Spurring interest in the music

Time for some rambling thoughts and requests for suggestions.

My wife and I have been trying to promote Welsh music locally but haven't been too successful. The point we're at right now is a monthly get-together at a local pub. This gathering starts out with a two-hour harp circle where genre is general. Usually about four harpists show up. What follows is supposedly a Welsh-heavy session, but invariably turns Irish.

The local Celtic trad scene here (in Seattle, USA) is heavily Irish and Scottish. There is also a lot of Contra, New England, French Canadia, Maiti (sp?), but alas, no Welsh.

During our rare performances (maybe two or three times a year), we seem to get lots of folks coming out of the woodwork to hear us. A lot of these are Welsh speakers many we know as choir singers.

Laura and I are planning this fall to have either a monthly or twice-monthly gathering in our home where people can learn and play Welsh tunes. Ideally, we’d like a Welsh language conversation group going on at the same time. And we know of one person that in the past had done Welsh clogging and it would be nice to get her to teach.

We’ve been playing with a fiddler friend for the past year or so, but she’s heavily into other genres. When people hear her play Welsh tunes on occasion, they’re all impressed but not to the point where they wish to spend time learning. Accompanists are immediately puzzled at what to do.

So, any suggestions on how we can spread interest in Welsh dance music? I feel we could be on the forefront of a musical revolution here. But we’d sure like to play tunes with more people.

Oh, by the way, we’re in close contact with the Puget Sound Welsh Association and as far as the members know, we’re the only musicians locally that play Welsh music.

Here's a specific question that Dafydd might be able to answer. Any breakdown as to where the site's users are in the world? How many in the U.S.?