Classes at The Music Box…

Here are all the details for our classes.  Many are currently underway so get in touch if you’d like to join us!

Before long we’ll be planning for guest tutors throughout the year, shows and appearances so we’re already getting set for a hugely busy year!  Lots of great music to be learned, and in a group setting, there’s so much great support and friendship, camaraderie and craic ❤

THE EXCHANGE BUNCRANA CLASSES

Guitar Academy, beginners class – Thursdays 4 – 5pm, ages 7+

This class is for absolute beginners – if you’ve never held a guitar before we’ll go through all the information you need to know to get started. We’ll quickly move to learning some basic chords so you can play a tune or two by Christmas! This is a performance based class, focussing on the music, learning songs, chords, collaboration and progressing as a group! The songs we learn range from new to old depending on how much we’ve learned or what we need to work on. Classes are pay weekly, but full attendance is required to keep the group moving and learning!

The Wee Glee Singers – Wednesdays 5 – 6pm, ages 6+

What a ride this group has had! This performance based community singing group performs 3-6 times a year at ‘Family & Friends’ concerts, community and seasonal events. We learn lots of songs, work on singing techniques, breathing & performance skills. The Wee Glee singers have been fortunate enough to record, be included in the Dept. of Education 1916 programme, and perform dozens of times in the past few years, so the sky is the limit for a room full of children who love to sing, enjoy the fun of a group class, and support each other all the way! Dedication, hard work and fun – a great combination!

Boogie Bugs Early Years Music & Movement – Wednesdays 4-5pm, ages 3-6yrs

This is one busy hour, and this class always books fully so do get in touch if you’d like your child to join us for a great musical start in life! This is a drop off class where we cover every angle of music! We sing, learn songs about everything from syllables and beats to fruit and vegatables! We learn many originals songs written just for our students and dance to our very own actions songs. We have dozens and dozens of percussion instruments, parachutes, bubbles, scarves, rainbow ribbons – but behind every single activity is a plan – to teach a particular theme or topic, to work together, to improve co-ordination and rhythm, to share and play, to create a love of music that will stay with them forever! We also run holiday/seasonal workshops where we create interesting age appropriate crafts and musical instruments as well as all the musical activities we love!

Guitar Academy – Improvers classes, various times, ages 7+

These are our returning students, hard working and ready to improve! We can also accommodate a small number of new students who may be returning to guitar after a break or have some previous playing experience, so get in touch if your child would like to play in one of our groups! This year we have a plan in place to keep you focussed! Bringing in the skills of local guitarist Rickey Fullerton for a few visits each term, he will work on specific skills and projects with us and set us goals for his return visits. In addition to his visits, we will continue to expand our chord base, but also work on scales, melodies, notes, tabs and much more throughout the year! We will continue to be a performance based group of course and will still perform at Christmas and Summer, but with these added elements we’re going to have a busy but productive year!

THE SLIABH SNEACHT CENTRE CLASSES, DRUMFRIES.

Guitar Academy, beginners class – Tuesdays 4 – 5pm, ages 7+

This class is for absolute beginners – if you’ve never held a guitar before we’ll go through all the information you need to know to get started. We’ll quickly move to learning some basic chords so you can play a tune or two by Christmas! This is a performance based class, focussing on the music, learning songs, chords, collaboration and progressing as a group! The songs we learn range from new to old depending on how much we’ve learned or what we need to work on. Classes are pay weekly, but full attendance is required to keep the group moving and learning!

The Sliabh Sneacht Singers – Tuesdays 5 – 6pm, ages 6+

A brand new singing group welcoming children from all the surrounding areas! Based on the model of the wonderful Wee Glee Singers based in Buncrana, this performance based community singing group will perform 3-6 times a year at ‘Family & Friends’ concerts, community and seasonal events. We learn lots of songs, work on singing techniques, breathing & performance skills. As we progress we’ll add solo work & harmonies. The Wee Glee singers have been fortunate enough to record and perform dozens of times in the past few years, so the sky is the limit for a room full of children who love to sing, enjoy the fun of a group class, and support each other all the way!

EARLY YEARS MUSIC & MOVEMENT 0-3YRS (PARENT & BABY/TODDLER CLASSES)

Encore Performing arts Letterkenny, Thursdays 10.30 – 11.15 & Spraoi Agus Sport Carndonagh, Mondays 11am (part of a parent & toddler group that runs from 10 – 12), & Cockhill Community Preschool Buncrana, Wednesdays 12.30 – 1pm (part of a parent & toddler group that runs from 12.30 – 1.45)

We sing, learn songs about everything from numbers and colours to fruit and vegetables! We learn many originals songs written just for our students and dance to our very own actions songs. We have dozens and dozens of percussion instruments, parachutes, bubbles, scarves, rainbow ribbons – but behind every single activity is a plan – to teach a particular theme or topic, to work together, to improve co-ordination and rhythm, to share and play, to create a love of music that will stay with them forever and beautiful memories between you and your wee one!!

