Holiday Greetings Everyone!
I have officially finished my first semester, just in time to head off on more adventures. This Christmas I will not be returning home to Canada. Instead, my cousin Garnet and I will be traveling during December. I head to Dublin this evening in order to catch an early morning flight tomorrow.
Our travel plans include touring Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic before heading to the United Kingdom to spend Christmas and New Years visiting family and friends. Garnet and I will both fly into Frankfurt, where we will meet up with my friend Everett. He will take us into the city and show us some sights. I've heard amazing things about the German Christmas markets and cannot wait to see them in person.
After Frankfurt we will head south to Munich for a few days, then into Austria to see Salzburg and Vienna. By December 20th we will arrive in Prague, and on the 23rd we will fly to London. Next it is down to Plymouth to see our cousin Tom and his family for Christmas. While in the UK we will also visit relatives outside of Cambridge and acquaintances in Exeter who own The Big Sheep tourist farm.
Our big splurge is to spend New Years in central London. Very Excited! Our travels in the UK will wrap up on January 5th when Garnet and I fly to our respective countries from Heathrow airport. While Garnet heads home, I will stop briefly in Belfast to visit even more relatives before returning to Limerick.
It will be a whirlwind trip with many sights to see. I will do my best to blog throughout, but may not get pictures up until January. School does not start for me until the end of January so I will have lots of time to blog, fiddle, read and relax then.
I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Christmas, and all the best in the New Year.
Shannon
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
How Irish Am I? Part I
Welcome to December! I hope everyone is getting in the Christmas spirit as we get closer and closer to the day. My holiday season was brought in by the annual Christmas "Toy Show," on Ireland's Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy. The two hour special hosts children from all over Ireland to test out and share their opinions on the newest toys. According to my Irish flatmates it is a Christmas tradition to watch the Toy Show. It put me in the holiday spirit!
Last week I had my in-class assessments and my class ensemble performance. The concert went really well. We had the audience line-dancing to an American fiddle tune, doing body percussion to African drumming, singing along to the Ramones, and parading outside while we played Brazilian Samba. My friends think I have the most entertaining degree on campus!
Today, I get the joy of printing out all my written work and submitting it for the semester. It is a great feeling! All I have left before my holiday break is performing in the UL Community Orchestra concert on Saturday and playing a fiddle jury on December 11th.
As my first semester comes to an end, I thought that I would share how Irish I feel I have become. I've tallied up my Irish and Canadian traits for comparison, and I must admit they are fairly amusing.
How Irish am I?
Best of luck in this busy time of year!
Shannon
Last week I had my in-class assessments and my class ensemble performance. The concert went really well. We had the audience line-dancing to an American fiddle tune, doing body percussion to African drumming, singing along to the Ramones, and parading outside while we played Brazilian Samba. My friends think I have the most entertaining degree on campus!
Today, I get the joy of printing out all my written work and submitting it for the semester. It is a great feeling! All I have left before my holiday break is performing in the UL Community Orchestra concert on Saturday and playing a fiddle jury on December 11th.
As my first semester comes to an end, I thought that I would share how Irish I feel I have become. I've tallied up my Irish and Canadian traits for comparison, and I must admit they are fairly amusing.
How Irish am I?
- As mentioned several times before, I like Guinness ... a lot actually.
- Every once and awhile I say "Grand," I even used it in my most recent essay.
- I am thoroughly addicted to tea. That's what happens when you get two tea breaks each day during class.
- In terms of music I have to think in crochets (quarter notes) and quavers (eighth notes), which I still feel is weird.
- And strangest of all ... I like boiled cabbage! One evening I cooked myself a meal of baked fish, boiled potato and boiled cabbage. It was quite Irish of me.
- Either than the odd word added to my vocabulary, I have not acquired any Irish accent. Still Canadian in that sense.
- I cannot read the Irish language for the life of me. My friends made a game out of listening to me read the sugar packets in the pub last week.
- Sadly, I am still a Canadian classical violinist when it comes to fiddling. I'm doing my best to remedy this issue. My teacher has recommended I get "the Trad disease" like Irish musicians.
- The bipolar weather here still surprises me. If it is sunny in the morning, it will pour in the afternoon. I've also never seen so much rain falling from sunny skies.
- Some of my favourite shows to watch on TV are still the American-made Big Band Theory and Criminal Minds. I have yet to become interested in Irish soap operas (for good reason).
- And I saved the most important for last... I still say "Eh!" My classmates get a kick out of catching me.
Best of luck in this busy time of year!
Shannon
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Promised Irish tidbits!
I've spent some time thinking of juicy Irish tidbits to share with you. To start, I'd like to pass on this picture which I quickly snapped while going downtown on the city bus one day.
Yes that would be a pony, in the middle of the street, clearly on the loose judging by the lead hanging from its halter. I have a feeling this scenario is more common than you might imagine in Irish cities. I had a good laugh because no matter where I am, whether at home in Ontario, at school in Brandon, or living in Ireland, I can never seem to escape agriculture.
My second tidbit is indeed a fascinating one! Over coffee one day, my classmates were informing me that red-headed people are slowly breeding out their ginger genetic traits because red hair is a recessive gene. According to online articles, the unfortunate red-headed kind only have about 100 years left to prosper! (http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/gingers-extinct-in-100-years-say-scientists/story-e6frfkp9-1111114243424). I recommend that you warn all the Gingers you know as soon as possible. I've already notified my cousins.
I also want to share some tidbits about the Irish accent and diction, because I have not touched on the topic for awhile in my blogs. One of the most common words around is "Grand" which ranges in meaning from fabulous to downright awful. Also dangerously similar to "grand" is "fine." Much like in North America, if someone says they are fine, they could be perfectly happy or inches away from a fistfight. My class has had some good laughs over these words because they turn up in many Monday morning greetings.
In terms of pronunciation I've found it interesting that words such as appreciate or negotiate have a "see" (appre-see-ate/ nego-see-ate) sound rather a "shee" sound like I would use. I've come to identify with different terminology as well. Cell phone are mobiles, and sweaters are jumpers. There is no such thing as a city "block" and zucchinis are referred to by their French title Courgettes. Confusingly, chips are called crisps because chips are really french fries. Don't even bother mentioning toques because you only get blank stares. I believe warm headgear is called a beanie or simply a hat over here. I am pretty proud that I have convinced my Greek roommate to call them toques instead.
My life is still school-focused at the moment with only two weeks left before all my written assignments are due. I should have another blog for you soon. I hope to report on how Irish I have become over the past three months.
Happy Thanksgiving to American readers,
Shannon
My second tidbit is indeed a fascinating one! Over coffee one day, my classmates were informing me that red-headed people are slowly breeding out their ginger genetic traits because red hair is a recessive gene. According to online articles, the unfortunate red-headed kind only have about 100 years left to prosper! (http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/gingers-extinct-in-100-years-say-scientists/story-e6frfkp9-1111114243424). I recommend that you warn all the Gingers you know as soon as possible. I've already notified my cousins.
I also want to share some tidbits about the Irish accent and diction, because I have not touched on the topic for awhile in my blogs. One of the most common words around is "Grand" which ranges in meaning from fabulous to downright awful. Also dangerously similar to "grand" is "fine." Much like in North America, if someone says they are fine, they could be perfectly happy or inches away from a fistfight. My class has had some good laughs over these words because they turn up in many Monday morning greetings.
