A weekend of workshops and performances celebrating the harp and the uilleann pipes, bringing together musicians from Sligo, Donegal, Louth, Carlow and Laois.
Tutors: Leonard Barry (Pipes), Timothy Doyle (pipes), Fionnan MacGabhann (pipes) , Gay McKeon (pipes), Paul Harrigan (pipes), Conor Day (pipes), David Power (Pipes), Siobhan Buckley (harp), Deirdre Ni Bhuachalla (harp), Ramune Sakalauskaite (harp), Jolene McLaughlin (harp), Catriona McKay (harp) and Cormac de Barra (harp)
Friday 4 November
1pm-2pm: Registration Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
2-4pm Instrumental workshops, Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
5-6pm communal music-making/ session, Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
8pm Tutor Concert, Dunamaise Arts Centre (all students are to attend and student tickets are free of charge, parents can book tickets through Dunamaise.ie/ call 057 8663355)
Saturday 5 November
9am-11am Instrumental workshops Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
11:30am-1pm Instrumental Workshops Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
2pm-4pm Harp Instrumental Worksops, Ensemble Workshop, Reed Making WorkshopPortlaoise Youth Education Centre
5-6pm Communal Music-Making/Sessions Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
8pm Concert featuring soloists plus harp ensembles Portlaoise Youth Education Centre (all students are to attend and student tickets are free of charge, open to the public, no charge however donations welcome)
10pm-11pm Student Ceilidh Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
Sunday 6 November
9am-11am Instrumental workshops Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
11:30am-1pm Instrumental Workshops Portlaoise Youth Education Centre
2pm Student Concert, programme of music made up of repertoire covered throughout TionolPortlaoise Youth Education Centre
4pm Depart
Lunch is included
Standards: A range of classes are available, open to recent beginners to advanced students. You must have your own instrument to participate, a limited number of harps are available for Music Generation Laois students only.
Supervision: under 18s will be supervised during break times.
Open to ages 7 and upwards.
There will be an exhibition of Salvi harps at 1pm on Sunday 6 November.
Friday 4 November: Some of Ireland’s finest harpists and pipers, and the Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra with Accordionist Martin Tourish will perform as part of the opening concert of the inaugural Music Generation Laois Tionól, a national gathering for harpists and pipers across Ireland. Dunamaise Arts Centre, 8pm
Featuring Leonard Barry (Pipes), Timothy Doyle (pipes), Fionnan MacGabhann (pipes) , Gay McKeon (pipes), David Power (Pipes), Conor Day (pipes), Siobhan Buckley (harp), Ramune Sakalauskaite (harp), Jolene McLaughlin (harp), Catriona McKay (harp) Cormac de Barra (harp) and the Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra with Martin Tourish who will perform ‘1916: Visions and Voices’ a newly commissioned work that reflects on the events of the Easter Rising.
Free admission for Tionól students, €10/€5 for general public, booking through Dunamaise.ie/ call 057 8663355)
Saturday 5 November: Student concert and the Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble with Catriona McKay, Portlaoise Youth Education Centre, Railway St, 8pm
Concert featuring students and groups from the Tionól including the Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble with Catriona McKay perform ‘Rising of the Harps’ a newly commissioned work created by virtuoso Scottish harpist in collaboration with the Music Generation Laois Harp Esnemble.
Free admission, donations welcome.
Sunday 6 November: Student concert, Portlaoise Youth Education Centre, 2pm
Student Concert, programme of music made up of repertoire covered throughout TionolPortlaoise Youth Education Centre
Free admission, donations welcome.
The Music Generation Laois Tionól: Harps and Pipes 2016 is funded under the Music Generation National Projects Fund.
Ten young traditional musicians from Music Generation Laois have been invited to perform at the prestigious Celtic music festival ‘Creative Connexions’ in Sitges, Spain this October bank holiday weekend. The group of musicians, include harp, flute, pipes, bodhran and fiddle will travel to Spain for the 4 day Fesitval, and perform alongside well-known Irish musicians including Colin Dunne, dancer, musicians Daire Bracken, Ellen Cranitch, Desi Wilkinson and Brian Fleming.
