THE ARTANE SCHOOL OF MUSIC

BUILDING THE MUSICIANS

OF THE FUTURE

THE ARTANE SCHOOL OF MUSICMUSICAL EXCELLENCE SINCE 1872

WE BUILD THE MUSICIANS OF THE FUTURE THROUGH-

BUILDING AND DEVELOPING A LOVE OF MUSIC

BUILDING ON THE STUDENT'S POTENTIAL

BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF IN THE STUDENT’S OWN ABILITIES

BUILDING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEL IN A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT

BUILDING THE TEAM ENVIRONMENT TO EXCEL IN GROUP PERFORMANCE

BUILDING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO GROW AND DEVELOP IN MUSIC FOR A LIFETIMES ENJOYMENT

BUILDING CHARACTER, RESPONSIBILITY AND ACTIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH A SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM

FINDING THEIR FOOTSTEPS IN MUSIC

INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC GROUP• THE INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC GROUP IS FOR OUR YOUNGEST MEMBERS- (SUBJECT TO

DEMAND)

• OPEN TO - THE EMPHASIS IS ON FUN AND LEARNING TO ENJOY AND APPRECIATE MUSIC OF ALL TYPES

• STUDENTS EXPLORE THE WORLD OF MUSIC THROUGH SIMPLE COMMANDS AND ACTIONS THROUGH, SINGING, PERCUSSION, AND HANDLING DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS

• THE EMPHASIS IS ON PLAY AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING

• STUDENTS THEN MOVE ON TO THE RECORDER GROUP.

RECORDER GROUP• OUR RECORDER GROUP IS OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS FROM SECOND CLASS ONWARDS.

• HERE EACH NEW STUDENT TO THE ARTANE BAND LEARNS TO PLAY THE RECORDER. IN THIS CLASS WE BRING THE STUDENTS ON A MUSICAL ADVENTURE IN TEACHING THEM SHORT MELODIES FROM FAMOUS CLASSICAL PIECES, INTERNATIONAL FOLK TUNES, POPULAR MUSIC OR FILM AND T.V. THEMES.

• IT IS THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE OF PERFORMING WITH OTHERS OF A SIMILAR AGE, AND TEACHES THE BASIC SKILLS, SUCH AS BLOWING, BREATHING, HAND POSITIONS ( HOW TO HOLD THE INSTRUMENT ) AND GENERAL HAND EYE CO-ORDINATION AND BASIC MUSIC READING OF MUSICAL ENSEMBLE.

THE ARTANE BANDS

ARTANE BEGINNERS BAND• THE VERY FIRST AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT STEPS IN MIXED ENSEMBLE PLAYING- THE STUDENTS

ARE ASSESSED TO FIND THEIR MOST SUITABLE INSTRUMENT.

• STUDENTS ARE THEN GIVEN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP TUITION ON THEIR ASSIGNED INSTRUMENTS

• STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE TIME AND SPACE NECESSARY TO ADAPT TO THEIR NEW INSTRUMENTS

• STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT TO THE BASICS OF TIMING, SCALES, MELODY. PITCH AND HARMONY

• STUDENTS ARE BROUGHT THROUGH INDIVIDUAL AND SECTIONAL PLAYING

• STUDENTS ARE INTRODUCED TO BASIC MUSIC NOTATION AND MUSIC THEORY

• STUDENTS ARE THEN BROUGHT TOGETHER FOR THEIR FIRST BEGINNERS BAND EXPERIENCE

THEN- PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

ARTANE JUNIOR BAND• THE ARTANE JUNIOR BAND CONTINUES THE PROCESS OF ENSEMBLE TRAINING. FROM THE BEGINNERS

BAND.

• IN THE ARTANE JUNIOR BAND THE STUDENT NOW LEARNS THE SKILL OF FOLLOWING MORE ADVANCED

DIRECTIONS GIVEN BY THE CONDUCTOR, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO HELP THE BAND PLAY MORE

MUSICALLY AS A UNIT.

