Tunes for L.C. music

chicken_little · 07-01-2011 10:23PM #1

i've already posted this in the L.C. forum but i didn't get an answer so maybe you guys have an idea :DD

will be doing leaving cert. music practical next year 2012 so i plan on having loads of practice done but has any one any idea of tunes for the standard thats expected? can't find what other people did anywhere?
im looking for impressive sounding tunes with variety, A standard hopfully (i'll be playing either flute or tin whistle btw)

also what kind of mix should i do? set of reels, jigs, airs, slides and possibly a planxty?
advice needed :DD

Futurecrook · 09-01-2011 07:37PM

Well are you playing one instrument or two? If you're playing one instrument you need to play six pieces (read as sets of tunes for trad). If you're playing two different instruments you need to play 4 pieces on each. When I did my leaving cert my instruments were flute and voice so I sang 4 songs and played a set of reels, a set of jigs, a hornpipe and a slow michael rooney piece on the flute. I got a friend of mine to accompany me on the piano too.

What's most important is playing tunes that you're comfortable with and enjoy playing. You've absolutely tonnes of time to prepare so I'd recommend spending a few months listening to and learning tunes and then put a setlist together. Are you going to lessons? This is something your teacher can help you with. If you get nervous playing in front of people you could consider getting a friend to accompany you and you could do some fun arrangements that way too.

chicken_little · 10-01-2011 10:31PM

thanks Futurecrook

just playing one instrument and doing the technology as the elective then so i only need 4 pieces.. can you give me an example of a tune that would be considered L.C. standard of difficulty?

yes i do go to lessons but my trad. music teacher doesnt know much about the L.C. practical and i have my accompanment pretty much sorted

Futurecrook · 10-01-2011 11:04PM

It doesn't really matter what tunes you play as long as you play them well. It's the standard you play the music at, not the actual tunes you play.

Just stay away from overly simple tunes and make sure the ones you pick are suited to the flute. I can't really remember what tunes I played but I know that the caucus reel was one of them.

A few good flute tunes (kind of off the top of my head here, sorry) are...

Reels - Jim Donoghue’s, Around the House and Mind the Dresser, Fairwell to Coillrua, The Green Mountain, The Mystery Reel

Jigs - Eddie Kelly’s, Contentment is Wealth, Willie Coleman’s, The Mist on the Mountain, Langstrom's Pony

Have a listen to as many Matt Molloy albums as you can. He's a great source of flute tunes. Anything by Vincent Broderick would probably work well either.

Tunes for L.C. music

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