Craicmore's school outreach program, Celtic Connections is fun, entertaining and intelligent. Students and teachers clap, chant & sing along with exciting, upbeat Celtic songs. Lively question & answer sessions encourage students to have direct and honest dialogue with the artists.
Celtic Connections helps educators meet many specific standards in social studies, language arts and music. The program demonstrates through music, instruments, authentic Scottish Tartan kilts (lesson plan is provided), traditions, and geography, the positive influence diverse cultures can have on each other. Through simple vocalizing, students learn to recognize two of Celtic music's most popular dance tune styles: the jig (6/8 time signature), and the reel (4/4 time signature). Using traditional Irish music as an example, students hear an historic rendition of a 500-year-old jig, to which newer musical influences from Spain and the Americas are added. Demonstrating that Irish Music is now influenced by the entire world of music, traditional instruments from East India and Australia are introduced and blended with the traditional instruments & tunes of Ireland.
Students see, on an eight-foot wide graphic, interactive map of the world, the geographical location of Ireland, Scotland, Canada, USA, Mexico, Peru, Spain, India, and Australia. Two student volunteers are invited on stage to work with the map.
Celtic Connections helps students understand that cultures throughout the world are ever changing, becoming increasingly interdependent, and the positive influences diverse cultures can have on each other.
