ISBN 9781610658614. Learn to Play Irish Fiddle is a book and audio set that introduces the absolute beginner to the great traditional fiddle music of Ireland, going right from the basics of how to hold and make the first sounds on the instrument - through specially composed, manageable tunes in the Irish style - right up to playing traditional reels, jigs and other dance tunes from the traditional repertoire (the specially composed tunes bridge the gap between the basics and the traditional music). Embellishments and techniques that make good Irish fiddle playing so infectious, such as rolls, cuts, triplets and slides are gradually introduced. The student will also become familiar with some of the more advanced ideas concerning playing Irish traditional music such as variations and dynamics - subjects which are covered in greater detail in 'Irish Fiddle Playing: A Guide for the Serious Player' book/audio sets by the same author. Useful appendices and a cross-referenced glossary are also included. The accompanying audio contain all the tunes in the book (played at a slow tempo) plus many exercises. There is NO NEED FOR ANY PRIOR MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE in order to use this book. Each aspect of playing and theory is covered in an accessible and manageable way.

Poem For Carlita (for unaccompanied violin) MO149

Violin Solo

Music by Mark O?Connor

5 pages - 7:30 minutes in length



Poem For Carlita In contemporary vocal music, there is a form called a story song. It is an odd form in that it does not contain any departure from the central idea; therefore there is no ?return.? The story has a beginning and ending but uses subtle variation to push the idea along its way. .. much the way loving relationships evolve. The equivalent of the story song in classical music is a Poem, and this is what I have called this piece. An inspiration I used for my musical poem was the ocean and it?s repetition of waves as they fall in to the shoreline. I grew up near the ocean and remember how the sounds of the relentless waves used to calm me. While it was the repetitive sound of the sea that moved me as a child, today, I observed that each wave was not the same but in fact slightly different. I was amazed that it seemed that no two waves looked or sounded the same to me. This natural occurrence seemed to mirror my love for wife Carla. Each day was just something a tiny bit different. It was very natural to make these kinds of life experience connections. Bridges that joined nature, love and art. The poem begins slowly and inquisitively and builds through in intensity with loud and mightily passionate moments of emotion before the music comes down peacefully and reflectively, until the last statement played by the violin signifies that the sea is calm once again.