• CONTINUED INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING IN THE CORE PLAYING SKILLS AND COMPLIMENTARY

THEORY

• WHEN THESE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN MASTERED TO THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL, THE

STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED BY THEIR TUTORS AND THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AND WILL PROGRESS TO

THE NEXT STAGE OF THEIR MUSICAL TRAINING WHEN THEY HAVE ACHIEVED THE REQUIRED STANDARD

FOR THE ARTANE BAND

THE ARTANE BANDHISTORY

THE ARTANE BAND ARE THE “JEWEL IN THE CROWN” OF THE ARTANE SCHOOL OF MUSIC.

THE BAND HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1872., AND TO DATE; HAVE PLAYED FOR EVERY PRESIDENT AND TAOISEACH OF IRELAND, THREE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED

STATES, THREE KINGS AND QUEENS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER HEADS OF STATE, IN THEIR LONG HISTORY

THEY HAVE A UNIQUE AND LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GAA AND ARE A WELL KNOWN FEATURE OF ALL IRELAND SUNDAYS. THE ARTANE BAND ARE PERHAPS

BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR APPEARANCES IN CROKE PARK; BUT ARE NOW EQUALLY WELL KNOWN AS CONCERT AND ENSEMBLE PLAYERS OF THE HIGHEST REGARD.

EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

THE ARTANE SCHOOL OF MUSIC TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR OUR MUSICIANS TO REACH THE HIGHEST LEVEL ACHIEVABLE BY

YOUNG STUDENTS. THIS ALSO IMPROVES THEIR SELF-CONFIDENCE, DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, AND ENCOURAGES A POSITIVE IMAGE OF SELF. THE STUDENTS ARE TRAINED IN

THE ART OF PERFORMANCE, ALL BAND REHEARSALS AND SECTIONAL (WIND BRASS & PERCUSSION) TRAINING ARE CARRIED OUT IN A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SOME OF IRELAND’S BEST KNOWN ORCHESTRAL PLAYERS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF DIRECTOR OF MUSIC RONAN O'REILLY AND HEAD OF

MUSICIANSHIP TONY DOHERTY

THE ARTANE BAND“YOU CANNOT JUDGE THESE CHILDREN AS CHILDREN-

YOU MUST JUDGE THEM AS MUSICIANS- AND WHAT FINE MUSICIANS THEY ARE”ARTHUR FIEDLER

PERFORMANCE

THE WORKING ROLE OF THE ARTANE BAND CONSISTS OF PERFORMANCES ON SEVERAL LEVELS.

1. CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT

THESE PERFORMANCES CAN TAKE PLACE IN VENUES AS DIVERSE AS THE IRISH MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, FARMLEIGH HOUSE, ARÁS AN UACHTARAIN, DUBLIN CASTLE, POWERSCOURT HOUSE, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LIMERICK CONCERT HALL, FOR GOVERNMENT, ACADEMIC, CIVIC CORPORATIONS AND CORPORATE CLIENTS.

2. COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE

THE ARTANE BAND PERFORM AT AN AVERAGE OF SIXTY EVENTS A YEAR, THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE COUNTRY- THIS MAY INCLUDE G.A.A CLUB OPENINGS OR ANNIVERSARIES, PROVINCIAL FINALS, INVITATIONS TO FESTIVALS, FEISEANNA AND ROCK CONCERTSOF COURSE THEIR MOST FAMOUS ROLE IS DURING THE FOOTBALL AND HURLING SEASON, WHERE THE BAND TAKES ON THEIR MOST FAMILIAR IDENTITY AS A MARCHING BAND-WHERE THEY PERFORM THE OFFICIAL SALUTES, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND ENTERTAIN THOUSANDS OF FANS AT MATCHES IN CROKE PARK AND THROUGHOUT IRELAND.

ARTANE BAND-SENIOR ENSEMBLES• AS CONFIDENCE AND MASTERY OF THE INSTRUMENT GROWS, SO DOES THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE.

