Traditional music education for children in Ireland
Traditional music education for children in Ireland
Hi,
One my one and only vist to Ireland, I was at Custy's in Ennis and noticed mothers coming in to buy instruments for their children for the school year. It was early fall and so it seemed appropriate. It got me wondering though - to what extent to Irish grade schools offer music instruction on traditional instruments? Do all school children get tuition on, say, a fiddle, flute, accordion etc ? Do they have an option to sign up for elective classes before/after school hours? I'm curious as to how much does the "system" support the perpetuation of traditional music from a young age. Or perhaps it's the case that the children take private lessons outside of school?
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
I have been in Custys at lunch-time in termtime on various occasions and there have always been children queueing for lessons - most heartening.
Colleagues in Kilrush tell me that most schools in Clare offer some sort of trad tuition - and that some schools offer certain instruments and other schools other instruments, causing complaints and children swapping schools to get the instrument tuition they want.
It is always sickening to go across there and find multi-instrumental kids - flash gits.
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
I'ts a good question. The easy answer is "It depends on the school". There are a great many teachers who take the time to include trad music in the daily activities, although it's fair to say that the music is more mixed than strictly trad. The basic penny whistle and recorder repertoire are probably not that different than that thaught in a school in the UK, with the inclusion of a few standards like "Fainne geal an lae" etc.
Most of the pure trad teaching is extra curricular, not necessarily organised by the schools, but by branches of Comhaltas. So I suppose kids get a feel for trad at school (or at home....the real school), and either follow it up thmselves after school hours, or evolve into musos of a different type, or give up altogether! the same is true for step dancing.
As for the involvement of the state,...... well that happens in the form of arts grants, mainly to Comhaltas. I feel the music is better off surviving without too much state interference. It's healthier because it has to struggle a bit to stay going, and the Irish allways work better when there's a struggle going on!
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
It depends on whether there is a teacher who is interested in trad. music or any music at all. Our local primary school had a visiting music teacher for a number of years who did classes after school hours one day a week. Numbers fell though so I don't think she's back this year. Our two older ones go to a second level school and they have just started up a trad. group, organised by a teacher who plays fiddle. This school also has a longer established band that plays classical/popular material.
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
And no, despite our governments laudable sentiments towards music in the curriculum, they're just that - sentiments. Mostly comes down to the parents to fund instruments and lessons. So there you go!
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
Our publican was forced to play the tin whistle in elementary school in Ireland, and to this day, he says he does not care for the instrument. Sometimes compulsory music education bears fruit, sometimes the fact that it is forced has a negative impact.
Traditional music education for children in Ireland
Traditional music education for children in Ireland
Hi,
One my one and only vist to Ireland, I was at Custy's in Ennis and noticed mothers coming in to buy instruments for their children for the school year. It was early fall and so it seemed appropriate. It got me wondering though - to what extent to Irish grade schools offer music instruction on traditional instruments? Do all school children get tuition on, say, a fiddle, flute, accordion etc ? Do they have an option to sign up for elective classes before/after school hours? I'm curious as to how much does the "system" support the perpetuation of traditional music from a young age. Or perhaps it's the case that the children take private lessons outside of school?
Thanks,
Avi
# Posted on October 23rd 2006 by improziv
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
I have been in Custys at lunch-time in termtime on various occasions and there have always been children queueing for lessons - most heartening.
Colleagues in Kilrush tell me that most schools in Clare offer some sort of trad tuition - and that some schools offer certain instruments and other schools other instruments, causing complaints and children swapping schools to get the instrument tuition they want.
It is always sickening to go across there and find multi-instrumental kids - flash gits.
# Posted on October 23rd 2006 by geoffwright
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
I'ts a good question. The easy answer is "It depends on the school". There are a great many teachers who take the time to include trad music in the daily activities, although it's fair to say that the music is more mixed than strictly trad. The basic penny whistle and recorder repertoire are probably not that different than that thaught in a school in the UK, with the inclusion of a few standards like "Fainne geal an lae" etc.
Most of the pure trad teaching is extra curricular, not necessarily organised by the schools, but by branches of Comhaltas. So I suppose kids get a feel for trad at school (or at home....the real school), and either follow it up thmselves after school hours, or evolve into musos of a different type, or give up altogether! the same is true for step dancing.
As for the involvement of the state,...... well that happens in the form of arts grants, mainly to Comhaltas. I feel the music is better off surviving without too much state interference. It's healthier because it has to struggle a bit to stay going, and the Irish allways work better when there's a struggle going on!
# Posted on October 23rd 2006 by Backer
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
It depends on whether there is a teacher who is interested in trad. music or any music at all. Our local primary school had a visiting music teacher for a number of years who did classes after school hours one day a week. Numbers fell though so I don't think she's back this year. Our two older ones go to a second level school and they have just started up a trad. group, organised by a teacher who plays fiddle. This school also has a longer established band that plays classical/popular material.
# Posted on October 24th 2006 by the wounded hussar
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
And no, despite our governments laudable sentiments towards music in the curriculum, they're just that - sentiments. Mostly comes down to the parents to fund instruments and lessons. So there you go!
# Posted on October 24th 2006 by the wounded hussar
Re: Traditional music education for children in Ireland
Our publican was forced to play the tin whistle in elementary school in Ireland, and to this day, he says he does not care for the instrument. Sometimes compulsory music education bears fruit, sometimes the fact that it is forced has a negative impact.
# Posted on October 25th 2006 by AlBrown