The Music Generation Laois New Works Series brings young musicians and composers together, to collaborate, compose and perform a series of new works for ensembles in the County. Three composers have been appointed to compose music in collaboration with young musicians.
Martin Tourish, composer and accordionist with the Donegal-based band Altan, will work with the Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra and Choir to create a new twenty minute piece of music ‘1916: Visions and Voices’ to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising.
Elaine Agnew, a renowned composer from Northern Ireland, will work with the Laois School of Music Youth Orchestra to create a new twenty minute piece of music for Youth Orchestra and Choir.
Scottish Virtuoso Harpist Catriona McKay will work with the Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble to create a ten minute piece of music for harp ensemble. The New Works series will be premiered as part of a gala concert on Sunday 22 of May in the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise.
Tickets are €5 and on sale from the Dunamaise Arts Centre Box Office at dunamaise.ie or 057-8663355.
‘1916: Visions and Voices’ is inspired by the actions and events of the 1916 Rising, and is part of the ‘Ireland 2016’ programme of events in County Laois, and funded by the Laois 2016 Community Grants Scheme. All 3 new works are also funded by Per Cent for Art through the Laois Arts Office, and the Music Generation/Arts Council Partnership.
Music Generation Laois are offering young musicians between the ages of 12-16 years the chance to apply to participate in a Stomp style percussion project.
This project, with Ollie Tumner a Stomp specialist from the UK, will take place in our School building on Railway St Portlaoise.
There is a very reasonable fee of €10 to participate (this is for all the sessions). Places are limited.
If you wish to apply, send an email to rflannery@laoiscoco.ie by Monday 11 April 4pm including your name, age, instrument, and 3 lines as to why you think you should be selected to participate. Places will be filled based on your application.
Initial session is on Thurs 14 April from 5pm-6:30pm. Once the full schedule is completed, and successful applicants feel they cannot commit, the €10 fee will be refunded.
Only age 12-16 year olds can apply. This opportunity is only open to current students of Music Generation Laois & Laois School of Music programmes (in schools or in our local tuition centres (classes/ ensembles).
RTE’s Nationwide programme tonight, Monday 14th March, at 7pm, will have a feature on ‘A Nation’s Voice’, one of the major events of the Ireland 1916 Commemoration programme.
18 Students from the Music Generation Laois Choral Programme are taking part, representing 5 participating schools (Errill NS, Kiladooley NS, Killenard NS, Presentation Primary Portarlington and Rath NS), under the direction of MGL Choral Team Nuala Kelly and Grace Bergin. The Nationwide crew visited the Laois rehearsal last week and filmed the children singing, along with an interview from Nuala Kelly (also School of Music Co-ordinator), who has a personal connection with 1916 through her Portlaoise grandfather John Muldowney, one of the Laois Volunteers at that time.
A Nation’s Voice is presented by the Arts Council and RTÉ, in association with the National Museum of Ireland, the Association of Irish Choirs and Music Generation, as part of Ireland 2016. On Easter Sunday, March 27th 2016, in the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks, Dublin, one thousand voices from all over Ireland will join with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in presenting a major new orchestral and choral work composed by Shaun Davey and Paul Muldoon. This free concert promises to be one of the highlights of the 1916 commemoration programme and will be broadcast live on RTE 1 from 2.30pm on Easter Sunday.
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.
The Laois School of Music/Music Generation Laois 3rd Annual Festival will take place Sunday 6 March 2016 in Portlaoise Youth Education Centre, Railway Street.
The festival is non-competitive and will give students an opportunity to gain valuable experience in performing and show what they have been working on all year. Úna Keogh of the Irish Chamber Orchestra will be on hand as Music Adviser to give feedback and words of advice to each performer and award medals.
Applications are now open for the Festival and entry forms can be gotten from tutors or the office or downloaded below. The closing date for applications with Monday 29 February.