• THIS IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE SENIOR ENSEMBLES- THE WIND AND JAZZ ENSEMBLES WHO DELIVER A MORE DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING REPERTOIRE

• THE ETHOS OF THE ARTANE WIND ENSEMBLE IS TO OFFER GRADUATE WIND, BRASS AND PERCUSSION PLAYERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY, PERFORM AND EXPERIENCE MUSIC SPECIFICALLY COMPOSED FOR THE WIND ENSEMBLE MEDIUM AND TO PRESENT NEWLY COMPOSED INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITIONS.

• THE ARTANE BIG BAND (JAZZ) IS ONLY OPEN TO THOSE STUDENTS WHO PLAY SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, TROMBONE, DRUMS, GUITAR, BASS GUITAR OR PIANO. THIS ENSEMBLE HAS ONLY SEVENTEEN SEATS AT ANY ONE TIME. THE BAND REHEARSES A WIDE VARIETY OF REPERTOIRE FROM THE ROARING 40S RIGHT THROUGH TO MODERN DAY FUNK ROCK. IT IS A VERY SPECIALISED ENSEMBLE AS EACH MEMBER MUST BE CAPABLE OF SOME IMPROVISATIONAL SKILLS. THE ART OF IMPROVISATION IS A KEY FACTOR TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS ENSEMBLE AND IS A SKILL THAT EACH STUDENT ACQUIRES THROUGH THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE BIG BAND.

• .MANY OF THESE PLAYERS ARE REPRESENTED IN MANY OF THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRAS AS A TESTAMENT TO THEIR ABILITIES- IRISH YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE (IYWE), THE DUBLIN YOUTH ORCHESTRA & CONCERT ORCHESTRA (DYO) AND THE IRISH NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA (INYO)

THE ARTANE SENIOR BAND

• THE ARTANE SENIOR BAND WAS FOUNDED IN 1988 BY A GROUP OF PAST MEMBERS OF THE ORIGINAL ARTANE BOYS' BAND. TODAY THE ARTANE SENIOR BAND IS ONE OF IRELANDS WELL KNOWN MUSICAL ENSEMBLES. THE SENIOR BAND HAS A COMMITTED MEMBERSHIP WHO HAVE A LOVE OF ENTERTAINMENT. ALTHOUGH A MILITARY BAND IN ITS INSTRUMENTAL MAKE UP, THE ARTANE SENIOR BAND HAS A VAST REPERTOIRE AND CAN ADAPT TO MANY MUSICAL REQUIREMENTS. THE BAND PLAY CONCERTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL YEAR ROUND, DISPLAYING MIX OF CLASSIC ORCHESTRAL MUSIC, SWING, BRASS AND POPULAR MUSIC.

• THE ARTANE SENIOR BAND STRIVES TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MEMBERS (BOTH YOUNG AND NOT SO YOUNG!) CAN MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER IN A FRIENDLY AND RELAXED ENVIRONMENT. THE BAND ENCOURAGES ITS MEMBERS TO FURTHER THEIR MUSICAL EDUCATION AND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ARTANE SCHOOL OF MUSIC.

• THE SENIOR BAND IS OPEN TO ALL GRADUATES OF THE ORIGINAL ARTANE BOYS BANDS AND ARTANE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, AND IS OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAN PLAY BRASS, PERCUSSION OR WOOD INSTRUMENTS, THOUGH AN AUDITION PROCESS..

• THE SENIOR BAND GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GRADUATE MEMBERS TO CONTINUE PLAYING THEIR INSTRUMENTS LONG PAST THE AGE OF GRADUATION, AND CONTINUES THE LONG HELD TRADITIONS AND ETHOS OF THE ARTANE BAND.

• THE ARTANE BAND, SENIOR ENSEMBLES AND THE ARTANE SENIOR BAND ARE UNDER THE BATON OF DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, RONAN O'REILLY