Music Marathon

Music Classroom

We finished the first half of our violin programme at Holy Family Senior School today with a music marathon. -Well a half marathon with 13 items featuring all the things we have learned this term.  We  tried some games . It was amazing how good everyone was at the freeze game and there were some very scary rock star faces for 'Rock You' too scary to be recorded here

 Here is our programme

Vivaldi on G
Foxtrot
Wintertime Fast One Leg hop
Atacama Crossing

First Marathon Runner

Quiz Time

Roadies play time

 Toreadors March |Name the tune
Kilfenora Ceil Dancer  Clap and name the rhythm
Winter time in Rus sia
Old Mac Donld Quavers on D (3)
First Finger riff Drunken Sailor
Rock You
Down Up Bells
Two String Reggae
Ireland's Call
Quiz 

Quiz Time

Visiting Ms Foran and class

Efosa and Asrafal demonstrate third finger placement

Perfect position in Lesson 1

Rainy Reggae Day

Reggae fan, Mr Vaughan points to the Carribbean

Isobel and Ava hav a go at playing trumpet before helping to pack up

Today we worked on our string crossing and placing third finger on D strin g to make new note G . We had  a  musical quiz. We were delighted to welcome Mr Vaughan to Mr Connolly's class .  Mr Vaughan specially liked the reggae number today

We are drawing close to the end of the first half of our  string programme. We have covered many of the basics of violin playing and learned about  different instruments and styles. Next week , we will have a marathon play through of all our reperotire to date .

Two String Reggae     Gand D open strings
New note E Jazz Track   
Old MacDonald  quavers on G'
Cross Lake Blues        String crossing D to A
Atacama Crossing      String crosing D to A  win ter-time- in Rus-sia   **New this week

Quiz Ms Gill's class finished  the quiz in 5 minutes

Cross Lake Blues and Kilfenora Ceili Dancers

Performance by Ms Bridge's Class

Term resumed today and violin class was very busy as we learned to do some new steps. We took two new steps today. changing from D to A string and putting first second and third finger down on D string to make G' (high G). Remember  2 and 3 like to stick together.

Programme
1.New clapping rhythm KIl-fen-or-a Cei-li Danc-ers   quaver rhythm.
2 First finger riff  Revision
3 3rd finger down  on D string  new note G Old MacDonald  **NEW
4 Cross Lake Blues    **NEW
5 Now You Has Jazz Listening and responding.  Cole Porter

Thanks to my wonderful helpers Isobel, Ava and Erin. Nothing is too much trouble for these girls .
Leaders  James, Eyosa,  Bass Martin.

If you would like to have another listen to our listening track today , you can see the musicians in the video clip on the right. Louis Armstrong was a very famous jazz trumpeter and the singe is Bing Crosby who had a big hit with White Christmas

Bravo to Claudia who played Twinkle Twinkle for me today on her new violin. Wonderful Brava!

Debut Performance at Holy Family School Cafe

Ms Gill's Class

Trio Conga Bass Violin

Announcing a piece

All together Mr Connolly's class

Mr Connolly's Ensemble

Ms Bridge, Mr Connolly and Ms Gill's classes gave a stunning debut performance in the Holy Family School Cafe today.  There was only time for a very brief sound check before each class performed in turn for an invited audience . Here is the programme

Pizzicato
Toreador's March
Vivaldi in G
What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor
Foxtrot

****
Arco ( With Bow)

Rock You
Wintertime in Russia
   guest slot Cielito Lindo / Pizzicato Polka
Ireland's Call

It was a very exciting morning .  Finally the moment we have worked very hard for over the last eleven weeks arrived , our first performance for a live audience. Ms Bridge's class were first to perform.  A special thank you to Niall's dad who came in specially with Niall's banjo. Niall did a solo turn for the sea shanty What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor.  Well done to the students who intoduced the items .  We had several excellent  double bass players , Lee, Seosamh, Joseph. Our leaders Hayley, James , Ada , Ben, Claudia and Eyosa did a great job in keeping everyone on track .  Emmanuel in Mr Connolly's class and Dylan in second class added some percussion on conga and ocean drum .



Ms Darmody was in the audience  as our special guest today .

Be sure you get a copy of the end of term mega quiz from your teacher.

I am looking forward to seeing you all after half term when we will be learning lots of new things to do on the violin and bass.  Can't wait!

Week 7 Dress rehearsal

All classes had a dress rehearsal  today for their debut next week . Here is the programme for Tuesday.

Pizzicato Corner

Toreador's March
Vivaldi on G
Drunken Sailor
Foxtrot

With Bow
Rock You
Wintertime in Russia
Ireland's Call

Putting it all together. week 6

Leading the  ensemble

As we come to the end of half term, we rehearsed our repertoire ( a  posh word for everything that we can play easily) .All three classes did the programme below

Foxtrot    x3  (with dipping and sidestep )
Toreador's March  x2  dipping
First finger riff /Drunken Sailor
Irelands Call   Bow Side to Side/ Retakes/Tremelo 
Wintertime in Russia
Rock You    Ti Ti quavers on A   (Mr Connolly's class)

Super bow hands

Several students tried out our double bass Geraldo (Roisin, Seosamh , Lee  Eyosa ) Remember the open strings are the same as the violin .  Elephant, Alligator Donkey Goat but in reverse order.

The big bass

 We included our windscreen wiper manoevre in our Irelands Call  and a tremelo to finish

Ben leads the ensemble

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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,