Presto String Ensemble Debut at Waterford Health Park

 

I am so proud of my students at the after-school class at my alma mater Presentation School,
Waterford.  Today, they gave their first public performance at the stunning surroundings of Waterford Health Park .  Our special guests were Dr Mark and Edel Rowe, Mrs Anne Marie O Mara, Principal, Presentation Primary School and Ms Angela Tobin, Music Coordinator , Presentation Primary School.

To date all the students in 4th , 5th and 6th class at Presentation Primary School have had two terms of violin tuition. The after school group is drawn from 4th and 5th class students who have completed the in school curricular module.

The programme was as follows


Vivaldi in G
Scale on D and A
Wintertime in Russia
Foxtrot
Blues
Beguine
Ode to Joy
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 
             Pizz / Arco
Merrily We RollAlong
Lightly Row
                                                                                              
Mary Had a Baby
Deck the Halls
Jingle Bells.

Post recital Hot Chocolates

Photo N Meleshko

End of term concert

What a great finish to our violin programme. Ms Herlihy and Ms O Sullivan's class ensembles performed for 3rd classes and their teachers. Thanks to our audience for joining in the singing and helping out on percussion.  Principal Mrs O Mara was our very special guest.

Here are the words of Ode to Joy everybody joined in singing


Joyful Joyful, Lift your voices
All creation everywhere
Hearts and hands cross sea and land
Come join us in our fervent prayer
Every land and every nation
Strong and mighty, meek and mild
Help to build a world of peace for every woman, man and child

Ms Herlihy's Ensemble 

  Warm Up Wintertime in Russia

                    Scale on D

                   Three Little Pigs   includes Blues

                                                               Ode to Joy
                                                         
                                                               Sharks out motif
                                                             
                                                               Beguine
Ms O Sullivan's Ensemble 

Kilfenora Ceili Dancer 

Warm Up Scale on A

We will Shock You

Storytime Hairy Scarey Castle  group 1 pizz Group 2 short bows Group 3 Tremelo

Mary Had a Baby

Jingle Bell stomp

Guest spot Jane Reinl plays Happy Birthday

Thanks to our accompanist Ms Tobin

  Resources Hairy Scarey Castle Three Singing Pigs Umansky
                   Three Little Pigs for strings  Link here for stringschool version  C Desmond

 WEll done to all the students who reached level 2 of the Stringschool programme

Optional after school programme begins Tuesday 1 December .

Draft programme End of term concert

Looking forward to our performance at the end of the 4th class violin module tomorrow . Here is a draft programme.

Ms Herlihy'sEnsemble 

  Warm Up Wintertime in Russia

                    Scale on D

                   Three Little Pigs   includes Blues

                                                               Ode to Joy
                                                         
                                                               Sharks out motif
                                                             
                                                               Beguine

Ms O Sullivan's Ensemble 

Kilfenora Ceili Dancer 

Warm Up Scale on A

We will Shock You

Storytime Hairy Scarey Castle  group 1 pizz Group 2 short bows Group 3 Tremelo

Mary Had a Baby

Jingle Bell stomp

After School Group: Good King Wenceslas Merrily we roll along Lightly Row

Getting ready for concert

Hairey Scary Castle

Sound effects

Creaking door Glissando up on G  press hard
Rattling skeletons
Whooshing Wind
Sqeaking Rats
Flapping Bats
Stamp feet

Next week Lets Try singing the song first and playing it on the second and third time with the narrator saying it.
We will We  Will shock You  Tarack 17

Mary Had a Baby

String Crossing  Ode to Joy

+++++++++
Wintertime in Russia with duet

Watch Out Wolf's out   singing and playing

Three Little Pigs

Blues

Sound effects

Wolf motif    last bit of Sharks Out

Week 5 Hungarian Dances

Lots happening this weekend in Waterford

The brothers Jablokov are in Waterford  on Saturday night. They are a lot of fun to watch.

