Rainy Day Blues

Mr Connolly's class play The Blues pizzicato

                   G              Two Ledger Lines 
The rain cleared today

     Today all three classses climbed  down the ladder. Ms Bridge's class climbed up as well. 

   *We learned how to read low G  ( how many ledger lines do we need?)
  * We made a start on the One Finger Blues
  * Bow Hand Sleeping Beauty , Jack and Jill ,  Humpty Dumpty, Little Jack Horner . can you find all these nursery rhyme characters in your bow hand?

'Check Out the video tutorial   on the right .   

Green Violin

Notes on D 

 Notes on G

Notes on A

D  E  D  E    G  G  G_    x4                                  

0   1  0   1     0   0   0  

A B A B     D  E  D  E                           

0  1  0  1     0  1    0   1 

G G G G     G  z  D  z  

Programme restarts

 

We had a busy day on the programme today.  I was joined by trainee teacher and violinist , Aileen Sexton.   
We learned a new bow grip , the inside bow grip. 
We put all or fingers down, to make the three down ladder. 
 We played two duets from the southern states of the USA Lil Liza Jane and Oh Suzannah. We learned the choruses .  If you have forgotton here they are . 
We learned a new rhythm Bow Ri-ver 


 Oh Eliza, lil Liza Jane 
 Oh Eliza, lil Liza Jane
 I know a girl that you don't know, lil Liza Jane 
 She lives bdown in Baltimore, lil Liza Jane 
                                 
Oh Suzannah, don't you cry for me 
 I come from Louisiana with a banjo on my knee.


3 DOWN LADDER
DESCENDING 3 fingers down  3333 3 3   lift up 3    2222 2 2   lift up 2  1111 1 1  lift up 10000 0 0 open D 




Q. In what way is your bow hand like a train? Hint .  Think of the jobs people on trains do .

We welcomed two new students today, Bruno and Ennie

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