In terms of pronunciation I've found it interesting that words such as appreciate or negotiate have a "see" (appre-see-ate/ nego-see-ate) sound rather a "shee" sound like I would use. I've come to identify with different terminology as well. Cell phone are mobiles, and sweaters are jumpers. There is no such thing as a city "block" and zucchinis are referred to by their French title Courgettes. Confusingly, chips are called crisps because chips are really french fries. Don't even bother mentioning toques because you only get blank stares. I believe warm headgear is called a beanie or simply a hat over here. I am pretty proud that I have convinced my Greek roommate to call them toques instead.
My life is still school-focused at the moment with only two weeks left before all my written assignments are due. I should have another blog for you soon. I hope to report on how Irish I have become over the past three months.
Happy Thanksgiving to American readers,
Shannon
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Prepping for Ensemble Concerts
It is now under a month till I am done my first semester in Limerick. As we race down the back-stretch to Christmas, I will find myself rather busy with assignments due, recordings to be made, concerts to perform, and holidays to plan.
I am most excited for our class ensemble performance in the last week of November. All through the semester we have had three hour rehearsals every Wednesday to compose and arrange a 30-45 minute performance which depicts how our class perceives community music. With two weeks left before the concert we are in crunch time to fit all our ideas together.
Our class has incorporated music genres from all over the world to emphasize the cultural diversity of community music. We are performing everything from American bluegrass to Samba, and African drumming to traditional Chinese and Irish singing. We dip into modern music with some jazz and rock, plus sing in multiple languages and play a variety of instruments. This ensemble performance will be my debut performance on the electric bass! I'll be rocking out to some Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones.
Our ensemble performance will also have many opportunities for the audience to participate. Participation is really the key element in community music. In one of my course texts Joining In, author Anthony Everitt claims "Music is too important to be left to the musicians: it belongs to all of us." Our class agrees with Everitt and therefore will have people singing, clapping, performing body percussion and dancing in our performance. There is still much organization to be done, but as long as it comes together it will be a blast!
Tonight I must brave the rain to attend my weekly University of Limerick Community Orchestra rehearsal. Every Tuesday over the semester I have enjoyed these rehearsals because it keeps me playing classical music and motivates me to practice more repertoire. We have a concert on December 8th which will feature various Christmas carols, March Slave by Tchaikovsky, Trombone Concerto by Rimsky-Korsakov, Farandole by Bizet, Finnegan's Wake by Potter, a Cole Porter Suite and much more. I've had quite a positive experience with this group thanks to the friendliness of orchestra members and energetic style of the conductor.
As my semester wraps up I will do my best to continue posting regularly. Unfortunately I do not have any travelling adventures planned in the next month, but I'll keep my ears posted on interesting Irish tidbits to share with you.
All the Best,
Shannon
I am most excited for our class ensemble performance in the last week of November. All through the semester we have had three hour rehearsals every Wednesday to compose and arrange a 30-45 minute performance which depicts how our class perceives community music. With two weeks left before the concert we are in crunch time to fit all our ideas together.
Our class has incorporated music genres from all over the world to emphasize the cultural diversity of community music. We are performing everything from American bluegrass to Samba, and African drumming to traditional Chinese and Irish singing. We dip into modern music with some jazz and rock, plus sing in multiple languages and play a variety of instruments. This ensemble performance will be my debut performance on the electric bass! I'll be rocking out to some Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones.
Our ensemble performance will also have many opportunities for the audience to participate. Participation is really the key element in community music. In one of my course texts Joining In, author Anthony Everitt claims "Music is too important to be left to the musicians: it belongs to all of us." Our class agrees with Everitt and therefore will have people singing, clapping, performing body percussion and dancing in our performance. There is still much organization to be done, but as long as it comes together it will be a blast!
Tonight I must brave the rain to attend my weekly University of Limerick Community Orchestra rehearsal. Every Tuesday over the semester I have enjoyed these rehearsals because it keeps me playing classical music and motivates me to practice more repertoire. We have a concert on December 8th which will feature various Christmas carols, March Slave by Tchaikovsky, Trombone Concerto by Rimsky-Korsakov, Farandole by Bizet, Finnegan's Wake by Potter, a Cole Porter Suite and much more. I've had quite a positive experience with this group thanks to the friendliness of orchestra members and energetic style of the conductor.
As my semester wraps up I will do my best to continue posting regularly. Unfortunately I do not have any travelling adventures planned in the next month, but I'll keep my ears posted on interesting Irish tidbits to share with you.
All the Best,
Shannon
Friday, 9 November 2012
Cliffs of Moher
A couple weekends ago I was getting the "travel somewhere" itch so my roommates George, Chris and I decided to make a day trip to the iconic Cliffs of Moher. My apologies for not posting this sooner, but school is starting to become a bit demanding considering I only have three weeks of classes left. Regardless of my timing, the beauty of the Cliffs is worth sharing.
The Cliffs are located about a 1 hour and 20 minute drive northwest of Limerick, in County Clare. You will probably be familiar with some of the images because they have been seen in films like Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Princess Bride, and countless Irish tourism advertisements.
The Cliffs are absolutely stunning and incredibly massive. They stand 214m/ 700ft above the water below. They are composed mostly of shale and sandstone and stretch for 8 km/ 5miles along the coastline. The name Moher comes from a historic fort "Mothar" overlooking the water, which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars. Today, there is a visitor center on site, as well as O'Brien's Tower which was built in 1835 as a viewing point for tourists.
We were extremely lucky on our visit because the weather was clear skies with no wind. Apparently the wind can swirl around the cliffs and make it quite dangerous. There is stone barrier denoting the walking path along the cliffs, but in typical human nature everyone chooses to walk on the other side of the barrier to get closer to the drop-off. People enjoy living on the edge, pardon my pun! You want to be really careful getting close to the edge because of loose gravel, erosion, etc. I would go nowhere near if it was raining, for fear it would be slippery. Warnings of these hazards are pretty clear along the walkway because several people have previously lost their lives.
I highly recommend the Cliffs if you are ever in Ireland. Our trio only made a quick day trip, but it would be wiser to make multiple stops in the area at other places such as Aillwee Cave, Caherconnell Fort, or Pulnabrone Dolmen (a tomb dating to 3200 BC). You could also take a ferry over to the Aran Islands, or continue on your way north to the artsy city of Galway.
The Cliffs are located about a 1 hour and 20 minute drive northwest of Limerick, in County Clare. You will probably be familiar with some of the images because they have been seen in films like Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Princess Bride, and countless Irish tourism advertisements.
The Cliffs are absolutely stunning and incredibly massive. They stand 214m/ 700ft above the water below. They are composed mostly of shale and sandstone and stretch for 8 km/ 5miles along the coastline. The name Moher comes from a historic fort "Mothar" overlooking the water, which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars. Today, there is a visitor center on site, as well as O'Brien's Tower which was built in 1835 as a viewing point for tourists.
We were extremely lucky on our visit because the weather was clear skies with no wind. Apparently the wind can swirl around the cliffs and make it quite dangerous. There is stone barrier denoting the walking path along the cliffs, but in typical human nature everyone chooses to walk on the other side of the barrier to get closer to the drop-off. People enjoy living on the edge, pardon my pun! You want to be really careful getting close to the edge because of loose gravel, erosion, etc. I would go nowhere near if it was raining, for fear it would be slippery. Warnings of these hazards are pretty clear along the walkway because several people have previously lost their lives.
A good example of the nicely worn path on the wrong side of the barrier.
The closest I dared to get.... so far down....
