Are you looking for fun activities to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with your students? Look no further!
Today I am rounding up 5 fun ways you can celebrate this Irish holiday in your studio--including links to free sheet music, a free composing activity, and lots of examples of wonderful Irish music that is sure to set your toes a-tappin'!
Keep reading to see all of the free resources...
Today I am rounding up 5 fun ways you can celebrate this Irish holiday in your studio--including links to free sheet music, a free composing activity, and lots of examples of wonderful Irish music that is sure to set your toes a-tappin'!
Keep reading to see all of the free resources...
1. Play a traditional Irish folk song.
Introduce your students to one of the traditional Irish folk songs below! Click on any of these images to download your free PDF.
Introduce your students to one of the traditional Irish folk songs below! Click on any of these images to download your free PDF.
 The Irish Washerwoman - elementary level |  Molly Malone - late elementary level |  Danny Boy - lead sheet for early intermediates and up |
| 2. Improvise or compose a piece in the style of an Irish jig. Students of all ages will enjoy creating their own piece in the style of an Irish jig! This template gives students a left hand pattern and a suggested rhythm for creating their own piece in jig style. Beginners can create a melody using just the G major or G minor pentascales. More advanced students might enjoy experimenting with the pentatonic scale, or exploring the Dorian and Mixolydian modes--all of which are common in Irish folk music! Click on the image to download your free PDF! |  |
John Field; Photo attribution: Carl Mayer Anton Wachsmann, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 3. Learn about an important Irish classical music composer.
Did you know that Irish composer John Field is credited with creating the popular "nocturne" genre, and that his music highly influenced composer Frederic Chopin?
Your students might enjoy learning more about John Field by reading this biography HERE (courtesy of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society website), as well as listening to one of his most famous nocturnes, shown below!
Did you know that Irish composer John Field is credited with creating the popular "nocturne" genre, and that his music highly influenced composer Frederic Chopin?
Your students might enjoy learning more about John Field by reading this biography HERE (courtesy of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society website), as well as listening to one of his most famous nocturnes, shown below!
4. Learn about the instruments used in traditional Irish music.
Irish folk music gets its unique sound from the use of many different traditional instruments. This video shows examples--both pictures and sound--of the traditional instruments that make Irish folk music so special.
Irish folk music gets its unique sound from the use of many different traditional instruments. This video shows examples--both pictures and sound--of the traditional instruments that make Irish folk music so special.
5. Watch a performance of traditional Irish music.
The videos below are wonderful examples of talented musicians playing traditional Irish music! These performances not only showcase many of the traditional Irish instruments shown in the video above, they also give students a chance to hear the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic patterns that are unique to Irish folk music.
The videos below are wonderful examples of talented musicians playing traditional Irish music! These performances not only showcase many of the traditional Irish instruments shown in the video above, they also give students a chance to hear the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic patterns that are unique to Irish folk music.
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What do you think? Are you doing anything fun to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in your studio this month? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!
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