Welcome To the Swinging Strings Blog

The Swinging Strings Project would like to welcome pupils, parents and all interested parties to our website. This blog tracks the progress of 80+ children (and their teachers!) as they learn the violin. It is intended to act as a resource for the pupils as they progress and act as an information point for parents, teachers etc.

The project is delivered on an inclusive basis and links to the Irish Primary Music Curriculum. This means that ALL students particpate irrespective of musical backgrounds. It is believed that it is the one of biggest inclusive projects of its kind in the country. Have a look around and learn all about our violin project. Our cover photo was taken by award winning press photographer, John Kelly.
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Thank you

Cathy Desmond

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Swinging Strings Violin Teaching Project Completes Year 1 With Performance

Information note for parents;
The in school violin  programme has concluded for this academic year.   We are very pleased with the students' progress over the course of the programme .  It is proposed to offer an after school orchestra programme next year for students who would like to pursue study of a stringed instrument further and  details will be available shortly. There are many good local instrumental tuition providers available locally and I will be issuing a guide to what is available in the next few weeks.

Should you wish to purchase an instrument, I recommend the Stentor Student 1 available from local supplier Custy's Music Store , Most students will be ready for a 3/4  size at this stage  with taller students ready for a full size instrument. Mention you are a student of the programme.

I wish to acknowledge the  excellent work of  Fiona de Buitleir in coordinating this project, Ray McInerney and Tom Glynn for their support and encouragement.   The enthusiasm with which teachers Dara Blake, Liz Spring , Eamonn Corry  and support staff Deirdre Larkin engaged in the project was crucial to engendering similar enthusiasm in their students. I enjoyed working with the students and their teachers very much and look forward to the next stage.

Sincere thanks to you all .


Cathy Desmond  BA HDip LTCL
Director Stringschool   email cdstringschool@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Final Graduation Concert

Mr Blake and class Ms De Buitleir and Ms Desmond

Ms Spring and class

Ms Larkin and Mr Corry

Stave and notes on ENS crest

Ms Spring with her cert and launch article


Maeve leads the ensemble
The Swinging Strings programme finished Level 1 with a performance for third class today.  The programme is printed below . Following the performance , all graduates were presented by a certificate by their teacher Ms Desmond . Lots of smiles all round  after all the hard work during the year.  

Vivaldi on G
Toreadors March
Wintertime in Russia
Athacama Crossing
Darling River Monkey
Foxtrot
Blues
We will Rock You 

Graduates  Level 1
Ms Spring 1.   Ali Flannery2.   Kayla Brigdale3.   Siofra Mc Inerney4.   Orlaith Quinn5.   Zoe Brigdale6.   Maja Socha 7.   Sarah Mulvihill 8.   Naomi Obadeyi  9. Sarah Purtill -Mc Carthy10. Karolina Fogel11. Leanne Meaney
12. Danielle McCullough 13. Estefany Carr14. Emma Guilfoyle15. Maeve Gleeson16. Levi Nlemoah 17.Patrick McInerney 18. Lee O'Loughlin 19.Bruce Pigott 20.Seán Dolan 21.Cian Gormley 22.Rían Corey
23.Stephen Kennedy 24.Gavin Flynn 25.James Costellom 26.Darren Hayes

Mr Blake, Raphael Agbaja, Raana Bennett, Jack Brennan, Patrick Bugler, Katie Clohessy. Ana Dias, Chloe Garland Conor Grogan, Gerard Kavanagh, Eliaz Kunz, Cadhla Lynch, Conor Mahoney, Molly Marshall, Sean Meere, Emmanuelle Moreira Dylan Myhill, Shauna O Beirne,  Darren O Brien, Lydia O Connell, Shauna O Dea, Ross O Flaherty, Megan O Loughlin, Bradley O Reilly, Megan O Shea, Julia Przado, Stephen Rocke, Caldwell Rynne, Cian Shannon

Mr Corry, Ms Larkin, Shawn Benson, Graham Callinan, Rhona Coghlan, Nicole Doherty Arianna Gama Aoife Gleeson, Euan Greer, Suzanna Haziri, Niamh Howard,  Aidan Jordan Shauna Kearney, Kalum Mahony O Riordan, Sean Makalimam  Aoife McMahon,  Jack McMorrough, Melissa Mongans, James Nugent, Johnny O Keefe, Tara O Shaughnessy, Nicholas Ogbuagu, Frank Roche, Melissa Shanahan, Ellen Smith, Leah Sullivan, Harry Talty, Liam Wall, Eadaqoin Walsh Harry Yeung


                 

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Getting Ready for finale performance and jamming with Queen

Programme today
Vivaldi on G 
Two String Reggae
Toreadors March    (Mr Corry's favourite )
Foxtrot 
Darling River Monkey  Scale
Blues



Today we had two new visitors to our class. Ms Spring's class were joined by Ms O Connell and Mr Blake's class  were joined fiddle player Ms Foran.  Mr Mc Inerney popped in to listen  We showed both both visitors some of the steps from the last two terms . We started with some open string pizzicato tunes . Everybody liked the two string reggae   The next step was using our bows. By now lots of you  are moving to an inside bow grip  . Remember to bend your thumb.  Finally we put on the Youtube clip of We will Rock You at the top of the blog on the right  and jammed along with Queen.  Remember we have to change to the D string to play the right notes with the band . Here are the finger patterns .

NEXT WEEK Final Perfromance

A special thank you to Meghan who stayed behind during sos to help me pack up . Here she is with her Love Live Music Pencil.



We Will Rock You

D String  3      2       1      0               11
              We   will  We    will         Rock You