SCHOOLS PROGRAMMES

We work with schools at every stage from preschool, right through primary school classes and can tailor a programme depening on the ages of your students. Our younger students focus on music & movement on a weekly, seasonal or monthly basis, while older students can undertake a programme that includes songwriting as well as learning songs & harmonies. We have limited times slots for new preschools/schools/seasonal or 6 week primary school programmes so get in touch if you’d like more information!

Call out for art for Anti Bullying Art Exhibition.

I’m delighted to announce the dates of the 3rd annual Anti Bullying Art Exhibition in Donegal & Derry! The Buncrana exhibition will take place on November 18, 19 & 20th November in The Exchange Inishowen.  All the work will then move to The Playhouse Theatre Derry where it will be on view in the Gallery from November 21 to December 1st.
This year we’re adopting the hashtag #NoMoreBystanders to try to get the message across that you can help victims of bullying without putting yourself in danger.
mosaic20picture
HOW IT ALL STARTED..
In 2013 I ran some free anti bullying workshops.  As part of these events, the children attending created anti bullying posters.   Often children might give the answer they think we want to hear when we’re talking to them, but in art, they are more honest, and taking the time to create the art makes the understanding more real.
No two pieces of art were alike and each one was so beautiful, that the idea for an exhibition devoted to the topic took hold. It was eventually brought to life in our first two day exhibition, which took place in November 2014 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
It was a brilliant success! We had 249 pieces of art submitted.  Every one was displayed, and more than 400 people visited the exhibition over its short run.
Many of our visitors shared stories of their own experiences, or those of close friends and family.  Some of the stories were close to 50 years old, but those old feelings of hurt still remained.
We knew we’d done something important, and vowed to do it every year! Last year we expanded and went cross border!  We exhibited in The Exchange in Buncrana, and in The Playhouse Theatre in Derry and our exhibition attracted the work of professional artists as well as amateur artists & teens – and of course, the heart of our exhibition – the children’s art!
YOUR INVITATION!
We now invite you, your school, your club, or any child or adult who is interested to submit art for our 3rd Anti Bullying Art Exhibition which is scheduled to take place in mid November.  Art can be on canvas, art paper or regular paper and you can also submit a poem or short written piece or sculpture if you prefer.
This Exhibition is as much about equality, awareness & healing as it is about bullying, and the work last year ranged from poems, to anti bullying posters, to sculpture & art that depicted the feelings created in the victims, as well as those of the bully, and those that have survived, thrived and have positive messages to share.
ABOUT THE ORGANISER:
This project is organised, by Bernie Doherty of The Music Box – a tiny music school and a social enterprise that keeps a few community projects on the go!  Without the help of family and amazing volunteers it would not happen, so if you are in our area, & would like to help out – let us know – volunteering for this project is very rewarding and your ideas are welcomed!
We look forward to seeing all the art and presenting your work with care and gratitude.
You can drop art to The Exchange if you’re local (or I can collect), or mail it to The Exchange, Castle Avenue, Buncrana, Co. Donegal, Ireland. Check out the last two years exhibitions at www.facebook.com/antibullyingartexhibition
Bernie’s contact details: Phone: 086 3068655, email: themusicboxireland@gmail.com
Sincerely, Bernie Doherty, The Music Box & The Exchange Inishowen

 

 

A FEW QUICK TIPS FOR LEARNING GUITAR <3

  1. Be prepared that your fingers will hurt – it will pass!
  2.  Practice, but seriously – not too much 🙂  Short practices donguitarse every day are easier that long practices once or twice a week
  3.  It will take time to be fantastic – but we will get there!
  4.  Once you know a couple of chords, find a simple song and practice strumming.
  5.  It doesn’t matter what the song is – even if it’s a kids song it will keep you practicing and learning to handle your guitar and strum better and better.
  6.  Keep trying to get your chords clear – take your time and put your fingers in the correct place every time – it’s really hard to fix poor chord placement down the line.
  7.  Set a goal – stick with your simple songs for practice but keep a song in mind that you are aiming to play so you have something to work for.
  8.  Don’t think everyone is getting it except you – everyone is working at a different pace and if you stick with it – you will get there in your own time.
  9.  Have fun and don’t worry.
  10. Don’t give up – no one ever regretted learning to play a few tunes but everyone that gave up trying was really sorry they did!

 

HERE’S A TWO CHORD SONG TO STRUM ALONG TO 🙂 G&D CHORDS ONLY! (It’s an oldie but your parents or grandparents will like it!)

Jambalaya
written and recorded by Hank Williams
 
G                             D
Goodbye Joe me gotta go me oh my oh
                                     G
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou
                                D
My Yvonne the sweetest one me oh my oh
                                      G
Son of a gun we’ll have big fun on the bayou
 
                                      D
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filet gumbo
                                      G
Cause tonight I’m gonna see my ma cher amio
                                 D
Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gay-o
                                      G
Son of a gun we’ll have big fun on the bayou