The Cliffs of Moher provide a spectacular view of the Aran Islands as well as some of the interior landscape. The west coast is fairly barren and composed of little vegetation and lots of rocks. Hence why Irish farmers made fences from stone rather than wood. Most of the land seems to be used for beef or sheep, though the Cliffs support a great variety of bird species and at some points in the year Dolphins can even be seen in the water. Sadly the only animals I saw were the cattle roaming the tops of the hills. The country-girl in me took the following photo. I suppose "bull warnings" are internationally understood.
I highly recommend the Cliffs if you are ever in Ireland. Our trio only made a quick day trip, but it would be wiser to make multiple stops in the area at other places such as Aillwee Cave, Caherconnell Fort, or Pulnabrone Dolmen (a tomb dating to 3200 BC). You could also take a ferry over to the Aran Islands, or continue on your way north to the artsy city of Galway.
Happy Remembrance Day,
Shannon
Saturday, 3 November 2012
It's called Autumn, not Fall.
Welcome to November and Happy Belated Halloween! It's been fun to see pictures of costumes on Facebook, lots of them are totally "savage" (a common Irish term on par with our "awesome"). I did not put nearly as much effort into mine; in a last minute decision George, my
American friend Rebecca and I organized some costumes to attend the Traditional Music Society's bash at Dolan's pub downtown.
Rebecca and I went as something we North Americans know quite well, snow, and George went as some strange combination of the scarecrow, tin man and lion from Wizard of Oz. We were teasing him that he wasn't a very good catch considering he had no brain, heart, or courage.
At the pub we met up with my classmate Jen and she furthered my Irish education with a shot of Baby Guinness, which is a combination of the coffee liqueur Tia Maria and Baileys. Not sure if shots are commonly described as "cute," but this one is the closest I've seen.
For being on the fence about going out for Halloween I was sure glad I did because the band at Dolan's was brilliant (another commonly used term in Ireland declaring awesome-ness). Considering the host was the Traditional Society I was expecting Trad music, but wow did I get a surprise. Imagine a big band, playing all the classic dance tunes like Mac the Knife, Stevie Wonder and even Thriller, but with the Celtic instruments fiddle, flute, Uilleann pipes and button accordion. They also had a drum kit, electric bass and guitar, and main vocalist accompanied by three back-up singers. It reminded me of the Big Band Dance at Brandon University, but with a authentically Irish twist. The night was great craic!
Overall I'd say that October was a pretty good month for me, and it was not nearly as awful in weather as I was led to believe. While many Canadians are facing freezing temperatures and their first snowfall, I feel pretty luck to still have green grass, albeit a bit of rain. We had one really cold day here, which got to a nippy -2 Celsius! That's almost enough for me to invest in a winter coat! Here are some campus pictures of autumn (because fall does not exist here):
Rebecca and I went as something we North Americans know quite well, snow, and George went as some strange combination of the scarecrow, tin man and lion from Wizard of Oz. We were teasing him that he wasn't a very good catch considering he had no brain, heart, or courage.
At the pub we met up with my classmate Jen and she furthered my Irish education with a shot of Baby Guinness, which is a combination of the coffee liqueur Tia Maria and Baileys. Not sure if shots are commonly described as "cute," but this one is the closest I've seen.
For being on the fence about going out for Halloween I was sure glad I did because the band at Dolan's was brilliant (another commonly used term in Ireland declaring awesome-ness). Considering the host was the Traditional Society I was expecting Trad music, but wow did I get a surprise. Imagine a big band, playing all the classic dance tunes like Mac the Knife, Stevie Wonder and even Thriller, but with the Celtic instruments fiddle, flute, Uilleann pipes and button accordion. They also had a drum kit, electric bass and guitar, and main vocalist accompanied by three back-up singers. It reminded me of the Big Band Dance at Brandon University, but with a authentically Irish twist. The night was great craic!
Overall I'd say that October was a pretty good month for me, and it was not nearly as awful in weather as I was led to believe. While many Canadians are facing freezing temperatures and their first snowfall, I feel pretty luck to still have green grass, albeit a bit of rain. We had one really cold day here, which got to a nippy -2 Celsius! That's almost enough for me to invest in a winter coat! Here are some campus pictures of autumn (because fall does not exist here):
Although that is an authentic Irish rainbow on the right, I did not have the time of day to search for the pot of gold.
Next post will be about my weekend trip to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most beautiful natural formations in Ireland!
Cheers,
Shannon
Monday, 29 October 2012
Just the Average Gig at a Metal Festival
Coming to Ireland has opened up countless new opportunities for me, and I have tried to take advantage of as many as possible. So when my course director circulated an email from a previous graduate whose band was looking for a violin player I responded, thinking "What the hell!" I liked their song on Youtube, but I didn't really think I was cut-out for the gig considering I was a classical violinist...
Well, that was about a month ago and sure enough I recently gave my debut performance with the Celtic rock band, Iron Mountain. Believe it or not, the gig was this past Sunday at a metal festival in downtown Limerick. The venue came complete with smoke machine.
Now I wouldn't say that Iron Mountain is a metal band, though at times their music can get heavy. Nor are they strictly Celtic rock like I've labelled them above. Their music is a fusion of Celtic, metal, rock and folk, but is somewhat challenging to label (especially now that they have a classical violinist playing for them). The band's uniqueness is derived from the mixing of traditional Irish instruments and electronic instruments. Drums, guitar and bass make up the core of the music and above are traditional Irish flute and the Uillean pipes. For the gig this weekend they added a fiddle and keys player. Check out their tune Opium: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpR8yDcrSX4
The purpose of adding me to the mix was to obtain additional layering of sounds, both melodically and harmonically, before their recording sessions at the end of November. That's right! I might get the chance to help record an album, AWESOME! This is a step outside my expertise, but the band has been really encouraging and seem to like what I'm playing. It may be one of the strangest musical endeavours I have yet undertaken, but I am having a good time regardless and am gaining some invaluable experience.
On a funny tangent to this tale... I am still having the hardest time shaking my classical violin stereotype. I have yet to break the habit of calling it a 'violin,' when instead it should be called a 'fiddle.' The Irish can sense my classical training before I've even played a note. When I was introduced to one of the festival organizers, he asked me what I played and I slipped up saying 'violin.' He gave me a bit of a strange look and said, "Have you ever done something like this before?" Nope... But I did get some congratulations after the show so I must have played decently enough!
And just for you disbelievers out there, though I don't really blame you, here is photographic proof that this gig actually happened.
Cheers,
Shannon
Well, that was about a month ago and sure enough I recently gave my debut performance with the Celtic rock band, Iron Mountain. Believe it or not, the gig was this past Sunday at a metal festival in downtown Limerick. The venue came complete with smoke machine.
Now I wouldn't say that Iron Mountain is a metal band, though at times their music can get heavy. Nor are they strictly Celtic rock like I've labelled them above. Their music is a fusion of Celtic, metal, rock and folk, but is somewhat challenging to label (especially now that they have a classical violinist playing for them). The band's uniqueness is derived from the mixing of traditional Irish instruments and electronic instruments. Drums, guitar and bass make up the core of the music and above are traditional Irish flute and the Uillean pipes. For the gig this weekend they added a fiddle and keys player. Check out their tune Opium: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpR8yDcrSX4
The purpose of adding me to the mix was to obtain additional layering of sounds, both melodically and harmonically, before their recording sessions at the end of November. That's right! I might get the chance to help record an album, AWESOME! This is a step outside my expertise, but the band has been really encouraging and seem to like what I'm playing. It may be one of the strangest musical endeavours I have yet undertaken, but I am having a good time regardless and am gaining some invaluable experience.
