Interviewing Ryan Duns pt 1/3

Hello everyone! Today is an exciting day, since I'm posting the interview I made to Ryan Duns over the internet.

First of all I want to thank everyone on the Chiff & Fipple Forums for the support and questions, this is for you.

I'll post the interview divided in 3, for 3 days in a row.

So here it goes, part 1 out of 3:

Whistler Bard: At what age did you begin to play the whistle? Can you remember the exact moment?

Ryan Duns: I was a fat kid, so my mom would not let me take Irish dancing lessons. She thought that it would be better if I played an instrument, so she signed me up for lessons with Tom Hastings, a teacher in Cleveland. I remember leaving my first lesson as an 8-year old boy, knowing that I would love Irish music.

WB: Why and when did you decide to play Irish music? Is it a tradition in your family?

RD: My great-grandfathers were both musicians: one played the piano, the other played the fiddle. My great-great-aunt was a button-box player and a nun - an Ursuline sister.

WB: About your influences, tell me about the city or town you grew up in, your teachers and how did that influence your music?

RD: We had great local music: Tom Byrne and Tom McCaffery, Tom Hasting, and Al O'Leary were all active musicians. They were so warm to us kids and really welcomed us into the sessions. They taught us not only a great deal of tunes, but they taught us how to be good Irish musicians who welcomed other musicians, regardless of ability.

WB: How did you acquire your tune repertoire - sessions, mentors,books, recordings?

RD: A mix of all of them! We had an active Comhaltas branch in Cleveland during the 1990's, so we had a lot of opportunities to play with others. I also loved to listen to Irish music, so I developed my ear and picked tunes up that way.

WB: Did playing for hours and hours for Step Dancers strengthened your faith?

RD: Totally! It gets repetitive, so I pray when I play. I pray for the kids, usually, and for the various people I come across.

WB: Will you ever go back to playing for Feisanna?

RD: Yes - I'm playing one in just a few weeks! I still play about 20 each year - not as many as I'd like (I love Irish dancing) but with my busy schedule, it's the best I can do.

WB: Do you play at sessions, or only for private or personal enjoyment?

RD: I play in sessions every now and again. I play more frequently for personal pleasure but, when I have the chance, I do love to go to sessions.

Ok, this was it! At least the first part of it. I separated the questions in logical groups, in this one we can find out about Ryan's roots on the whistle.

Hope you enjoyed it, as for me, I'm really proud of myself for doing it, as well as thankfull to Ryan and all the fellow whistlers that contributed with the questions.

Cheers, and don't miss the second part tomorow!