Skarpi min!

Good to hear from you. How are things in Iceland?

There are a few reasons why traditional music is so strong in Ireland. First, the Irish have a living tradition so there were pipers and singers and fiddlers in all parts of the country that kids could learn from. Second, there is a very strong organization (CCE) that sets standards, organizes competitions and runs festivals to keep up the level of interest. Third, because of the Riverdance phenomenon there have been places for young people to go with there music and perform, record, tour and make money. Fourth, the guitar - heavy, rhythmic guitar - has played an increasingly important role in instrumental music, meaning the music has a strong beat and sounds exciting to the average ear.

Rarely do you have a good thing happen without have a corresponding bad effect. I cannot tell you that I feel all of the 4 points I mention above are 100% good for Irish traditional music but they have been important in its attaining its current level of popularity.

All the best,
Dan