Livestream | Learning a song by ear "Irisha"

Hi, I’m Dallas Vietty – accordion player, teacher, and active performer with a passion for jazz, gypsy jazz, and expressive accordion music.

In today’s livestream, I’m diving into a beautiful modern gypsy jazz tune called “Irisha”, composed by the legendary Tcha Limberger. This piece was recorded with the Franz Ensemble—and yes, they have an accordion player in the band too!

What’s more, “Irisha” is a Tier 2 song for this year’s Django in June Summer Music Camp, where I’ll be teaching. So if you’re heading to camp, or just want to deepen your repertoire, this is a perfect tune to explore.

Here’s what we’ll be doing:

• First, we’ll chart out the song and sketch the form, getting a solid sense of its structure.

• Then we’ll tune into the tonalities and harmonic relationships by ear, going with what we hear and feel.

• We’ll use the accordion to fill in any gaps, nailing down details that need that hands-on approach.

• I’ll show how some of the unique touches in Tcha’s violin melody can be adapted for the accordion—adding that special flavor.

• We’ll explore chord shapes and rhythms for both right and left hands, helping you play this tune with style and confidence.

• And if time allows, we’ll dive into some of the solos and see what musical ideas we can uncover.

This will be a fun, hands-on session for accordionists, gypsy jazz lovers, or anyone wanting to sharpen their ear and learn a great tune. Come hang out, ask questions, and let’s explore “Irisha” together!

Price: FREE

When: Apr 22 at 12-2p PT | 3-5p ET

Where: YouTube | Facebook | Twitch