Speaking about the forthcoming performance, Co-ordinator of Music Generation Laois, Rosa Flannery, said that ‘the invitation to perform at an international festival is recognition of the high standard of traditional music among young people in Co Laois. Three young traditional musicians from Music Generation Laois were invited to perform in New York in May of this year, where they were introduced on stage by U2’s Adam Clayton. These international performances are an excellent passport for our young people to see the world, make international connections and promote Laois throughout their travels.’
Creative Connexions in Sitges, Barcelona takes place from the 27-30 October, and it will include:
More than 40 Festival Events throughout the day and night, many of which are free
A public, Opening Parade, Concerts, Parties, Cultural Walks, Workshops, Exhibitions, Sessions and Pop-up performances
15+ Venues and Outdoor pop-up performance sites and 300+ performers, artists and musicians from Ireland and Catalonia.
The Music Generation Laois Harpists were delighted to travel to the international O’Carolan Harp Festival in Nobber, Co Meath, the birth place of Ireland’s most famous harpist Turlough O’Carolan, on Saturday the 1st of October.
This group of 18 harpists participated in workshops with some of Ireland’s most talented Harpists and competed in the festival competitions against young musicians from all around Ireland, with a number even having travelled from Scotland and Italy.
The Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble was joined by their tutor Siobhan Buckley and in the workshops they learned new tunes, techniques and styles.
The O’Carolan Harp Festival, 30th September – 2nd October 2016, is in its 29th year and attracts harpers from far and wide to take part in its workshops and competitions. The three-day festival holds an array of events including excellent concerts, ceilís, lectures, exhibitions & tours with a special memorial ceremony to celebrate to life and work of Turlough O’Carolan.
Music Generation Laois, through the Laois 2016 Centenary fund, have initiated an ‘Irish Songs We Learned at School’ project with the legendary Irish Singer-Songwriter John Spillane.
National Schools across Laois, who participate in the Music Generation Laois Singing Programme, will receive monthly visits from the well-known musician from Cork, learning many of the Irish Songs We Learned at School that John Spillane recorded on the album of the same name in 2008. In addition some of the songs associated with the 1916 Rising, including ‘Grace’ and the ‘Foggy Dew’ will be included in the songs covered in this schools project.
The project will run from September to November 2016 and culminate with a large scale concert on the 24 of November in Portlaoise, where John Spillane, Music Generation Laois Singing Tutor Lorna McLaughlin, and all the participating schools will perform, along with a live band.
The Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra was established in January 2016 under the directorship of Paul Finn and Siobhan Buckley. Earlier this year the orchestra collaborated with Donegal Accordionist Martin Tourish to create a new 30 minute suite of music ‘1916 Visions and Voices’ funded by the Laois 2016 Community Fund, Per Cent for Art through Laois County Council and the Music Generation Arts Council Partnership. The music was premiered on the 22 of May, as part of the Music Generation Laois New Works Series, to unprecedented public response! The work has since been performed in Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Ennis 2016, and will be professionally recorded in Golden Egg Studio Portlaoise later this year.
Music Generation Laois are auditioning for new Trad Orchestra members. Auditions will take place on Saturday 8 of October in Portlaoise. This opportunity is for advanced traditional music students with 4 years experience and upwards, and aged 18 and under.
Please note: Current orchestra members do not need to re-audition.
Weekly rehearsal: Successful applicants must be available for weekly rehearsal on Saturdays from 10am-11:30am. Attendance is strictly monitored, if members miss more than 3 rehearsals throughout the academic year, their membership will be relinquished.
Fee: 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 10am on Friday 7 October 2016.
Please include your parent/ guardian mobile telephone number. If selected for an audition, you will receive a text message with all relevant info. Applications from parents on behalf of their children will not be accepted.
