Published on:
12
March 2008
Building on the success of their first ever workshops in Clackmannanshire last year, Fèis Rois returns to the county next week.
Last year's scheme, which saw workshops take place in 13 primary schools, was an overwhelming success with teachers, musicians and pupils alike.
Now the organisation, which has been promoting and developing young people's involvement in traditional music and culture for over 20 years, returns to deliver a four week block of group work tuition to nine Clackmannanshire schools.
This pilot tuition project is an exciting new development for Fèis Rois, who have been working with Ruth Jones, the Council's Music Development Officer to develop a programme aimed at Primary 6 and 7 children. The aim is to work with the children over a four-week period to produce a piece of group music. The project aims to foster children's interest and participation in Scottish traditional music, song and dance.
You are invited to send a photographer to Alva Primary School on Monday 17th March at 9.30am when one of the workshops will take place.
Over the four-week period pupils will be encouraged to work with their existing skills and to bring in their own instruments from home. Each tuition session will last for one hour and will be led by musicians Gillian Frame and Kathleen Graham. Gillian is best known as fiddle player and singer with the hugely successful band " Back of the Moon" and Kathleen is a well known and highly regarded Gaelic singer and clarsach player.
Allison Watson, Fèis Rois Education Officer said: " We are very excited to be able to offer this follow-up opportunity to children in Clackmannanshire. We were overwhelmed by the feedback that we received to our initial visits in May and felt that this was an area that would really respond to the opportunity for a longer period of tuition. We are very fortunate to have Gillian and Kathleen working with us on this project. They are both experienced tutors and very popular with the children. Group work is always a great way of including all the children in the class and we are constantly amazed at how quickly the children are able to put together their own arrangement."
Ruth Jones, added: "I am very pleased that Feis Rois are able to offer more specialist traditional music tuition to primary school pupils in Clackmannanshire. The initial visits in May were very well received by all who participated. The quality of the tuition was excellent and the pupils really enjoyed the experiences. The classes of pupils chosen for this tuition will certainly benefit from the extended sessions and the opportunity to develop their musical abilities."
The participating primary schools are: Alva, St John's, Fishcross, St Mungo's, Banchory, Craigbank, Clackmannan, Menstrie and Sunnyside.
For further information please contact:
Allison Watson
Fèis Rois Education Officer
Tel: 01349 862600
E-mail: tmis.feisrois@feisean.org