Can you name all the instruments in the video

Also the Waterford Concert Orchestra are performing a concert of film music at St John's Church

Things we did today

We listened to Brahms Hungarian Dance no 5 played by the Jablokovs. What happened to the tempo during during the number

Scale on D
Scale on A
Sharks Out
Blues

Duet Katya Heather Ode to Joy

Swans and Scales Lesson 4

The Swan is a famous piece for solo cello by French composer Camille Saint Saens. 

Focus on strings  Violin Viola  Violoncello   (cello) Double Bass

Notes on D string

Work today

Double Bass 

Words to describe speed /tempo

Elements  TEMPO

Lento   Very Slow

Adagio  Slow

Largo    Broad and stately

Andante  Walking pace

Allegro  Quickly

Vivace   Lively

Presto    Very Very quick

Performing Wintertime in Russia Andante / Presto

Attacacm Crossing

Scale on D  

Waltz Time

Listening 1 Today we listened to the Skater's Waltz and learned how to beat three beats in bar.



Performing 2 All 3 fingers down in our scale on D

                   3  First finger riff
                 
                   4 I Stop and You Stop Major/ Minor

Assignment: 
Click on this link to find out more about Johann Strauss http://www.classicsforkids.com/composers/bio.asp?id=73

Matinée Concert Presentation Strings 2015

SCHOOL CONCERT The Presto Ensembles

Anne Marie O'Mara, the principal at the Presentation Primary School, launched the celebratory concert of an inclusive  curricular violin project run over a second successive school year, where four classes got hands-on experience with the violin, under the  tutelage of Cathy Desmond, a past pupil of the school.

The Presto Strings Violin Programme was launched in September 2013, and is one of a small, but developing number of inclusive class-based string tuition projects running in Irish schools, with the wonderful aim of introducing every child to playing an instrument and participating as a team in a musical activity with their classmates. Over the course of the year, students have made progress in music literacy and to delve into the world of music through creating, listening and responding to music in the classroom.

The range of styles featured in today's programme ranged from classical, dance, blues, marches, sea-shanties, and ceili dancing, with added rhythm and dramatic use of sound to tell stories.


The School Hall echoed with excitement and lots of happy faces. The 50 strong School choir who sang recently in the Theatre Royal with The Three Tenors and at the National Childrens' Choir, entertained with the Sé do Maimio , and a stirring Soldier's Chorus from Guonod's Faust and a brilliant finale, The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Mrs Wilmott's group kicked off the proceedings with a splendid Latin American set with a special tango version of the Twinke theme. There was bluesy interlude  and  finally a samba with added percussion to close.

The After School Play On Ensemble of 5th class students lent their support.
Ms Freyne's class delighted with pizzicato rhythms from March of the Toreador's from Carmen, and a brilliant telling of the Three Little Pigs with Beatrice on percussion.


Ms McKeown's class kicked off with a Foxtrot and shone with a vivid telling of the Three Billy Goats's Gruff. Holly danced a reel to the tutti Kilfenora riff.


Ms O Sullivan class rounded off the concert with an Irish blas , as the young violinists delivered a set of polkas with dance steps from a duo led by Aleesha.

Music continues to be central to life and enjoyment at Presentation. Bravo violin Presto Ensembles of 2015.

Presto Team 2015 Principal: Mrs O Mara  Violin Tutor Cathy Desmond,
Teachers Mrs Wilmott, Ms Freyne, Ms McKeown, Ms O Sullivan
Accompanist:Ms Tobin Coordinator: Mrs. McKenna. 

Bravo tutti!

Updates on the Presto Violin programme and follow on classes will be posted on school website .

'I love that connectivity and inspiration.The happy faces on the children told their own story
 ' Liam Murphy Munster Express

' most enjoyable- a wonderful oppoortunity for my grand daughter' Mrs Power

Check out the full programme of our matinée concert in the link here https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8tZsiLja6jURk1qTWMxd3U4RUU/view?usp=sharing

5th  class After School Ensemble

Preview Concert

Presentation School proudly presents…

The Presto Ensembles 2015

  With Special Guests –                       The Amazing Presentation School School Choir

A matinée recital at the Hall on Tuesday 28^th  April at 1.15pm  The Wilmott, McKeown. Freyne and O’Sullivan ensembles present some of the repertoire we have worked during the term

