TTCT Teachers Diploma Course

TTCT 2016 - Cúrsa an Teastais Teagaisc Cheol Tíre do Mhúinteoirí

The TTCT course for 2016 will take place from Sunday October 30th – November 5th at An Chultúrlann and applications are presently being accepted at Head-Office for applicants specialising in fiddle, flute, whistle, concertina, button accordion, harp and banjo. The closing date for application is June 3rd and all eligible applicants will be requested to attend for audition and interview on June 25th. Alternate provision for audition and interview is made in exceptional cases.

The following course requirements have been specified by the TTCT:

Only traditional musicians of the highest calibre and those with attested skills as teachers with a minimum of 100 verified hours of teaching experience (from beginners to advanced levels) are accepted for entry. Applicants must be 21 years of age or over. Each candidate who wishes to be selected for the course must perform a 20/25minute programme of Traditional Irish Music. A competent standard of technique with an individual, musical and stylistic interpretation is expected. The choice of programme must be well balanced and must display a diversity of musical skills and technical abilities. Presentation will also be taken into consideration. In addition, there must be an obvious appreciation of the style and musicality, plus considerable ability to project and communicate to the listener. An assessment of the applicant’s suitability as a teacher is made by means of a personal interview with members of the tutorial staff. Matters related to their background, teaching experience, teaching methods, experience as a performer, personal suitability, etc. are explored.

Amongst the subject areas included in this intensive course are: Irish traditional music and traditional music education and pedagogy, instrument methodology, musical literacy and analysis, accompaniment, general preparation, the SCT as a teaching / learning framework and slow airs as part of the traditional repository. Candidates are also advised on good practical practice in relation to CCÉ child protection guidelines. The course includes practical teaching practice sessions, which are monitored. The course director Martin Power and ratio of assessors / tutors to candidate allows for very significant levels of support. The course has been specifically designed to equip teachers of Irish traditional music to teach more effectively in a wide variety of community settings. Applicants are required to have teaching experience at the time of applying and we would ask CCÉ units to facilitate prospective applicants in terms of acquiring such experience, as is feasible, e.g. in a monitored environment or assistant role as is appropriate. The course is highly subscribed and applications are received from candidates both nationally and internationally. Places are allocated on the basis of date of application and the audition / interview process and to this effect we are encouraging interested parties to start their application process as soon as possible.

We would appreciate if provinces, and counties, would inform their units of the details of the TTCT 2016 course as outlined above, and distribute the application form and this letter as appropriate.

You can download the application form

All further enquiries, including information on fee, should be directed to eolas@comhaltas.ie / (01) 2800295