On a funny tangent to this tale... I am still having the hardest time shaking my classical violin stereotype. I have yet to break the habit of calling it a 'violin,' when instead it should be called a 'fiddle.' The Irish can sense my classical training before I've even played a note. When I was introduced to one of the festival organizers, he asked me what I played and I slipped up saying 'violin.' He gave me a bit of a strange look and said, "Have you ever done something like this before?" Nope... But I did get some congratulations after the show so I must have played decently enough!
And just for you disbelievers out there, though I don't really blame you, here is photographic proof that this gig actually happened.
Cheers,
Shannon
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Halfway to Christmas...
I have discovered that time flies as fast in Ireland as it does in Canada. I am already past the halfway point in my term, and I am starting to feel some of the "midterm lows." The only thing I feel motivated to do is procrastinate ... alright it's not that bad, I just am starting to feel the looming presence of deadlines.
One of my problems is that I keep finding too many things to do outside of my schoolwork. Last weekend my flatmates and I had a belated Thanksgiving feast. Being the only North American in the apartment I felt it was my duty to help these unsuspecting Europeans enjoy the wonders of ridiculous amounts of feasting!
I had avoided hosting Thanksgiving because it seemed like too much work (I'd rather show up and eat what my parents had cooked!). But I knew I had to accept the challenge when I found out my roommates Chris and George had never had pumpkin pie before. The common opinion on pumpkin pie here is "who turns a vegetable into dessert?" And of course I couldn't just half-ass the job either (pardon my diction); I had an entire continent to represent!
In my mind I imagined a small group dinner between the four of us. I offered to cook a chicken and the pie and asked if the other three would bring a dish. I didn't realize how enthusiastic my roomies would be though. What I thought would be a four-five dish meal ended up including: chicken, beef, italian meats, two salads, potatoes, rice, carrots, parsnips, beans and carrots, stuffing, cranberry sauce, olives, bread, pumpkin pie and cake. I was so full that I had to sit down for an hour afterwards.
It was a wildly successful group meal, and I'm sure we will have more in the future. Here are some pictures:
One of my problems is that I keep finding too many things to do outside of my schoolwork. Last weekend my flatmates and I had a belated Thanksgiving feast. Being the only North American in the apartment I felt it was my duty to help these unsuspecting Europeans enjoy the wonders of ridiculous amounts of feasting!
I had avoided hosting Thanksgiving because it seemed like too much work (I'd rather show up and eat what my parents had cooked!). But I knew I had to accept the challenge when I found out my roommates Chris and George had never had pumpkin pie before. The common opinion on pumpkin pie here is "who turns a vegetable into dessert?" And of course I couldn't just half-ass the job either (pardon my diction); I had an entire continent to represent!
In my mind I imagined a small group dinner between the four of us. I offered to cook a chicken and the pie and asked if the other three would bring a dish. I didn't realize how enthusiastic my roomies would be though. What I thought would be a four-five dish meal ended up including: chicken, beef, italian meats, two salads, potatoes, rice, carrots, parsnips, beans and carrots, stuffing, cranberry sauce, olives, bread, pumpkin pie and cake. I was so full that I had to sit down for an hour afterwards.
It was a wildly successful group meal, and I'm sure we will have more in the future. Here are some pictures:
Cheers to our successful meal, with Chris, George, Roisin.
Teamwork on the chicken!
My pride and joy! It was delicious. I would make it professionally if it didn't take me so long... I'd have to charge about $50 per pie.
In other news I participated in the Academos Chamber project at the music school this week. It is an intensive chamber program with the classical string students, involving two days of 6 hour rehearsals. It was very long, but enjoyable. The principal second violinist from the Irish Chamber Orchestra was coaching our ensemble on Dvorak's Serenade and a couple short Sibelius pieces. I had managed to get involved when I approached the cello professor about classical opportunities at the school. It was really great to play with skilled musicians and to whip myself back into classical playing shape. The group will meet again for a week in February and will perform a concert with the help of additional ICO players.
These are only a few of the activities I am involved in outside of school, but there are still more. They keep me quite busy so no wonder I'm feeling tired! No time to blog about them now, so stay tuned in the future.
Shannon
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Volunteering for a Good Cause
In previous blogs I have mentioned the Irish Chamber Orchestra's (ICO) outreach program called Sing Out with Strings. Every Thursday morning I volunteer for this program at a Limerick primary school to help teach music to children aged 4 to 12. We are a diverse group of teachers, including an Australian, Japanese and another Canadian like me!
When Sing out with Strings began six years ago it encompassed one school and just a handful of children, but now it comprises three elementary schools and over 300 students. Remarkably, this program has grown through government grants, corporate sponsorship and private donations. The schools themselves contribute very little financially to the project.
Sing out with Strings operates in marginalized, regeneration areas of Limerick where many of the schoolchildren come from underprivileged backgrounds. The program inspires social change by enriching the lives of students through musical activities constructed to improve cooperation, coordination, listening, memory, creativity, respect and a sense of community.
All the children take part in class singing sessions and violin lessons three days a week. As violin teachers, we go into a class for 20-30min to teach group activities and short individual lessons. There is an after-school orchestra for interested students who wish to perform at ICO functions. In addition to weekly classes, there are occasional "Meet the Musician" sessions, such as with the Venezuelan Percussion Ensemble, which help expose children to a variety of music genres and professionals.
The program also contains a unique group composition element facilitated by a community musician (who happens to be a previous graduate of my course). Children are encouraged to work together to come up with a theme, melody and lyrics for a song. The composed pieces are played by the school orchestra, and even arranged for and performed by the ICO. This assisted song-writing is the type of activity I am learning about in my course. One day this could be my profession!
If you want to read more about Sing out with Strings, visit the ICO website at http://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/community-engagement/sing-out-with-strings/. There is also a video on the page of the kids performing Pirates of the Caribbean with the ICO!
Besides meeting many new teachers and children, volunteering for the ICO has given me the opportunity to see all their concerts for free! I've attended a couple now, the first featuring a lively Finnish violinist named Pekka Kuusisto and the second including Phillip Glass's Symphony No 3 and Dvorak's Serenade. The other violin teachers also invited me to a one-day violin workshop with an award-winning Swedish violin teacher back in September. It is great to pick-up some new violin teaching ideas!
Tomorrow my roommates and I are planning to celebrate a belated Thanksgiving. Check back to find out if I can successfully bake a pumpkin pie!
All the best,
Shannon
When Sing out with Strings began six years ago it encompassed one school and just a handful of children, but now it comprises three elementary schools and over 300 students. Remarkably, this program has grown through government grants, corporate sponsorship and private donations. The schools themselves contribute very little financially to the project.
Sing out with Strings operates in marginalized, regeneration areas of Limerick where many of the schoolchildren come from underprivileged backgrounds. The program inspires social change by enriching the lives of students through musical activities constructed to improve cooperation, coordination, listening, memory, creativity, respect and a sense of community.
All the children take part in class singing sessions and violin lessons three days a week. As violin teachers, we go into a class for 20-30min to teach group activities and short individual lessons. There is an after-school orchestra for interested students who wish to perform at ICO functions. In addition to weekly classes, there are occasional "Meet the Musician" sessions, such as with the Venezuelan Percussion Ensemble, which help expose children to a variety of music genres and professionals.
