Last Friday (2nd October), Scottish harpist Rachel Hair visited three Isle of Man secondary schools with her trio.

Supported by the IOM Department of Education and Children and Culture Vannin, the Rachel Hair Trio gave mini performances to hundreds of students at Ramsey Grammar School, St Ninian’s Lower School and Ballakermeen High School, ahead of her concert at the Centenary Centre in Peel which took place on Saturday 3rd October. During the school visits, Rachel (Celtic harp), Jenn Butterworth (guitar and voice) and Cameron Maxwell (double bass) performed a mix of Scottish and Manx music, and they told the students about their instruments and how to get involved in playing traditional music in the Isle of Man through schemes such as the ‘Bree’ youth movement.

Rachel Hair is already a familiar face in the Manx music scene, as she visits the Island once a month to teach the Celtic harp for Culture Vannin. She uses Manx music throughout her lessons and in 2013 produced a book for Culture Vannin called Claasagh [Manx Gaelic for harp] which has also become popular in the UK and beyond.

Rachel has twenty Manx pupils at the moment, but there are lesson slots for new students becoming available soon. Lessons are only once a month, so students must be very self-motivated to practice independently! Recommended for children aged 8 and upwards, and open to all Isle of Man schoolchildren, parents/guardians can contact Dr Chloe Woolley, Manx Music Development Officer for Culture Vannin, to find out more and to join the waiting list: chloe@culturevannin.im or tel. 695787. The delivery and pricing of lessons are in line with the peripatetic instrumental tuition provided by the IOM DEC Music Service.

Learn more about Manx music and the Bree traditional music and dance workshop weekend coming up soon: www.manxmusic.com.  
Listen to some of Rachel’s music here: www.rachelhairtrio.com.  

Photo – The Rachel Hair Trio in St Ninian’s Lower School.