Our 1st Year Music students thoroughly enjoyed taking part in a new Arts in Junior Cycle initiative entitled ‘Me and My Music’. 92 schools applied to be a part of this pilot programme nationally with Our Lady’s Bower being 1 of just 18 schools accepted. The series of workshops are delivered in conjunction with Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT), the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and Sing Ireland. ‘Me and My Music’ supports the integration of the principles and key skills which underpin the Framework for Junior Cycle, the Arts in Education Charter and the Creative Ireland Programme.
Thank you to the programme facilitator Mr Nathan Barrett, organist and choir director, who worked with the students over three sessions. During these sessions the girls developed their musical voice individually and as part of a group. Mr Barrett encouraged the girls to explore and reflect on the creative process and the use of music and song as a form of expression. The class created two compositions – a song entitled ‘Summertime’ and an instrumental piece entitled ‘Seasonal Change’. Both pieces incorporate the sounds of piano, cello, saxophone, ukulele and flute. Recordings of both compositions have been made and will be shared with our followers on social media in the near future.