Sky's road to the Fleadh
Donation protected
Hello you beautiful people!
My name is Sky Kelsey, and for those of you who don’t quite know me, let me introduce myself!
I’m a 19-year-old music nut and Ski racing adrenaline junkie. I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and was surrounded from birth by local bluegrass and Irish players around the area. At age 8 I begged my mom for a fiddle and a teacher and started taking lessons from the very musical Kerr family. At age 9 I decided that the music of Ireland was for me and proceeded to go to the local sessions and camps around Alaska. As I progressed musically with the help of the amazing musicians brought to Alaska for a week out of the year, I started searching for more outlets, more teachers and different kinds of players. What does a twenty first century kid do? He turns to the interweb and YouTube for research. With the help of the Internet and the encouragement of my community, I was able to teach myself 13 instruments and hundreds of tunes. At the age of 13 I started spending my winters in Colorado to allow me to pursue my racing career. During my time in Colorado I became a regular with the Denver Irish scene and I ended up finding my second home. During my trips to Colorado I started studying with the infamous James Kelly. With his help and motivation I was able to better understand the tradition and the music.
Over the past three years I have competed in the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil and have been lucky enough to win the 15-18 fiddle twice, the flute twice and the banjo three times. I was also awarded a second and first in the whistle, and a second and third in the Bodhran. For the past three years I have been unable to make the voyage to Ireland for financial and other requirements. This year I am finally in the position to be able to compete at All Ireland and learn from the best.
Even though this is the goal, I can’t get there without you.
This year I am looking to raise 1,600 for my trip to Cincinnati to qualify me to compete at “worlds” in Ennis Ireland. Living in Alaska isn’t cheap, and if you have flown to visit my gorgeous state, you would know that plane tickets aren’t either. I am currently paying $1,150 in plane tickets alone, and $412 for lodging fees to stay at the scheduled hotel. Add on a taxi fee, and you have a cost of $1,600. My goal is to make this trip as cost effective as possible so I can make my trip to Ireland a reality as well.
Obviously this isn’t “cheap” by any means, especially for a musician… Which is why I am asking anyone and everyone, short and tall, fat or slim, old or young, to help donate whatever feels comfortable to your checkbook. I would be honored, happy and humbled with your support, and honstley, I already am if you've read this far. So please help me follow my dream to Ireland and beyond!!
~<The music for me is something sacred, something real, something indescribably beautiful and complex, something that is alive, a living breathing tradition and expression of the soul. For me the music is a life long journey and a lifelong friend. It’s something to take seriously yet something to be given a degree of humor and mortality, because without humor, would it really be Irish? >~
All the best,
Sky
My name is Sky Kelsey, and for those of you who don’t quite know me, let me introduce myself!
I’m a 19-year-old music nut and Ski racing adrenaline junkie. I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and was surrounded from birth by local bluegrass and Irish players around the area. At age 8 I begged my mom for a fiddle and a teacher and started taking lessons from the very musical Kerr family. At age 9 I decided that the music of Ireland was for me and proceeded to go to the local sessions and camps around Alaska. As I progressed musically with the help of the amazing musicians brought to Alaska for a week out of the year, I started searching for more outlets, more teachers and different kinds of players. What does a twenty first century kid do? He turns to the interweb and YouTube for research. With the help of the Internet and the encouragement of my community, I was able to teach myself 13 instruments and hundreds of tunes. At the age of 13 I started spending my winters in Colorado to allow me to pursue my racing career. During my time in Colorado I became a regular with the Denver Irish scene and I ended up finding my second home. During my trips to Colorado I started studying with the infamous James Kelly. With his help and motivation I was able to better understand the tradition and the music.
Over the past three years I have competed in the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil and have been lucky enough to win the 15-18 fiddle twice, the flute twice and the banjo three times. I was also awarded a second and first in the whistle, and a second and third in the Bodhran. For the past three years I have been unable to make the voyage to Ireland for financial and other requirements. This year I am finally in the position to be able to compete at All Ireland and learn from the best.
Even though this is the goal, I can’t get there without you.
This year I am looking to raise 1,600 for my trip to Cincinnati to qualify me to compete at “worlds” in Ennis Ireland. Living in Alaska isn’t cheap, and if you have flown to visit my gorgeous state, you would know that plane tickets aren’t either. I am currently paying $1,150 in plane tickets alone, and $412 for lodging fees to stay at the scheduled hotel. Add on a taxi fee, and you have a cost of $1,600. My goal is to make this trip as cost effective as possible so I can make my trip to Ireland a reality as well.
Obviously this isn’t “cheap” by any means, especially for a musician… Which is why I am asking anyone and everyone, short and tall, fat or slim, old or young, to help donate whatever feels comfortable to your checkbook. I would be honored, happy and humbled with your support, and honstley, I already am if you've read this far. So please help me follow my dream to Ireland and beyond!!
~<The music for me is something sacred, something real, something indescribably beautiful and complex, something that is alive, a living breathing tradition and expression of the soul. For me the music is a life long journey and a lifelong friend. It’s something to take seriously yet something to be given a degree of humor and mortality, because without humor, would it really be Irish? >~
All the best,
Sky
Organizer
Sky Kelsey
Organizer
Park City, UT