The program also contains a unique group composition element facilitated by a community musician (who happens to be a previous graduate of my course). Children are encouraged to work together to come up with a theme, melody and lyrics for a song. The composed pieces are played by the school orchestra, and even arranged for and performed by the ICO. This assisted song-writing is the type of activity I am learning about in my course. One day this could be my profession!
If you want to read more about Sing out with Strings, visit the ICO website at http://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/community-engagement/sing-out-with-strings/. There is also a video on the page of the kids performing Pirates of the Caribbean with the ICO!
Besides meeting many new teachers and children, volunteering for the ICO has given me the opportunity to see all their concerts for free! I've attended a couple now, the first featuring a lively Finnish violinist named Pekka Kuusisto and the second including Phillip Glass's Symphony No 3 and Dvorak's Serenade. The other violin teachers also invited me to a one-day violin workshop with an award-winning Swedish violin teacher back in September. It is great to pick-up some new violin teaching ideas!
Tomorrow my roommates and I are planning to celebrate a belated Thanksgiving. Check back to find out if I can successfully bake a pumpkin pie!
All the best,
Shannon
Sunday, 14 October 2012
The Venezuelan Percussion Ensemble
It was a great weekend here in Limerick. The cool autumn weather seemed to lift as the lively Venezuelan Percussion Ensemble (VPE) rolled into town. The group was brought in by the Irish Chamber Orchestra as part of the orchestra's educational outreach program "Sing Out with Strings," which is modeled after Venezuela's El Sistema. As part of the weekend, students at the World Academy of Music were invited to participate in a variety of workshops.
The VPE is made up of ten musicians, many of whom were taught music in Sistema. Six of the musicians rotate through a variety of instruments, including timpani, maracas, marimba, vibraphone, bongos and many more. Four musicians stay on a single instrument, these being the bass guitar, drum set, Cuatro (four-string instrument which is like a ukelele) and a Venezuelan harp.
On Friday I participated in an intercultural workshop where we learned about traditional Venezuelan songs, and afterwards had a jam on an Irish tune. The VPE invited us all to play in Sunday's concert as part of an encore. I found it quite strange that I, as a Canadian, had my European debut playing an Irish tune with Venezuelan percussionists. However confusing, the performance was great craic (a common Irish term meaning fun).
On Saturday I observed a "Meet the Musician" session for school children. The VPE members were great at encouraging interaction and participation, despite the language barrier. Saturday afternoon was another jam session, this time on a Venezuelan tune El Diablo Suelto.
The talent of these musicians was incredible and the concert was the best I've seen in a while. The repertoire ranged from Barber of Seville to fugues, Latino rhythms and even a laser light show. It is the only time in my life I have seen a maraca solo, and then it turned into a maraca show-down between two performers. Absolutely brilliant! The audience responded with laughter, cheers and a standing ovation.
One of the highlights of the concert was the "Sing Out With Strings" school children performing the song "Wave you Flag." The piece was arranged by program educators and involved violin students and singers from multiple elementary schools in the Limerick area. I had seen the children perform the piece before, but this time it was extra exciting because the VPE added some Venezuelan rhythms to the mix. You could tell all the musicians on stage had a good time!
If you want to check out VPE on Youtube here are a couple links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_mYc7AjLRU&feature=relmfu
This link showcases the skill of the group and although long it includes many great solos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9YP0H7UbXQ
This piece is pure fun! Not sure if you can tell in the video, but they really act it up for the audience.
This week I'll be learning Tribal and Samba drumming. I may yet be a true percussionist!
Shannon
The VPE is made up of ten musicians, many of whom were taught music in Sistema. Six of the musicians rotate through a variety of instruments, including timpani, maracas, marimba, vibraphone, bongos and many more. Four musicians stay on a single instrument, these being the bass guitar, drum set, Cuatro (four-string instrument which is like a ukelele) and a Venezuelan harp.
On Saturday I observed a "Meet the Musician" session for school children. The VPE members were great at encouraging interaction and participation, despite the language barrier. Saturday afternoon was another jam session, this time on a Venezuelan tune El Diablo Suelto.
The talent of these musicians was incredible and the concert was the best I've seen in a while. The repertoire ranged from Barber of Seville to fugues, Latino rhythms and even a laser light show. It is the only time in my life I have seen a maraca solo, and then it turned into a maraca show-down between two performers. Absolutely brilliant! The audience responded with laughter, cheers and a standing ovation.
Maraca solo which included twirls and flips! His hands were moving so fast!
One of the highlights of the concert was the "Sing Out With Strings" school children performing the song "Wave you Flag." The piece was arranged by program educators and involved violin students and singers from multiple elementary schools in the Limerick area. I had seen the children perform the piece before, but this time it was extra exciting because the VPE added some Venezuelan rhythms to the mix. You could tell all the musicians on stage had a good time!
If you want to check out VPE on Youtube here are a couple links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_mYc7AjLRU&feature=relmfu
This link showcases the skill of the group and although long it includes many great solos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9YP0H7UbXQ
This piece is pure fun! Not sure if you can tell in the video, but they really act it up for the audience.
This week I'll be learning Tribal and Samba drumming. I may yet be a true percussionist!
Shannon
Thursday, 11 October 2012
Gambling with Gamelan in "Gameland"
Well the last few days at school were jam-packed with my first experience playing Gamelan music. Gamelan (Gam-uh-lan) is a traditional percussion ensemble from Indonesia, with ensembles unique to both Java and Bali. The particular set of instruments we used in class was originally crafted in central Java for the Soundscape Music Program in Galway, Ireland. Our instructor and previous graduate of my course, John Reynolds, commissioned the instruments ten years ago and has been running community music programs in Ireland ever since.
The instruments themselves are beautifully hand-crafted from wood and copper. The detail in the carving and painting is exquisite. The instruments involved are mostly metallophones (xylophone-like instruments with metal keys) to be struck with mallets, but there are also gongs and drums. The tuning system is based around five notes and most instruments need to dampened after being played because of their long resonance. Each individual Gamelan set is uniquely tuned so that it is unlike any other. Therefore you cannot mix instruments between sets because the pitches will not match. Here are some pictures:
Gamelan music is based on number patterns, with each number corresponding to a note in the scale. Learning Gamelan required a fair amount of concentration, which really wore my class out by the end of the day. Hence we came up with funny sayings like "Gambling on Gamelan in Gameland." I really loved the experience and hope to one day see true Gamelan in Indonesia! If you are interested in what Gamelan music sounds like check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxjDovw-47U. It is a version of Eling Eling Banyumasan, a village dance piece which we learned (minus the vocalist).
In addition to playing, we watched videos on Indonesian dancing, discussed the elaborate Javanese shadow puppet show called Wayang kulit, told the story of Ramayana with the help of Gamelan sound effects, and dressed up in traditional Indonesian garb.
The instruments themselves are beautifully hand-crafted from wood and copper. The detail in the carving and painting is exquisite. The instruments involved are mostly metallophones (xylophone-like instruments with metal keys) to be struck with mallets, but there are also gongs and drums. The tuning system is based around five notes and most instruments need to dampened after being played because of their long resonance. Each individual Gamelan set is uniquely tuned so that it is unlike any other. Therefore you cannot mix instruments between sets because the pitches will not match. Here are some pictures:
Gamelan music is based on number patterns, with each number corresponding to a note in the scale. Learning Gamelan required a fair amount of concentration, which really wore my class out by the end of the day. Hence we came up with funny sayings like "Gambling on Gamelan in Gameland." I really loved the experience and hope to one day see true Gamelan in Indonesia! If you are interested in what Gamelan music sounds like check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxjDovw-47U. It is a version of Eling Eling Banyumasan, a village dance piece which we learned (minus the vocalist).
