School Outreach Program - Claddagh Irish Music ~ Granby, Colorado

Program Information
Number of Artists: 5
Length of Program: 30-60 minutes
Grade Levels: K-12
Audience Size/Limit: no limit
Space Required: 8’ x 20’
Set-up Time: 30 minutes
Equipment needs: access to 110 volt power
Other Special Requirements: none

Program Goals
The program educates children about our musical heritage, exposes them to professionally performed acoustic music and encourages them to listen to and perform music themselves. The program also aims to help students celebrate cultural commonalities and feel connected or bridge differences through the sharing of an exciting musical experience.
Program Outline
In performance, Claddagh plays a variety of music associated with Ireland and the British Isles. This includes jigs, reels, airs, hornpipes, ballads, and a sea chantey or two. The band explains the origins of the music and takes questions. The audience is involved with the program through clapping, singing, and dancing.

Teacher's Guide:

A Valuable Lesson from Claddagh

With rising concern throughout the country that students be made to feel a sense of community in our schools, Claddagh offers a unique opportunity toward this goal. Music comes in many different styles and forms and students often perceive their own musical taste as an obstacle separating them from people with different preferences. In fact, many areas where individual differences are noticeable (be they cultural, lingual, racial, academic, or physical) can cause students to feel less connected and more isolated. Claddagh performs the traditional music of Ireland and discusses the history and commonalities with other music forms, e.g., bluegrass, old-time, jazz, folk, and modern rock.

Claddagh performs on an eclectic set of (mostly) acoustic instruments including flutes, fiddles, guitar, hammered dulcimer, bass guitar, and vocals. Students will experience enjoyment hearing music that they may not be at all familiar with and, looking around, they will find other students (along with their teachers) tapping their toes, clapping their hands, and rising to their feet and dancing. If your school is looking for a way to help students feel connected or bridge differences, this concert is for you.

Fact Sheet for Teachers

Claddagh

is a five piece group which originated in November 2004.

performs traditional music of Ireland and the British Isles.

comes to you from Grand County, Colorado.

can be found on the web at: www.irishbandcladdagh.com

Prepare Your Students for the Show!

Talk about where Ireland is geographically

Discuss the Famine and the great emigration.

Discuss the cultural differences between Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales.

Talk about the life of St. Patrick.

Teach students the words to “Sweet Rosie O'Grady.”

Suggested extensions

Research famous Irish writers, e.g., Yeats, Keats, Joyce, et al.

Write an essay identifying similarities and differences between Irish and Bluegrass music.

Research the history of Vikings in Ireland.

This page last updated 01/26/2010.