This week on Community Corner we’re joined with Ashleigh Bunn, board president of the Nashville Irish Music School. We are also joined by her son, Atticus Bunn, who is an Irish musician.
The school’s mission is to bring traditional Irish music and culture to the Nashville community. Just last September, the school officially registered as a non-profit. Bunn started the school in 2019 when her oldest of her four children, who were all Irish dancers, wanted to switch from playing bluegrass to playing Irish music. As you’ll her in the interview, the school came together and persevered through the pandemic. Students continued learning to play their instruments through Zoom for a full year until March 2021, when they began meeting up again, playing together outdoors. Now, you can find them at their permanent home at Williams Fine Violins.
The first instrument students typically start with is the tin whistle, which you can hear Atticus play in the episode below. Then, many go on to do private lessons with the school for instruments such as the fiddle, flute and percussion. The school also strives to teach instruments unique to Irish tradition, such as the bodhrán and Uilleann Pipes. Those who have been on an instrument for 2 years or more may play in the performance band, which meets weekly and performs at community events. The school also hosts Ceili dances, where anyone, regardless of experience, can take part in traditional group dancing.
To learn more about the school, check out their website here. Listen to the full Community Corner episode below to learn more about the Nashville Irish Music School!
