Heidi’s Piano Studio: Composing and Improvising Free Resources for March

I find that most of my piano students prefer energetic pieces over calm flowing pieces, so creating a lively Irish Jig is a fun way to get them to create on the piano in March.

Irish Music History and Listening Activities

It's easier to compose Irish music after listening to some music in that style.

The Classics for Kids Podcast The Gigue is Up (Telemann) includes a brief history of the Irish Jig with short excerpts of famous jigs.

Irish Washerwoman Fiddle

Irish Composing

The free printable CR Irish Jig Composing by Chrissy Ricker provides the structure of a simple rhythm pattern in 3/4 time that elementary students can choose melody notes for to create their own jig.

Intermediate Students could use this same resource but add left-hand 5ths for harmony, create a contrasting B section, or convert their piece in 3/4 time into 6/8 by halving the value of each note and doubling the measure length.

Irish Improvisation

Irish Improv Activity #1

Teach Piano Today's Saint Patrick's Day Improvisation for beginners includes a fun teacher duet to provide the backdrop for the student's choice of rhythm patterns using St. Patrick's Day phrases.

Irish Improv Activity #2

Watch Forrest Kinney's Ireland Sample Improvisation. Then choose a simplified Irish Improvisation worksheet to create your own Irish Jig.

3/4 Irish Improvisation

6/8 Irish Improvisation

Irish Improv Activity #3

Listen to one of the backing tracks and create melodies using the scale tones that match. Include some "raspberry-pie" triplet rhythms for a dance-like feeling.

Irish Backing Track- E minor (EF#GAB)