In addition to playing, we watched videos on Indonesian dancing, discussed the elaborate Javanese shadow puppet show called Wayang kulit, told the story of Ramayana with the help of Gamelan sound effects, and dressed up in traditional Indonesian garb.
Trying my hand at peking, which plays twice as fast as the other sarons (seen in background).
Probably my favourite instrument, the kenongs. I felt like I was playing an Indonesian drum kit.
Yes, I am in a Master's program and I get to dress up!
Stay tuned for more in the near future.
Cheers!
Shannon
Sunday, 7 October 2012
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends! As you sit down to savour your turkey, stuffing, cranberries and mashed potatoes, please take a moment to remember to eat an extra piece of pumpkin pie for me. My mouth is sadly watering just thinking about what I'm missing.
Although there is no Thanksgiving to celebrate here, there are some plus sides to being in Ireland. Mainly, it has not snowed like at home! Snow in Ireland is very unlikely, though not impossible. Currently the leaves are turning colour, but the grass is still lush green. Sounds like the grass will stay that way all winter. The temperature is in the low teens during the day, and although it drops lower at night we have yet to receive a frost.
The benefit of the lower temperature is that finally campus seems less overrun by slugs. I don't think I've mentioned these little "friends of the sidewalk" before, so let me please enlighten you. I believe that the moist Irish climate is similar to that of coastal British Columbia, and therefore they share the common element of slugs. These little guys love to slime their way out onto the sidewalks in the early morning when the ground is damp and the pavement has yet to warm up from the sun. Logically they create a pretty burdensome walking hazard. You frequently see them squished with their yellow innards sticking out, and they can make a pretty big mess considering I've seen them up to 3 inches in length. I do not recall stepping on any myself, but I'm sort of haunted by the idea that I did unknowingly. Perhaps the most disturbing part is their cannibalistic tendencies. I'll find two or three slugs clustered around the body of one of their comrades... considering their lack of human characteristics I find it hard to believe they are mourning.
Along with the arrival of fall came my usual "back-to-school" cold (with Greek partying being the catalyst I believe!). I was lucky enough to learn a good tip for colds from a bartender at a campus pub - hot whiskey is a sure-fire way to beat the chills and clear sinuses. It is a combination of Irish whiskey, hot water, sugar, lemon and cloves. Absolutely delicious, I highly recommend it!
The last thing I'll mention is that I had my first fiddle lesson this week! My tutor is Siobhan Peoples, and she is really patient and encouraging. I'm going to learn tunes by ear which is a real challenge for me. Siobhan was giving me tips on how to not sound like a classical violinist, such as don't really use vibrato or don't overdue slides. I'm really looking forward to lessons for the rest of the semester. If you want to here Siobhan play, check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qAH2ravRrU
Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Shannon
Although there is no Thanksgiving to celebrate here, there are some plus sides to being in Ireland. Mainly, it has not snowed like at home! Snow in Ireland is very unlikely, though not impossible. Currently the leaves are turning colour, but the grass is still lush green. Sounds like the grass will stay that way all winter. The temperature is in the low teens during the day, and although it drops lower at night we have yet to receive a frost.
The benefit of the lower temperature is that finally campus seems less overrun by slugs. I don't think I've mentioned these little "friends of the sidewalk" before, so let me please enlighten you. I believe that the moist Irish climate is similar to that of coastal British Columbia, and therefore they share the common element of slugs. These little guys love to slime their way out onto the sidewalks in the early morning when the ground is damp and the pavement has yet to warm up from the sun. Logically they create a pretty burdensome walking hazard. You frequently see them squished with their yellow innards sticking out, and they can make a pretty big mess considering I've seen them up to 3 inches in length. I do not recall stepping on any myself, but I'm sort of haunted by the idea that I did unknowingly. Perhaps the most disturbing part is their cannibalistic tendencies. I'll find two or three slugs clustered around the body of one of their comrades... considering their lack of human characteristics I find it hard to believe they are mourning.
Along with the arrival of fall came my usual "back-to-school" cold (with Greek partying being the catalyst I believe!). I was lucky enough to learn a good tip for colds from a bartender at a campus pub - hot whiskey is a sure-fire way to beat the chills and clear sinuses. It is a combination of Irish whiskey, hot water, sugar, lemon and cloves. Absolutely delicious, I highly recommend it!
The last thing I'll mention is that I had my first fiddle lesson this week! My tutor is Siobhan Peoples, and she is really patient and encouraging. I'm going to learn tunes by ear which is a real challenge for me. Siobhan was giving me tips on how to not sound like a classical violinist, such as don't really use vibrato or don't overdue slides. I'm really looking forward to lessons for the rest of the semester. If you want to here Siobhan play, check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qAH2ravRrU
Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Shannon
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Cork is all Greek to me!
I have finally found time to blog about my most recent adventure to the City of Cork. Last Friday, my flatmate George and I caught a bus to Cork to visit one of his acquaintances who is working on a PhD at the University of County Cork (UCC). I had sort of unintentionally invited myself, but am glad I went because I did have quite a fun experience. Let's just say it wasn't really the experience I was expecting!
Let me go back and clarify a few points. My flatmate George is really named Georgios and he is from Greece. The friend we visited in Cork is also Greek, and he has several Greek friends... Can you see where I'm heading with this? My weekend in Cork was much more an exploration into Greek culture than Irish as I met over a dozen Greek people.
Now I don't want to mislead you about the city. I don't believe that Cork has a substantial Greek population, and in fact I'm assuming that I probably met most of the Greek people living there in one weekend. They simply all know each other. With a population of 120,000, Cork has a great variety of people, shopping and scenery. It is not really considered a tourist hot-spot, but as the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland it is worth a visit.
My Greek weekend included several trips to pubs, cafes, house parties, tourist stops and a lot of walking! After arriving on Friday evening, we ordered some traditional Italian pizza and carried it to a pub on Douglas Street, where we washed it down with the locally brewed Beamish Stout. Later we visited the larger bar Crane Lane for some dancing.
On Saturday, we headed to the famous English market for some breakfast at The Farm Gate, a local food restaurant. The market is a wonderful permanent venue where you can find an amazing selection of fresh foods. Our host had to go to the office in the afternoon so George and I set out on our own to explore the city.
Our main stop was the City Gaol (jail). The Gaol opened in 1824 and held its first execution in 1828. It was converted into an all-women prison in 1887, and eventually closed in 1923. The Gaol was a worthwhile visit because the grounds and architecture have a hauntingly beautiful quality.
The Gaol's display mannequins were surprisingly realistic, making their presentation very effective. One of the saddest aspects of the Gaol was the types of crimes for which people were incarcerated. During the great Famine, many of the inmates were charged with petty theft or drunken disorderly because starving peasants would purposefully commit a crime in order to receive shelter, warmth and food in prison. Not all the prisoners were poor though. There were also periods of time when several political prisoners were held, often without trial.
After the gloomy experience in the prison, George and I walked through the UCC campus. The River Lee intersects its grounds, which nicely emphasizes nature. In one of my earliest blog posts I mentioned the tendency for massive Irish trees to grow in random places. Well I found another on the UCC campus.