Wilmott Ensemble 
Scaley Monkey D and A

Tango to Trinidad

Twinkle Tango Style

One Down Blues   

Beguine Sambo

McKeown Ensemble

 A Story: The Three Billy Goats Gruff with special string sound effects

  featuring

Foxtrot

Sea Shanty

March

Reel   

The Freyne Ensemble

A story : The Three Little Pigs

 Featuring

Ballybricken Pullpost

Toreador’s March

Ireland’s Call

The O’Sullivan Ensemble

Aon Do Muc is Bo  

Twinkle a pizz,   b open string rhythm ,c fingers down

Three Polkas

      John Ryans , Scartaglen Polka; Terry Teehan’s

Trasna na dtonnta with chords

Countdown to Concert

Ms O Sullivan 

Draft programme

Leaders Caitlin Julia
Aon Dó Muc is Bó  Call and Response

Violins on floor
Sing  Call and response  Aon Deag Na big caint,
 Violins Up
Play scale Call and response

Twinkle Twinkle   Intro last  2 bars

1Rhythm only on open string
2Pizz
3Arco middle bit Jane et al

3 Polkas  Arco  John Ryans   ti ti sh sh sh
                pizz Terry Teahans tititi'    4 bar ostinato to start  This one to start
                arco Scartaglen  Get scale ostinato.

Ms McKeown
Three Little pigsThe Treble Islanders who lived in the South loved dancing and telling stories

Every day they began with a Foxtrot

Foxtrot

Then they liked to tell stories . Here is the story of the Three Billy Goat’s Gruff with special sound effects

They liked  singing and dancing especially Irish Dancing and they liked marches . Here is a March , a sea shanty and a reel .

Ms Freyne

The treble islanders who lived in the North  liked to begin with a dance around the Ballybricken Bull Post

Wintertime in Russia

They liked to tell stories too Here is their version of the Three Little Pigs

Toreadors March.

Ireland's Call

Ms Wilmott

Trouble at Treble Island                             

The Islanders on the Western side of Treble Island loved sport and music.  They started every day with the  Treble Island Rap.

Music has a Steady Beat

On the island there were monkees who liked to climb  trees a little bit at a time 

Scale on D to D'

The Islanders on the Western side were known as the Tango tribe . No 1 (  Track No1) .  

They liked to play follow the leader  call and response D and A tango

No Matter how hard they tried, all their songs ended in a tango rhythm Twinkle Twinkle  x 2 Pizz Arco 

Sometimes they got a bit sad and then they played the blues  One Down Blues

1 Pizz 

2 Pizz plus movement Dipping 

3 Bows up  Count 

4 Arco 

There was a ballroom on Treble Island and the islanders liked to dance the samba in the evening  

Beguine .

Spring term concludes

Can you name all the instruments in this video.


Research assignment 4th class Who was Stravinsky

Composer Stravinsky Find out more on link below


http://cdn.classical-music.com/sites/default/files/uploads/25/tenbannerstravinsky1.jpg

Check out

Draft Concert programme

Programme  3^rd Class

1 Story   Three Billy Goats Gruff/ Three Little Pigs

2 Foxtrot open string pizz 

3 First finger riff  O Sinner man

4 Jig or reel  rhythm   Two groups one on Beat   Dancer

5 Rap

6 D Scale Wintertime in Russia

Story  Three Little Pigs

1 Vivaldi in G

2 Toreadors March

3 Drunken Sailor

4Open string rhythm Wintertime in Russia

5Irelands Call  D and A

6 Rock You

7Rap

4^th Class  1

Open string rhythm  Bow River

Polkas Terry Teehans /ScartaglenJohn RYans   Upside down rhythm

Twinkle to polka rhythm

Trasna na dtonnta with chords

Aon Do Muc is Bó Scale

Reel  Kilfenora Ceili Dancer
March
Slip Jig  Dilin o Dilin o Dilin o  Rocky Road

 4^th Class 2

Open string tune I stop and You stop

Open string crossing to rhythm

Twinkle to Tango rhythm

Tango

Nead na Lacahn s sa Mhuta

 Sharks Out Eagles Flying

Blues

Beguine

 ➧

Seachatain na Gaeilge week 2

Maith an Cailin

 4th class

Amhran agus Deamhsa  Ostinatos

Reel  Kilfenora Ceili Dancer 
March 
Slip Jig  Dilin o Dilin o Dilin o  Rocky Road 
Polkas  Scale and Double Stopping 

