March 2025 – Music Moments
Clocking in at 85.6% Irish (thank you, mail-in DNA-site!), I’ll absolutely admit that when it comes to the music of Ireland, I’m not just 85.6% biased, but 100%. What can I say? It’s in my DNA! As a music teacher though, I have two main reasons for loving Irish music:
- So much of it is just filled with joy. The pieces that are up-tempo, make you want to dance and jig your little heart out!
- STEADY BEAT! Yes, like the music of any country, there isn’t just one genre or tempo of music. Of course, there are slower pieces with haunting and gorgeous melodies, but, for the sake of early childhood music, nothing gets better than a jig or reel. Irish music almost always has a distinct, clear drum beat, making it very easy to play or move to.
As a girl, I fell in love with the flute when listening to cassette tapes of Sir James Galway (Irish flutist) on long road trips. I have vivid memories of his Danny Boy (with the famous Irish group, The Chieftains) providing the soundtrack to beautiful scenery.
My FAVORITE Irish music-playing band of all time is Gaelic Storm. They provided music during the movie Titanic. Jack takes Rose to a “real party” down on the 3rd class deck. And you betchya, the Irish know how to party! True story – I got to see Gaelic Storm perform on a river barge (NOT the Titanic!) in Northwestern France…yep, that was a fun night and there’s a story there, for sure! For another time…
Obviously, the Irish know how to have a good time and, yes, there are plenty of songs about drinking Guinness. (Don’t worry, I avoid including those in music classes, of course!) But there are tons of other fantastic songs to use in our Little Kiddos Music classes!
March Music Activities
Little Kiddos Music classes in March are full of peppy tunes guaranteed to put a SPRING in your step! (See what I did there?!) We sing about colors and rainbows, shamrocks, leprechauns, flowers, rain, and Spring. Some of our favorites for the month are I’m a Little Leprechaun, 10 Little Shamrocks, We Are The Leprechauns, and we review our tempos during the Leprechaun version of Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes – Hat, Beard, Knees, and Boots. You can see more on the March Playlist.
If you know anything about Little Kiddos Music – or me! – you know that one of my jams is teaching the language of music to little kiddos. We don’t water down the vocabulary or theory because – when done the right way! – even the littles of kiddos can learn it all! This month, we introduce two new Fancy Pants Music Words. Using a thunder tube (one of the coolest instruments ever!) is one of the best ways to introduce Crescendo and Decrescendo!
Now, for some great listening suggestions for listening to this month!
FOR EARS OF ALL AGES:
Danny Boy – performed beautifully by Sir James Galway and The Chieftains. Gorgeous.
Titanic Set by Gaelic Storm. If this doesn’t make you want to get up and try your jig-skills, nothing will!
Spring – La Primavera from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi is perhaps my favorite of all four!
You can practically see the tulips gradually opening their blooms in Felxi Mendelssohn’s Spring Song.
Florence Price (the first African American woman to have her music performed by a major orchestra) has a delightful little piece called Waltz of the Spring Maid. Her music is such a beautiful mix of European classical with hints of jazz, folk songs and spirituals.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
Growing a Jewled Rose offers a bunch of great Springtime science experiences and projects including Making a Rain Cloud in a Jar and Growing a Grass Head. Plus many, many more! The Rainbow Cabbage Experiment looks especially fun!
Playdough to Playdoh has an adorable project for Making a Rainbow in a Jar.