I was the lone Canadian at a couple Greek get-togethers over the weekend, and thankfully they spoke English... most of the time. I experienced several firsts on Saturday night when we visited a house-party where a Greek radio show was being aired. I got to be on radio!! I introduced myself as "Shannon from Canada" and shared the Canadian tune "Brother Down" by Sam Roberts. It was broadcast to 12 people! I'm famous!
I also ate some great Greek food and tried their staple alcoholic drink Raki. It has surprising strength, so is best sipped while eating to cleanse your palette. The evening ended with a Greek folk song sing-a-long, complete with improvised piano accompaniment. Sadly, I couldn't really participate because I didn't speak the language, but a few kind people translated for me.
By far my favourite part of the weekend was my unexpected look into Greek culture. Luckily though I did also see a fair bit of downtown. Here are a few of my favourite photos.
Let me go back and clarify a few points. My flatmate George is really named Georgios and he is from Greece. The friend we visited in Cork is also Greek, and he has several Greek friends... Can you see where I'm heading with this? My weekend in Cork was much more an exploration into Greek culture than Irish as I met over a dozen Greek people.
Now I don't want to mislead you about the city. I don't believe that Cork has a substantial Greek population, and in fact I'm assuming that I probably met most of the Greek people living there in one weekend. They simply all know each other. With a population of 120,000, Cork has a great variety of people, shopping and scenery. It is not really considered a tourist hot-spot, but as the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland it is worth a visit.
My Greek weekend included several trips to pubs, cafes, house parties, tourist stops and a lot of walking! After arriving on Friday evening, we ordered some traditional Italian pizza and carried it to a pub on Douglas Street, where we washed it down with the locally brewed Beamish Stout. Later we visited the larger bar Crane Lane for some dancing.
On Saturday, we headed to the famous English market for some breakfast at The Farm Gate, a local food restaurant. The market is a wonderful permanent venue where you can find an amazing selection of fresh foods. Our host had to go to the office in the afternoon so George and I set out on our own to explore the city.
Our main stop was the City Gaol (jail). The Gaol opened in 1824 and held its first execution in 1828. It was converted into an all-women prison in 1887, and eventually closed in 1923. The Gaol was a worthwhile visit because the grounds and architecture have a hauntingly beautiful quality.
The Gaol's display mannequins were surprisingly realistic, making their presentation very effective. One of the saddest aspects of the Gaol was the types of crimes for which people were incarcerated. During the great Famine, many of the inmates were charged with petty theft or drunken disorderly because starving peasants would purposefully commit a crime in order to receive shelter, warmth and food in prison. Not all the prisoners were poor though. There were also periods of time when several political prisoners were held, often without trial.
The Governor of the Gaol working at his desk.
I met a new friend at the prison... he looks a bit Greek, right?? This is by far my favourite picture of the weekend.
I don't believe that the conditions in the prison were much worse than others of its time. There was often disease and vermin present, as well as punishment not used in common society. As a form of solitary confinement jailers were encouraged to prevent prisoners from interacting. Here is a picture of the circular path prisoners used to walk for exercise, evenly spaced from each other and forbidden to talk. Not fun!
I was the lone Canadian at a couple Greek get-togethers over the weekend, and thankfully they spoke English... most of the time. I experienced several firsts on Saturday night when we visited a house-party where a Greek radio show was being aired. I got to be on radio!! I introduced myself as "Shannon from Canada" and shared the Canadian tune "Brother Down" by Sam Roberts. It was broadcast to 12 people! I'm famous!
I also ate some great Greek food and tried their staple alcoholic drink Raki. It has surprising strength, so is best sipped while eating to cleanse your palette. The evening ended with a Greek folk song sing-a-long, complete with improvised piano accompaniment. Sadly, I couldn't really participate because I didn't speak the language, but a few kind people translated for me.
By far my favourite part of the weekend was my unexpected look into Greek culture. Luckily though I did also see a fair bit of downtown. Here are a few of my favourite photos.
City Hall at night, looking over the River Lee.
Walking along Mardyke path, while the massive buildings of St. Vincent loom on Strawberry Hill.
A church near the City Gaol.
Great way to top off the weekend; Irish coffee in a wine glass. Who knew the Irish were so classy? I was expecting Baileys and got whiskey instead, but it was a nice way to combat the rainy weather.
Thank you for being a great audience in all my adventures. I have over 1000 views on my blog, which is incredibly exciting! Hope I persuaded you to visit Cork (or perhaps Greece)!
Until Next Time,
Shannon
Friday, 28 September 2012
A wee bit about my course
With all the excitement of new places, sights and culture, I realized I need to further explain the main reason why I am in Ireland. And no I'm not referring to "pub-literacy," I mean my Masters program! Now that I am a few weeks into the MA in Community Music (I'll call it CM) program I have a better understanding of what I'll be learning this year and I am truly excited. It is going to be both educational and lots of fun.
The CM degree at University of Limerick is set up to accommodate students from a huge variety of backgrounds. In my class alone we have a flute player from Texas, Chinese traditional vocalist, blues guitarist/drummer, traditional Irish singer/songwriter, a vocalist/synthesizer player, and a pianist with a music education degree. We have full days of class-time on Monday and Tuesday, and half-days on Wednesday. This scheduling provides convenience for students who are commuting long distances, or have a job or family.
CM is a diverse field, comprising all ages, ethnicities, music genres and settings. My course reflects this diversity in its structure. Each week we receive a different lecturer, many of whom are professors, acting community musicians and/or previous graduates of our course. In this manner, we observe a variety of teaching styles from which we can build our own individual "tool box" of workshop skills.
Much of this first term is dedicated to acquiring and practicing creative workshop techniques. So far we have had lectures in workshop activities for all ages, children's songs, presentation skills, group composing, and improvisation. Over the rest of term we are scheduled to explore song-writing, African Tribal drumming, Gamelan (Indonesian percussion), Samba drumming, and Kodaly method (solfege). In addition, I get to take fiddling as an elective and I can hardly wait for my lessons to begin next week!
I am really looking forward to a weekend in November when we receive masterclasses and workshops with the Venezuelan El Sistema Percussion Ensemble. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the El Sistema program, it is an after-school youth music program in Venezuela which has been the inspiration for CM initiatives all over the world. El Sistema has enriched the lives of many Venezuelan youth, and has produced musicians such as Gustavo Dudamel, the conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. If you have a chance, watch the following YouTube clip about the program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=276oR_tEmbs.
Our assignments for the term include a research paper, case study on a real-life CM program, in-class workshops and a group ensemble performance. Every Wednesday we have three hours dedicated to rehearsal for our term-end performance in which we can compose, improvise, play and experiment as a group. The performance is supposed to showcase our own interpretation of CM and the rehearsals help teach us how to work more effectively in a group setting. In the second school term our class will focus more on the business aspects of CM, and will include a work placement with a program in Limerick.
What I love most about my program so far is that it fosters creativity and encourages participation. The program has already inspired me musically; I find myself humming more often and am more interested in world music. In class I am less nervous to "get creative" in front of my peers because we have established a safe environment where musical risks are encouraged. Most importantly I am learning how to create similar settings for others so that they can experience music in the same appreciative way.
Outside of school I am involved in an amazing variety of musical activities, which I will tell you about another time. I am heading to the city of Cork this weekend with one of my "flat-mates" so stay tuned for posts about my trip!
