Concertina Foundations
Concertina foundations is a course aimed at the player who already knows how to play the concertina but who wants to learn or improve on the basic foundations of concertina playing. These foundations include the use of alternate fingering patterns, basic grace-notes, an introduction to chords, double noting and variation. Most of the tunes taught in the course are picked from the repertoire of common session tunes enabling the learning concertina player to go to local music sessions and join in with confidence knowing that he/she will have tunes in common with other musicians. Each lesson will feature a new tune. After teaching the melody phrase by phrase, Ernestine demonstrates how to incorporate ornamentation and various other techniques into the tune.
'The Road to Prizon'
Ernestine teaches this polka with focus on the ornament the 'cut'.
This is an introductory lesson for the Concertina Foundations course. Ernestine demonstrates the 'press and draw' scale of G major and discusses correct positioning when playing the concertina.
In this lesson the polka 'Road to Prizon' will be taught. Ernestine teaches this polka with focus on the ornament the 'cut'.
This lesson teaches the jig 'The Lilting Banshee'. Ernestine begins her study of cuts, octave playing and chords.
In this lesson the jig 'The Ship in Full Sail' in G major will be taught. Ernestine continues her study of cuts, octave playing and chords. She also discusses the use of triplets. The last section of the lesson focuses on variation.
The jig 'The Maids of Glenroe' will be taught in this lesson. Ernestine continues with her study of double noting, ornamentation and variation.
In this lesson the reel 'The Five Mile Chase' in G majorwill be taught. Ernestine continues with her study of double noting, ornamentation and variation.
In this lesson the polka 'The Upside Down Page' in G major will be taught - one of Ernestine Healy's own compositions! Focus will be placed on creating 'rhythmic lift' in the music and the use of chords.
The hornpipe, 'The Boys of Bluehill' in D major will be taught in this class. Ornamentation and double noting will continue to be examined throughout the course of the lesson.
In this lesson the reel, 'The Bird in the Cage' will be taught. Ernestine introduces the 'roll' in this class.
This lesson will teach the jig, 'The Little Drummer Boy'. Ernestine continues her study of the roll, grace-notes and chords.
In this lesson the fling 'Kitty got a Clinking coming from the Races' in G major will be taught. A fling is a tune type in 4/4 time and is similar to a reel. Flings tend to be simpler in melodic structure to the reel and are played with bounce and swing.
In this lesson the reel, 'Palmer's Gate' will be taught. Ernestine continues her study of the roll, grace-notes and chords.
- Road to Prizon
- The Lilting Banshee
- The Ship in Full Sail
- Maids of Glenroe
- The Five Mile Chase
- The Upside Down Page
- The Boys of Bluehill
- The Bird in the Cage
- The Little Drummer Boy
- Kitty got a Clinking coming from the Races
- Palmer's Gate
Tutor Info
Ernestine Healy
Ernestine hails from County Mayo. A qualified secondary school teacher, she has also worked as a lecturer in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, in the University of Limerick. Having occupied the position of Acting Course Director on the Graduate Diploma in Music Education postgrad programme during 2008/09, she then went onto lecture on the BA in Irish Music and Dance undergraduate programme in 2009. Ernestine has also worked as a tutor in the Music Department in University College Cork. Ernestine is an internationally recognized concertina player, as well as a tutor and producer on the Irish musical scene....[Read More]
