About your instructor:
Lesl Harker, Irish flute: Lesl is an RIAM-certified Irish traditional music instructor (Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, Ireland) and player of the Irish concert flute. Teaching the fluid old-style music of East County Galway for many years, she serves as a Master for the PA and NJ State Arts Councils' Apprenticeship programs. Lesl still teaches privately and virtually. She has published 2 books of Irish traditional music, which, after 9 printings, were published to Amazon.com. Performer and sound editor for 2 Irish music cds, she loves playing with friends in great music sessions.
Lessons are in-person and virtual, via Skype, and Forte (on Chrome at https://fortelessons.com/students/ ) Lesl’s path took her as a child from the Tonette (similar to an Irish whistle), to listening to folk songs and the Clancy Brothers in NYC, to minstrelsy training at university, a BA degree in education, and then as a professional minstrel, living in England eight years. Returning to the States, she began flute studies, and eventually state arts apprenticeships, with the late flute master Mike Rafferty. This collaboration lasted for 13 years, during which time she began teaching flute under his tutelage. After his passing, she began various projects to continue passing along his legacy. In 2018 she gave a TEDx talk on the history of East Galway music, and for many years presented the public Tunes and Tales of old East Galway workshop and concert programs. The Rafferty tune books were published beginning in 2005. For these publications, the "Distinguished Achievement in the Preservation of Irish Music and Culture" award was presented to Lesl in 2009 by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the international Irish music association. In 2010, Lesl featured at Philadelphia Flute Tunes with original Chieftains flutist Michael Tubridy and flute and concertina player Msgr Fr. Charlie Coen.
A 2011 Union County grant award led to the first "Tunes and Tales of Old East Galway", a standing-room-only event on the history of the Rafferty musical heritage. Lesl appeared at the New Jersey Folk Festival for a second time in 2012, presenting the Mike Rafferty Tribute Workshop, and led a Rafferty Tribute concert at The Hurdy Gurdy folk club in 2013. A second Tunes of Old East Galway workshop was offered in 2013 as a result of another Union County grant. |
Subsequent Tunes and Tales were presented through 2023. Lesl was the music host for sessions at Molly Maguire's pub in Clark for many years until it closed. Lessons and repertoire classes are available from her home studio, and Lesl performs with others for events.. Lesl also provides tune transcription services, some of which have been done for the remarkable composer LE McCullough. Visitors are welcome to contact Lesl for details on tune books, tune transcription, bookings, Irish flute lessons and repertoire classes. |
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