Bye for now,
Shannon
The CM degree at University of Limerick is set up to accommodate students from a huge variety of backgrounds. In my class alone we have a flute player from Texas, Chinese traditional vocalist, blues guitarist/drummer, traditional Irish singer/songwriter, a vocalist/synthesizer player, and a pianist with a music education degree. We have full days of class-time on Monday and Tuesday, and half-days on Wednesday. This scheduling provides convenience for students who are commuting long distances, or have a job or family.
CM is a diverse field, comprising all ages, ethnicities, music genres and settings. My course reflects this diversity in its structure. Each week we receive a different lecturer, many of whom are professors, acting community musicians and/or previous graduates of our course. In this manner, we observe a variety of teaching styles from which we can build our own individual "tool box" of workshop skills.
Much of this first term is dedicated to acquiring and practicing creative workshop techniques. So far we have had lectures in workshop activities for all ages, children's songs, presentation skills, group composing, and improvisation. Over the rest of term we are scheduled to explore song-writing, African Tribal drumming, Gamelan (Indonesian percussion), Samba drumming, and Kodaly method (solfege). In addition, I get to take fiddling as an elective and I can hardly wait for my lessons to begin next week!
I am really looking forward to a weekend in November when we receive masterclasses and workshops with the Venezuelan El Sistema Percussion Ensemble. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the El Sistema program, it is an after-school youth music program in Venezuela which has been the inspiration for CM initiatives all over the world. El Sistema has enriched the lives of many Venezuelan youth, and has produced musicians such as Gustavo Dudamel, the conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. If you have a chance, watch the following YouTube clip about the program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=276oR_tEmbs.
Our assignments for the term include a research paper, case study on a real-life CM program, in-class workshops and a group ensemble performance. Every Wednesday we have three hours dedicated to rehearsal for our term-end performance in which we can compose, improvise, play and experiment as a group. The performance is supposed to showcase our own interpretation of CM and the rehearsals help teach us how to work more effectively in a group setting. In the second school term our class will focus more on the business aspects of CM, and will include a work placement with a program in Limerick.
What I love most about my program so far is that it fosters creativity and encourages participation. The program has already inspired me musically; I find myself humming more often and am more interested in world music. In class I am less nervous to "get creative" in front of my peers because we have established a safe environment where musical risks are encouraged. Most importantly I am learning how to create similar settings for others so that they can experience music in the same appreciative way.
Outside of school I am involved in an amazing variety of musical activities, which I will tell you about another time. I am heading to the city of Cork this weekend with one of my "flat-mates" so stay tuned for posts about my trip!
Bye for now,
Shannon
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Stuck in the Stocks at King John's Castle
It is easy to observe that Ireland is invested in promoting its individual heritage, culture, and industries. At the grocery store many vegetables, meats, cheeses and milk are produced in the country, and marked by obvious stickers stating something like "Buy me, I'm made in Ireland." In addition, since my arrival three weeks ago there have already been two cultural days on municipal and national levels. Last Friday was Cultural Day in Ireland, so I and some friends set out to take advantage of the free admission to attractions.
The main stop for our evening was King John's Castle. Built around 1200 for John, Lord of Ireland, its stone foundation has seen a wide array of history. Ironically, King John never actually stayed in the Castle, and I don't believe he even ever visited, electing instead a representative to visit for him.
Today, there is a nice museum at the entrance of the grounds to walk you through important events in the Castle's history, such as its construction, the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the Williamite War (1689-91), the Plague, etc. In the Irish Rebellion, part of the castle walls collapsed beyond repair due to tunnels dug by the Irish Confederate Army. Some battles were actually fought underground when the tunnels of Limerick collided with that of the enemy.
Here are some images of the museum displays:
After our royal escapades, we headed to the Hunt Museum. The Museum houses the private collection of a rich Limerick resident John Hunt (1900-1976). The collection was once located in the University, but was moved to the City Center in 1997. The artifacts in the museum reflect Hunt's diverse interests. There is a large Irish component, but also other items ranging from ancient Egyptian to Picasso. In honour of Culture Day, the museum was hosting a contemporary music concert and showcasing painters at work.
These horses sit in the Museum courtyard. I believe they are by a Polish artist.
To top off the evening we sat down for a meal at an Italian bistro called O&F. I ordered homemade pasta which was delicious, and we were entertained by a jazz singer and pianist. Then we were off to Nancy Blake's Pub, one of the must-stop pubs in Limerick, where I ordered Beamish Stout at a bartender's recommendation (I'm really getting onto the stout thing!). There aren't as many Irish beers on tap as you might expect. You will definitely see Guinness, Bulmer's Cider and Smithwick's (pronounced Smitticks), and sometimes Kilkenny or Galway Hooker (Hooker as in boat, not...acquaintance). But there are also many popular imported beers like Beck's (Germany), Foster's (Australia), Heineken (Netherlands), Coor's Light (Canada/USA), and Budweiser (USA). If you are interested in a Irish craft beer you end up paying a little extra for the bottle.
Cheers,
Shannon
The main stop for our evening was King John's Castle. Built around 1200 for John, Lord of Ireland, its stone foundation has seen a wide array of history. Ironically, King John never actually stayed in the Castle, and I don't believe he even ever visited, electing instead a representative to visit for him.
Today, there is a nice museum at the entrance of the grounds to walk you through important events in the Castle's history, such as its construction, the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the Williamite War (1689-91), the Plague, etc. In the Irish Rebellion, part of the castle walls collapsed beyond repair due to tunnels dug by the Irish Confederate Army. Some battles were actually fought underground when the tunnels of Limerick collided with that of the enemy.
Here are some images of the museum displays:
Weren't King Louis XIV of France and James II of England a real pair of lookers? The museum displayed quite a lot about British history because the English claimed ownership of the castle for much of its existence. For many years, Limerick was divided into "English town" on the island around the Castle, and "Irish town" located on the other side of the Shannon.
The very proper pairing of William of Orange, and his wife Mary II. Why do they look so similar you ask? Well it's not just that they are manufactured mannequins, they were cousins in real life as well...
The real fun at the Castle came from exploring the grounds and trekking up the winding stone steps of the towers to view the River Shannon. We visited in early evening so the lighting was beautiful.
On the sky-line you can see Munster's Rugby stadium, Thomond Park.
Last stop at the Castle was to stand in line for the stocks! I think the picture is self-explanatory.
After our royal escapades, we headed to the Hunt Museum. The Museum houses the private collection of a rich Limerick resident John Hunt (1900-1976). The collection was once located in the University, but was moved to the City Center in 1997. The artifacts in the museum reflect Hunt's diverse interests. There is a large Irish component, but also other items ranging from ancient Egyptian to Picasso. In honour of Culture Day, the museum was hosting a contemporary music concert and showcasing painters at work.
These horses sit in the Museum courtyard. I believe they are by a Polish artist.
To top off the evening we sat down for a meal at an Italian bistro called O&F. I ordered homemade pasta which was delicious, and we were entertained by a jazz singer and pianist. Then we were off to Nancy Blake's Pub, one of the must-stop pubs in Limerick, where I ordered Beamish Stout at a bartender's recommendation (I'm really getting onto the stout thing!). There aren't as many Irish beers on tap as you might expect. You will definitely see Guinness, Bulmer's Cider and Smithwick's (pronounced Smitticks), and sometimes Kilkenny or Galway Hooker (Hooker as in boat, not...acquaintance). But there are also many popular imported beers like Beck's (Germany), Foster's (Australia), Heineken (Netherlands), Coor's Light (Canada/USA), and Budweiser (USA). If you are interested in a Irish craft beer you end up paying a little extra for the bottle.
Cheers,
Shannon
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