The Irish tin whistle has been very popular in Ireland for centuries. Tin whistle music is part of a rich folk music tradition, including jigs, reels, and airs. Recently the tin whistle, or pennywhistle, has become a part of American culture as well, with the success of The Chieftains and the Corrs. James Cameron's 1997 epic film Titanic introduced Irish music to even more people. The movie's love theme, "My Heart Will Go On," featured a tin whistle interlude.

I have been playing the tin whistle since March 17, 1996, and the bodhran (an Irish drum) since the spring of 2001. I am a self-taught musician. You might be wondering, why did I start learning on St. Patrick's Day? At a family celebration of St. Patrick's Day 1996, we put on the Chieftains' album The Long Black Veil. I loved the sound of a wind instrument that was accompanying the songs. When I inquired what it was, I was told it was a tin whistle, and that a cousin had given one to me as a child! Once we rescued the Clarke tin whistle, book, and tape from a closet, I immediately sat down to see if I could play it. Serendipitously, I had been teaching myself how to play the recorder a few weeks before, and was delighted to find that they are similar instruments. I embarked on learning the scales and first tunes of that book, and my life has never been the same since! In May 2008, I started learning to play Irish songs on the mandolin.

The questions I am usually asked are 1) Where do I get a tin whistle? 2) How much does a tin whistle cost? and 3) How do I learn to play it? The answers: I recommend buying tin whistles from The Whistle Shop online; most standard D whistles I've seen cost around 10 US dollars. I play Clarke D whistles, and my favorite is the green Celtic one. I also recommend buying the Clarke book and CD set from Amazon.com if you want to learn to play the instrument. It covers all levels, from beginners to advanced players. Most tin whistlers teach themselves how to play. And so can you!

I hope you--whether you are a musician yourself or simply a music enthusiast--will enjoy my web site, and continue to explore and experience the exuberant world of Irish music.