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Cambridge University
Ceilidh Band |
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Every Thursday evening after CUCB rehearsal, many of our members head to the pub to have a drink, a chat and a bit of a traditional music session. For newcomers, the idea of playing in a smaller group like this can sometimes be a little daunting, so this page is intended to explain what it's all about. If you have any other questions, or just need a little encouragement to come along, get in touch with any committee member (via the contacts page) who will be happy to help you out!
Firstly, the practical stuff. The session tends to kick off from about 10.15pm on Thursdays, after rehearsal has finished and we've all made our way down Trumpington Street to the Crosskeys pub. This (bright yellow) pub is located on Brookside, a side-street just off Lensfield Road, close to the junction with Trumpington Street. Everyone is welcome to come along to our session - members and non-members alike. And of course you don't have to join in the music-making. Plenty of people like to take the opportunity just to listen to the music and get to know the other band members a bit better over a drink and a chat.
NB. Outside of term-time, both the day and time of the session may be changed. This is advertised via the 'chat' list, so if you're not signed up to that please check in advance before showing up. We wouldn't want you to be disappointed!
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Secondly, the music. If you're keen to get involved in our sessions, you'll probably be wondering what sort of music we play. Our session repertoire can only really be described as quite eclectic - it's not a strictly Irish session, nor a Scottish one, nor an English one. In fact, it's a bit of a mixture of tunes from all over Great Britain and Ireland and even further afield. That's what happens when you throw a bunch of students from all corners of the globe together, and we think it makes a nice mix. Although there are some regular favourites, new tunes and sets are always welcome - and you might even hear the odd song from time to time. The downside to this, of course, is that it can sometimes make it harder for new players to join in, but please don't let this put you off. Whilst there are plenty of very accomplished musicians there, it's a friendly, open session (with no minimum standards or anything silly like that!) and more experienced players will always be happy to help you out with tune-learning. For band members registered on the website, we also have a unique way of sharing tunes online (login and then use the links at the top of this page to find out more). And if you really need to keep a subtle eye on the old sheet music, no-one will get too bothered. |
| Thirdly, how does the whole thing actually work??! If you're not an experienced session player, the spectacle might be a bit confusing at first. Just how does this circle of musicians decide what to play and when? How do they all know what's coming next? And is there anyone in charge? The answers to these questions will vary from one session to another, but for the CUCB sessions the etiquette (and there's not very much of it!) is as follows: For the most part, the music-making is a team effort. Someone, anyone, starts a tune and others who know it will join in. And hopefully after a few repetitions the person who began the tune will lead seamlessly into another - or look frantically around the room begging someone else to take over! Some people will begin several sets in one evening, others might not start any. Every now and again one of the more experienced players might launch (usually unannounced and spontaneously) into a solo. For some popular tunes the whole room will join in, for less well-known ones there may be only one or two musicians playing. There are no hard and fast rules at our sessions. It's a difficult dynamic to describe, but something that's easy enough to get a feel for once you give it a go. So long as everyone is given the chance to play and no-one's hogging the limelight, it's probably fine! |
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Our sessions offer a great opportunity for informal music-making and socialising. For many members, they are one of the highlights of the CUCB calendar. We know that sessions can be a little scary to begin with, and we try hard to make ours as welcoming as possible. Please come along and see for yourself!
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Our page on www.thesession.org can be found here. The map shown on the page is wrong, please use the map found above on this page.
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Cambridge University Folk Music and Dance Societies
CU Ceilidh Band
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The Round
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CU Strathspey and Reel Club
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