Gaelscoil Adhamhnáin, Leitir Ceanainn, Co. Dhún na nGall - Primary Finalist 2017

'Saol Gan Cheol, Saol Gan Anam' (A World without Music Is a World without Soul), performed by the 40-strong Meitheal group. Primary School Finalist in the 2017 Waltons Music for Schools Competition, a national competition and celebration of music in Irish schools. ADDRESSING THIS YEAR’S COMPETITION THEME, MUSIC HAS NO BORDERS Before any instruments, vocals or notation were introduced, the students were introduced and got to know each other as group members – a crucial exercise, as many of them would not ordinarily mix as friends in or outside school because of different classes, ages and social circles. The group were asked to contemplate the competition theme, look at the individual members, think of their local area, think of Donegal, think of Ireland and then think of all of these in the context of the larger world we live in. A quotation from the great American arts advocate Charles Fowler was then read: ‘The greatest gift one people can give to another is to share their culture…. To share artistic creations across cultures is to share our deepest values.’ The entry piece was developed in parts, beginning with a ‘chant’ style song entitled ‘Dún na nGall’, which the students composed with the help of their musical director. More discussion brought up the idea of Canadian geese, annual visitors to Donegal, and how freely they can come and go, so the group researched a Canadian jig and put together a dance for the tune. The group then developed the idea splitting into two and walking to a ‘border’ visualised by a divide in the groups, who sing the Proclaimer’s song ‘500 Miles’, with new lyrics (in Irish) express the children’s perspective of growing up in a multicultural society. For the next section, they researched appropriate song lyrics, poems, quotations, etc. and agreed that the lyrics of ‘From a Distance’ by the American singer-songwriter Julie Gold best expressed their vision: ‘From a distance we are instruments / Marching in a common band / Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace / They are the songs of every man.’ For the finale, a past pupil and former Waltons Music for Schools Finalist suggested the song ‘Music’ by Madonna, which includes the significant line: ‘Music makes the people come together.’ See www.newschool.ie/musicforschools for more information.