Trasna na dtonnta  adding harmony to melody Chords

Play Your Name

Sight Reading: Notes on D string

3rd Class
String Crossing
March
Bravo Holly Reel

Liane's James Galway Facts : Famous flute player from in Belfast
                                                Went to London to study in his teens
                                                Played in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Herbert von Karajan
                                                Invited to play with rock group Pink Floyd Potsdamer Platz
                                                He is 75 yewars old and lives in Lucerne when he is not travelling the                                                    world playing
                                                He launched First Flute an online teraching website
                                                1997 Musical America named hime musician of the year
                                               

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Is é Seachtain na Gaeilge 


Today's class was all about Irish Music

Amhráin agus Deamhsa  Singing and Dancing

Uirlisí Ceoil:  Musical Instruments  Uilleann pipes , Harp, Flute, Fiddle, Accordion, Concertina, Guitar, Mandolin,


Listen to the Speks of Glasses Island singing Dilin o Deamhas  here http://thespeks.bandcamp.com/track/dil-n


Listen to the tune of Nead na Lachan here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhNv0FmCrQI

 

Here are the rhythms we played today


Ríl -Reel 4 beats in a bar. McLeod's Reel Kilfenora Cei-li Dan-cer


Polka John Ryan's Polka 1 2 1 skip rhythm


Hornpipe- 4 beats like a reel but slower tempo

Heartbeat rhythm (dotted rhythm) Cornpíopa Off to California

Port - Jig 6/8 The Irish Washerwoman Wriggleys chewing gum

New   Slipjig   9 tip toe beats    The tune Nead na Lachan is a slip jig

     Fonn Mall   Slow Air

     Port Béal     Lilting

Recognise the fiddle player?

Listen to one of the most famous céilí bands in the world in the clip. They are from Kilfenora in County Clare

  Which one of these two rhythms  fits a jig 

Storytime Pigs Goats and Firebird Lesson 6

3rd class made a start on sound effects for stories today.

Tremelo, Pizzicato,  Bow behind bridge,  Glissando up and down, Roll over Bows ,

Col legno (play with the back of the bow-the wood)

Three Billy Goats Gruff  and Three Little Pigs 
 
Glissando   Put your first finger on the bottom of the string and slide it up the string

Violin   Sound Effects

1Down Retakes       2Up Bow Retakes

3Tremelo   on strings 1, 2 3,4

4Strum   Forward

5Knocking on wood  

6Pizz       descending    rain   EADG

7Pizz ascending  GDAE

8Rock and Roll  bow over all 4 strings

9Bow behind bridge   for squealing

10 wolf theme on Double bass  bowing fast A E A E A E A E tremolo on A  off

11 First Finger glissando
12 Col legno with the wood 

4th Class

Ms O S
Chord Major / Minor   Gm  D   C
C string on cellp
Tango  I stop and You Stop  La Cumparsita
Scale Aon Do Muc is Bo .......


Mrs Wilmott
Eagles flying  First tune on E string


...
Listening Stravinsky  Firebird Listen to the piece here
 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/tenpieces/stravinsky.mp3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1K8WMY8wsxB6q3hg7pJ8g4c/igor-stravinsky

Lesson 4

4th Class

Simultaneous Rhythms  Matching words to rhythms

Scale on D

Theory Note on Stave  D String


Listening

Time Line Handel

Black Dyke Band


I couldn't find a clip of Triumph of Time . Here is another modern piece played by the band .
The Black Dyke Band played in Waterford in October last and brass band members came from all around the country to hear them

3rd Class

Old McDonald

3rd finger on D

Structure Ode to Joy   A A1 B A1  String crossing and tremelo

Listening