Irish Music

Our Story

The Nashville Irish Music School serves as an organization in Middle Tennessee dedicated to learning and promoting traditional Irish music. Since its beginnings in 2019, the school has not only become a well-known member of the local Irish community but has also established itself as a vibrant cultural hub, welcoming students of all ages and skill levels. We host a variety of classes and events across Tennessee, offering a warm, inviting environment to learn and preserve the rich traditions of Irish music. Our experienced instructors are passionate about sharing their knowledge, ensuring that each student receives personalized attention and guidance as they embark on their musical journey.
Instruments we offer include: fiddle, piano, flute, tin whistle, bodhrán, concertina, and more!

Whether you are a complete beginner eager to explore the enchanting sounds of Irish music or an advanced player looking to refine your skills, our school provides the perfect setting to connect with others who share your love for this beautiful art form.

THE BEGINNING
In January of 2019, Director and Founder Claire Shirey moved to Nashville to join the thriving Irish music scene already here. Shortly after getting into town, a parent asked if Claire taught Irish music, knowing her history of teaching at the Atlanta Irish Music School years prior. Claire casually started weekly Irish music lessons in the summer of 2019 in the upstairs of a local pub in Donelson. A music school made up of 2 fiddles, 1 flute, a piano, and 6 penny whistles, we learned tunes and the basics of Irish music. We continued through 2019 and early 2020 until the pandemic and went online through Zoom until March 2021. We started in-person classes again outside, weather permitting, until we found our home at Williams Fine Violins, where we host our classes to this day. Our first official show was the Middle Tennessee Highland Games that fall, and we were excited to perform for an audience for the first time since the school began. With a couple of students transferring from the tin whistle to other traditional Irish instruments like the concertina, bodhrán, and flute, we started to have a full band sound along with the addition of a couple of students who joined us over the pandemic. We received great reviews from our first show, and the Nashville Irish Music School students finally enjoyed the opportunity to perform for an audience.

NOW
We’ve since performed across Nashville, participated in Irish music workshop weeks in Asheville, NC (kids received scholarships to attend), and competed at regional and international Irish music competitions. We host seasonal céilí dances (Irish group dancing) here in Nashville. We’re continuing to grow as an organization and within the Irish music community. This past fall, we began our beginner whistle class, starting a new group of students learning Irish music. We’ve now built up our excellent instructors at the school who provide private lessons for concertina, fiddle, whistle, flute, uilleann pipes, and bodhrán.