First Class

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In First Class budding Violin players may wish to continue their playing by taking part in our “Minims and Semibreves” or their Cello with first class Cellos. Some of our Violinists may also like to move over the Viola. Some may wish to take up the Recorder with “Petit Puffs of Wind”-a great introduction to other wind instruments which they may like to try once they get to third class. If numbers permit first class students can enjoy using the programme’s wide selection of percussion instruments by taking Junior Percussion lessons. If they are a singer now may be the time to enrol them in singing lessons. Perhaps they are interested in the Piano either? Most of our first class instrumentalists also benefit from enrolling in our Theory for Fun classes which augment and supplement their instrument learning.

Junior Percussion

The video shows Patrick O’Shea 5th Class 2013-2014 interviewed and performing in Senior Orchestra in the programme “Meet The Orchestra” recorded in May 2013 and aired on RTE Junior in September 2013

Junior Percussion players have the opportunity to play on the school’s samba drums, orchestral timapni, glockenspiel, snare drum, suspended cymbal, triangle and bass drum.

St Canice’s percussionists perform in the Senior orchestra, Junior orchestra and Jazz band and may also get together with fellow string or woodwind or brass players to form smaller performing groups.

By |2019-12-19T22:35:46+00:00October 11th, 2019|

Voice

Singing lessons can be taken up by individuals from first class onwards under the expert tuition of Irish Soprano Roisin O’Grady.

By |2019-10-11T15:47:48+01:00October 11th, 2019|

Piano

The video shows Aoibheann Smyth 5th Class 2013-2014 interviewed and performing in Senior Orchestra in the programme “Meet The Orchestra” recorded in May 2013 and aired on RTE Junior in September 2013

The Piano can be a member of the orchestra or a solo instrument.

The first piano was built as early as 1694 and replaced the harpsichord as the most popular keyboard instrument of the Romantic era. The piano was first referred to as a pianoforte which means soft (piano) loud (forte) instrument. It was named the pianoforte because, unlike the harpsichord, it allowed the player to control the degree of loudness and softness of a note by the way he/she would strike a key.

Playing the piano often involves the use of all ten fingers and sometimes both of your feet. To make a sound, simply press a key down. The softer or harder and slower or faster the pianist presses a key will determine the sound quality of the note. The three pedals, controlled by the pianists feet, also change the tone of the piano. They include the damper pedal, the soft pedal, and the sostenuto pedal. The damper pedal is the most used pedal by far, serving to sustain the notes that have been played. The soft pedal, which may be locked in place during a performance, serves to lighten the intensity of the notes. The last pedal, the sostenuto pedal, makes it possible to sustain some notes while allowing the player to play detached sounds on another part of the keyboard.

St Canice’s pianists can perform alone or in a duo to perform duets or even play with other members of the orchestra.

By |2019-12-19T22:36:00+00:00October 11th, 2019|

Recorder

The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument that was popular as early as the 14th century. At the time its name was coined, the word recorden was used, meaning to play or to practice music, thus the recorder. It is a member of a family of end-blown flutes, known as fipple flutes, which includes flageolets and tin whistles. The recorder is set apart from these other members of the family by eight holes along its pipe.

The eight holes of the recorder are comprised of seven finger holes and an additional hole for the thumb of the upper hand. The lower two holes are normally smaller than the rest and positioned side by side so that the player can cover them with a single finger. The recorder itself is a pipe, traditionally made of wood but also from plastic in modern times. By blowing into the slot at the mouthpiece, a note is produced by air being forced against the hard edge called the labium. The musician varies the note by covering and uncovering the holes along the instrument’s pipe.

A recorder is normally comprised of three separate parts, known as joints. The top part is known as the head joint because it houses the mouthpiece. The body joint is the main pipe of the recorder. This part has most of the finger holes. The bottom section is called the foot joint and it has the final finger hole, which must be turned slightly so as not to line up perfectly with the other holes. On some recorders, the body joint and the foot joint are a single piece.

The beak is the narrow section of the mouthpiece and the part that the musician places between their lips. The narrow tube that is being blown into, extending from the beak, is referred to as the windway. As the air exits the windway, it strikes against a sharp edge called the labium. This process produces the sound. The opening in the recorder that extends from the end of the windway to the other end of the labium is known as the window.

St Canice’s recorder players in the Junior orchestra and may also get together with fellow woodwind, string or brass players to form quartets or other smaller performing groups.

Recorders are not available for hire from St Canices Music Programme and must be purchased. Lesson costs depend on the size of the group being taught and can alter annually. Please ask for further details.

By |2019-10-11T14:37:45+01:00October 11th, 2019|

Double Bass

The video shows Shay McEvoy 5th Class 2013-2014 interviewed and performing in Senior Orchestra in the programme “Meet The Orchestra” recorded in May 2013 and aired on RTE Junior in September 2013

The double bass (pronounced like ‘base”) is the largest member of the string family. Other names for this instrument include the string bass, bass viol, the stand-up bass or frequently simply the bass. Like the other string instruments, sound is produced by drawing a bow across the strings or by plucking the strings. Since the bass is the largest of the string instruments, it is also the lowest.

Like other string instruments the double bass comes in just two pieces, the instrument and the bow. The bow uses horsehair or a synthetic material to vibrate the strings as it is drawn over the instrument. The double bass has four strings normally tuned to E, A, D and G. The strings on a double bass are tuned in fourths which makes it different from all other modern string instruments.The tuning in fourths makes the double bass different from all other modern string ins
The double bass is played in an upright position with the left hand resting on the back of the neck and the right either plucks the strings or holds the bow.

The bass is a very old instrument. It has been basically unchanged for hundreds of years. A popular new version of the string bass is the electric bass guitar. A bass guitar is tuned the same and has a similar sound to a plucked string bass. The electric guitar sound is amplified electronically rather than from the body of the instrument. Many players of the string bass also double on the electric bass for some occasions.

The double bass comes in various sizes. The correct size for each student depends on the overall size of the student. Students are measured by our double bass teachers to determine the correct size of instrument for them as individuals.

The double bass is not as popular as a violin for beginners. This means that a good double bass player will always be a very valuable member of the orchestra since the number of double bass players is so small. However, the double bass is still used in virtually all styles of music throughout the world. It is well known for its use in symphony orchestras as well as rock and roll, country and bluegrass bands and other popular groups. Most jazz groups include a string bass or at the very least an electric bass guitar.

St Canice’s double bassists perform in the Senior orchestra, Junior orchestra and Jazz band and may also get together with fellow string or woodwind players to form smaller performing groups.

By |2019-12-19T22:35:37+00:00October 11th, 2019|
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