Sporting Windmills

First finger riff
New note E Backing Track 10
Wintertime in Russia Track 1
Ireland's Call

Guest instrument: Clarinet

EEEEEEEE OOOOOOOO EEEEEEEE OOOO E_ E_


We had a busy day today. We began by pressing hard with our first finger on D string to make new note E . We played our first finger riff and next week we will put some tunes with this. We played New Note E to a jazzy backing track.
Next we moved on to learning how to do windmill bows and played along to Ireland's Call . Remember you only sound on the first beat.
All classes worked on Wintertime in Russia bowing all of the rhythm .

***Don't forget , Right Hand on Bow , Fingers well over and thumb bent. Little finger in the circle.

Star Bow Hands Frankie and Sabrina
Leaders Hayley and James, Zusanne,

Elephant Alligator Donkey Goat

Today was a busy day with SAT tests and violin class to fit in .

All classes had a closer look at the largest member of the string family , the double bass . Remember you can still use  Great Day At Ennis but the other way round from violin.   Try these animal names as a way of remembering the strings. The biggest one begins with E . Nathan , Joseph and Gabriel had a go at playing it .


Joseph gets to grips with the bass


All classes today put in side step into the Foxtrot . Two steps over and two steps back .  X Factor here we come.

We did lots of work on bow hold today . Remember thumb bent underneath the frog. Wrap  your fingers over , those rabbit teeth have to come over the pencil not sit on top.

Ms Bridge and Ms Gill's class practiced making a siren sound  lifting and replacing their first finger on D to make new note E    E D E D E D nee naw nee naw nee naw.

We looked at some of the photos in the papers about musical events .

Leaders today Sonja (Ms G,) David ,(Ms B) and James and Tadhg , (Mr C) Bravo all of you?

Next week, (Windmill bows, Wintertime ,  Guest instrument - the viola )

Look at the music noticeboard and have read the pieces on the string instruments near the stairs

Gabriel and Geraldo



David leads the ensemble




Look Two Hands! New note E

Today's programme . 

Foxtrot
Toreador's March
Rock You D

Wintertime in Russia 
First Finger Riff  
Scary Tremelo

We began today by using one hand to place our violins in position because our right hands are busy  holding  the bow.  We revised our two note pizzicato tunes Foxtrot and Toreadors March .


Here are the notes for Toreadors' March 
 
DDD_  D D A_   x3

AAAA AAA D

Check out the You Tube clip of  Queen playing our groovy backing track We Will Rock You .

We did some work on bow hold . Here are three things to remember .

Bow Hold 
Thumb bent 
Fingers well over
Little finger in the circle
 D
All classes began working on first finger riff. We put first finger down on D string to make new note E

Here is the riff



E E E E E E E E D D D D D D D D  E E E E E E E E D D D D E_ E_

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1       0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     11 1 1 1 1 1 1        0 0 0 0   1-1-

Finally we had a duet  of a lovely Mexican tune Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Sky)

Checking out the blog reports

Where can you see these in HFSS?

Mr Connolly's class learned how to conduct three beats in a bar .

Brass Band Day

Today all classes moved on to the bow hold.  We began by making a snail shape with our thumb and middle finger of our right hand  and practicing on a pencil We  made the shape of a rabbit face .   Here are the things to remember .

Thumb bent
Fingers well over to bite down on the 'carrot'

Little finger round and sitting in the circle .

We practiced the rhythm Win-ter time in Rus-sia  to our backing track .

Foxtrot
Wintertime in Russia

We took a closer look at some brass instruments. We talked about the Ennis Brass Band
 Can you answer these questions.

1 What is the highest pitched brasss instrument?. I showed it in class today
2 Name two ways the brass player can change the note  , L_ _ P _ _ _ __ __ __ __  and V _ _ _ _ _ _?
3 Saxophone is a member of the W__________________ family

3. In what way does a trombone differ from a trumpet.

We learned how to conduct two beats in a bar for a march tempo.

Finally Mr Connolly and I played the Pizzicato Polka  by  Johann Strauss on violin and  cello.

Blue Danube Day

Getting to grips with a cello

Getting ready to play a duet



Great concentration



An Excellent Assistant

The classes got off to a great start today. We started with some finger drills. We held our violins in rest and play position.  We played pizzicato on G to some Vivaldi. We played pizz. on D string  to a waltz and we played our groovy Foxtrot on D and A strings.

Foxtrot
 DDD _ AAA_ DDD_ AAA_            

DDD_ DDD_ AAA_ AADsh


Bravo to Ms Bridge and Mr Connnolly who joined me for a duet !

Next week  -bow hold -Wintertime in Russia -2 string reggae -  Bold  Brass

Quiz
1 What was the name of the waltz we played today ?
2 How many beats were in each group in the waltz. Was it 2,3 or 4 ?
3The composer was Johann Strauss . What countryt was he from
4 He had a nickname . Can you find out what it was


Follow on assignment. Can you find out more about the composer Johann Strauss Junior
Try this website
http://www.classicsforkids.com/

Teachers' Briefing Tuesday 2 days to go

Project Coordinator and Ms Clohessy getting some practice in

I am looking forward to working with Ms Bridge, Ms Clohessy , Mr Connelly and Ms Glynn and their 4th class.  Thanks to Ms Brody, Ms Vaughan and Mr Bell  and Mr Darmody for their participation during the pilot . I met with the  team today and we are all set to start on Thursday . Watch this space for updates .

2011 Official Launch September 2011

We are delighted with the progress of the students during the pilot sessions in last term in May and June. Principal Sarah Barnes and the Board of Management of Holy Family Senior School have approved the project and Holy Family Strings will officially launch in September 2011  with Violin Teacher Cathy Desmond and Project Director Jillian Bridge. Watch this space for updates !  I am looking forward to seeing every 4th class student for their music lessons soon.

Attention 4th class  students . Have a look back at the  posts . Can you remember all the things we learned before the holidays. See you soon!