Programme News

Fergus Shiel, conductor and composer will hold a very special once off workshop with the Senior Orchestra on Wednesday 21st January from 4pm-6.30pm.  The workshop will focus exclusively on “Bolero”, which is one of the orchestra’s most challenging pieces for the upcoming NCH Concert, and which was specially arranged by Fergus Shiel.  The workshop is in two sessions ; 4pm-5pm with a short break and from 5.30pm-630pm. It will be very intensive and the children should bring a snack and water.  It is imperative that ALL members attend this very special workshop.  The children have put a huge amount of work into preparing for the concert and this workshop will be a great opportunity for them to collectively improve their skills in advance of the big day!  There will be a fee of €5 per child to attend – the cost of the event is already being subsidised by the music programme.  Please ensure your child pays the fee before 21st January.

There will also be a senior orchestra rehearsal on this Sunday 11th January from 12-2pm.  Please try and ensure your child attends.  If your child is unable to attend, please let me know in advance.  The Sunday rehearsal is specifically to rehearse “Ironclad” which the wind and percussion parts have not done yet so it is vital that everyone attends. We only have a month to go!

All Music Lessons and Junior and Senior Orchestra will resume as normal from Monday 5th January with the exception of lessons from Eamon Cahill and his Junior and Senior Orchestra rehearsals. Eamon will start lessons and Jazz Band rehearsals as normal from Monday 12th January.

Dear Parents

I am delighted to let you know that the music programme has been successful in a recent grant application to Music Network/Arts Council supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and has been awarded a grant of €6,958.

Following a comprehensive grant application prepared and sumittted by the Parents Music Committee, we were awarded the maximum amount we requested. One of the main criterion of the granting of the award is that the music programme must provide an additional 25% of the funding ourselves.  The proceeds from the hugely successful Christmas Breakfast morning have been earmarked for this purpose. The grant money will be used to purchase addtional cellos, a double bass, saxophones and french horns to ensure we can contine to develop our orchestras and jazz bands for the future.  Over 100 applications were received for funding and we have been very fortunate on this occassion to have received such a substantial grant.

I would like to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and I look forward to a very busy and exciting year of music in 2015!

Regina O Leary
Artistic Director

There will be no music lessons on the week commencing 15th December. However, Senior Orchestra will still rehearse on Monday from 2.45pm until 4.15pm and in addition on Wednesday from 6.45pm until 8pm (for upcoming busking on Friday 19th).