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.
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 Grúpa Ceoil at Music @ Mount Leinster
A group of young musicians from Music Generation Laois attended a weekend of traditional music in Borris, Co Carlow, organised by Music Generation Carlow.
The Mount Leinster Traditional Music Camp ran from March 27 to March 29. The Laois 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 traditional flautist Conor Crimmins.
As part of the event, on Saturday March 28 there was an intimate evening of music in the Sacred Heart Church. The evening of traditional Irish music featured acclaimed musicians such as Zoe Conway and John McIntyre (fiddle and guitar), Damien Mullane (button accordion), Jack Talty, Aimee Farrell Countney (bodhrán), Conor Crimmins, and Dave Power (uilleann pipes).
The young Laois musicians who attended were Jessica and Sarah Bennett, Alain Carroll, Kurt Dineen-Carroll, Fiadh Fitzpatrick, Isobel and Grace Donnery and Kate McDonald.
See a video of their end of camp performance here:
We’re now gearing up to host a three-day traditional music summer school from July 7 to July 9 in Portlaoise. For more information on this, contact us on 057 8664176, or email musicgenerationlaois@laoiscoco.ie for further details.
