The Music Generation Laois Grúpa Ceoil travelled to Borris, Co Carlow to attend Music Generation Carlow’s 2nd annual Music @ Mount Leinster Trad Camp during the midterm from 16th – 18th February 2015.
The group had the opportunity to work with some of the top traditional musicians in the country, including fiddle player Zoe Conway, concertina player Jack Talty and flautist Conor Crimmins.
The young musicians worked with Beoga’s Niamh Dunne as their tutor to learn about performance, harmony and arrangement and the camp culminated in an incredible performance by all the groups involved.
Check out the video below to listen to their amazing performance.
Music Generation Laois are auditioning for their new Trad Orchestra. Auditions will take place on Wednesday 6 of January in Portlaoise. This opportunity is for advanced traditional music students with 4 years experience and upwards, and aged 18 and under.
Please note: Successful applicants must be available for initial rehearsals this weekend from 6-8:30pm on Friday 8 of January and from 10am-1pm on Sat 9 of January. Annual orchestra membership fee €100.
To apply for an audition send an email to musicgenerationlaois@laoiscoco.ie stating your name, age, instrument, and some information about your experience as a musician to-date (no more than 200 words) by Tuesday 5 of January by 5pm.
Please include parent/ guardian mobile telephone number. If selected for an audition, you will receive a text message with all relevant info.
The Laois School of Music Annual Christmas Concert, featuring all Ensemble Groups and including our new Oboe students and Chamber groups, will take place on Tuesday 15 December at 6pm in the Portlaoise Youth Education Centre, Railway Street.
The Orchestra will feature young musicians from the Music Generation Laois Brass and Orchestral Percussion Programmes and will have the groups playing a mix of classical, modern and christmas pieces to get everyone into the festive mood!
All are welcome to attend the concert. Free admission on the night but donations welcome.
In July 2015, Irish Singer-Songwriter Duke Special visited Portlaoise and spent 2 inspirational days with young musicians from the Music Generation Laois Summer School of Rock and Pop, developing songwriting skills. Young musicians spent 8 intensive days, writing and recording 3 new songs, enhanced by the input of 4 Music Generation Laois Tutors, Adela Meally, Ros O Meara, Dale Hennessy and Andreas Balke. This project was funded by the Arts Council/Music Generation Partnership.
Duke Special will return to Music Generation Laois on 6 December to Kavanaghs Live Music Venue, Main Street, Portlaoise to launch our School of Rock & Pop EP! Young musicians will perform 3 original songs that were written during the School of Rock & Pop Summer Camp and recorded in Golden Egg Studios, Portlaoise. On the night, Duke Special will also perform some of his original music.
Admission is by invitation only but the EP will be available to purchase through the Music Generation Laois Office on 057-8664176 or musicgenerationlaois@laoiscoco.ie.
From January 2015 to June 2015, Scoil Bhríde Harpur’s Lane, Knockmay in Portlaoise participated in a Music Generation Laois pilot whole class string programme whereby groups from 3rd and 4th classes were given the chance to learn violin.
This string programme is a joint initiative between Music Generation Laois and Laois School of Music and was pioneered by Dorothy Conaghan (National Concert Hall) and John Davidson (Laois School of Music).
Since September 2015, over 200 students in Scoil Bhríde now participate in weekly string tuition and the school has invested in their own instrument bank of violins.
The growth of the programme has seen more local tutors becoming involved in teaching, and learning from this unique experience.
Music Generation Laois are delighted the school has invested in their instruments, and we look forward to many pupils in the school getting the opportunity to learn violin in the years ahead.
