Music in the Schools

    Specializing in the traditional folk music of Ireland and America, Golden Bough presents an educational, entertaining and FUN look at the
    music of other lands. During their music assembly program, Margie, Paul and Kathy explain and demonstrate the similarities and differences
    in the folk music of Ireland, showing how it influenced, and was absorbed into, the folk music of the United States. Students enjoy clapping and
    singing along to the songs and are encouraged to pursue the music or instrument of their choice.

    Students will be exposed to the music of Ireland, much of which was brought to the U.S. by immigrants and absorbed into our American folk
    culture. A variety of rare acoustic instruments, used in Irish and American folk music, are presented and explained. These include the better
    known; guitar, violin, mandolin, accordion, harmonica and recorder, to the more unusual; Celtic harp, penny-whistle and spoons. Brief
    descriptions and demonstrations of the instruments introduce students to the diverse and colorful world of Irish music. Explaining to the
    children that most important ingredient for having fun with music is imagination, they even perform music on a duck call and a chicken made
    from a plastic cup! Students are encouraged to pursue a musical instrument, whether simple (harmonica, penny-whistle) or more challenging
    (violin, harp, accordion). Students are further involved by joining in on a good old Irish sing-along.

* To expose students to the music of Ireland and allow them to see and hear instruments and music they might otherwise miss.
* To encourage students to pursue the music or instrument of their choice.
* To recognize the importance of the contributions that the Irish people have had on the American culture.
* To teach the students about the similarities and differences in the Irish and American folk music.
* To involve the students in an Irish sing-along.

From The Czech Republic to China, from France to Mexico, Golden Bough takes students on a musical journey around the world, touching on a diversity of ethnic music from various countries. The different rhythms, languages and melodic lines of various folk traditions are demonstrated. Golden Bough also demonstrates how the same or similar instruments are used throughout the world. For example; the harp, accordion and violin are used in Irish, European and Mexican folk music! Explaining that there are far too many countries in the World to visit them all, Golden Bough does touch on Europe, the Balkans, Asia, South America and Mexico.

* To demonstrate the similarities and differences between various folk cultures.
* To encourage students to investigate the folk music and traditions of their own heritage.
* To help students to realize that we all share the same world.
* The importance of tolerance of other cultures and pride in their own.

Performing such standards as "This Land is Your Land", "The Erie Canal" & "Freight Train", as well as lesser-known American folk songs, Golden Bough takes the students on a musical journey across the United States. With these great American classics, students are easilypersuaded to sing along. The emphasis on the program is the modes of transportation used by early settlers, and how the songs, both lyricallyand rhythmically, reflected a particular mode of transportation. Ending up with the immigration to California (The Gold Rush, The Dust Bowl), Golden Bough brings the attention of the students to their own great state.

* To show students how folk songs reflect the actual events of the day.
* To expose students to the great wealth of traditional folk music from America.
* To encourage students to further investigate the folk music and traditions of America and what brought their family to California.

Holiday (Christmas & Hanukkah)

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Golden Bough re-introduces their variety of instruments from previous assemblies (Celtic harp, penny-whistle, recorder, accordion, violin),

as students get to hear (and join in on) a variety of carols from Celtic lands and elsewhere. The selection of songs covers holiday themes

(Christmas, Hanukkah),as well as themes for the Winter season and the Yuletide solstice. The students will be fascinated by rare carols from Ireland and Scotland and the explanations of how the holidays are celebrated in these lands. For example, students will hear about the origin of the mistletoe as a holiday image and what it meant to the early Celtic people. These songs and explanations will give the students a brief glimpse at the Winter celebrations from the Celtic lands. Included in the program are also songs for Hanukkah, as well as a few recognizable songs, certain to get the students singing-along.

OBJECTIVES

    * To expose students to carols and Winter songs from the Celtic lands and to allow them to hear Golden Bough's unique line-up of
         acoustic instruments; instruments and music they may otherwise not see or hear.
    * To introduce new and different carols for the Winter season and show how these songs reflect the times and places from which they come.
    * To show students that in times past, the holidays were celebrated in songs and story, before the tradition of gift giving became the main focus.
    * To involve the students in singing songs that celebrate the turning of the season.