurs 10 to Sun 13 August
Campbell House 1882
31 Campbell Street, Castlemaine
Program
Detailed program schedule coming soon.
Goldfields Piping Weekend is about fun, fellowship and learning in a supportive community environment. The program has opportunities for social music-making, learning tunes aurally, discovering music from recordings & sheet music, performance preparation & practise, listening to others and conversation & dialogue.
Participants
The 2023 Goldfields Piping Weekend is best suited to people who play or are interested in:
Uilleann pipes
Scottish smallpipes (with A and/or D chanter) or Border pipes
Irish-American style fiddle (Saturday & Sunday)
Other types of pipes including Northumbrian smallpipes, English pipes, other European pipes
Other folk instruments
There is no minimum standard of playing required. All participants have the opportunity to learn from and alongside each other.
Accommodation
There is space for 16 people to stay onsite at Campbell House 1882, 31 Campbell Street, Castlemaine.
Bedrooms: All rooms sleep two people, either as two singles or one king bed. Please consult the floorplan when selecting your bedroom via the online registration.
Bathrooms: Shared bathrooms. There are no ensuite rooms.
Bookings: $255 per person for all three nights. If you would like to secure a private room, you will need to purchase both beds in your chosen bedroom.
See the Campbell House webpage for more details, including the floorplan (image 51 of the photo gallery).
Participants may otherwise book their own local accommodation.
Meals
Breakfasts: help-yourself continental breakfast items will be available for those staying onsite. Good coffee is available from cafes in Castlemaine.
Lunches: Friday lunch is not supplied; support a local cafe. Saturday lunch is supplied.
Dinners: No evening meals are supplied. We will make a group booking on Thursday 10 August at XXXX and on Friday 11 August at the Commercial Hotel.
Private lessons
Out tutors will be available for limited private lessons on Thursday 10th August before the Weekend begins: 3.15-4pm or 4.15-5pm. Sign-up via the main registration form.
Other private tuition or pipe maintenance may be available on an individual basis. Contact email@celticpipingclub.com to enquire.
Pricing
Full weekend: $195 members / $250 non-members
Full weekend partner/non-participant: $95 members / $250 non-members
Friday day pass: $70 members / $95 non-members
Saturday day pass: $85 members / $110 non-members
Sunday day pass: $45 members / $55 non-members
Register by Wednesday 26 July. $30 extra fee applies after this date.
The headline concert is supported by a Mount Alexander Shire Council Event Grant