Mayo Youth Orchestra has been selected to play at the 18th Festival of Youth Orchestras at the National Concert Hall, Dublin in February. This special festival is being honoured by inclusion in the official cultural programme of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. At the festival, run by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, there will also be a combined string orchestra of more than 60 players from orchestras in Dublin, Denmark and Norway. The festival will take place on Saturday February 9.
The Mayo group will join seven other orchestras with more than 500 young musicians from around Ireland and abroad who will perform a variety of original works and arrangements for orchestra including ‘The Sleeping Beauty Waltz’ by Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi’s ‘Concerto for Four Violins’, arrangements of ‘Born This Way’ and ‘Edge of Glory’ by Lady Gaga and Britten’s ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’ with narrator, RTÉ’s Seán Rocks. This is a great chance to introduce young children to the wonders of orchestra, as both performances are family friendly.
Mayo Youth Orchestra was founded as a junior element of the Mayo Concert Orchestra and has some 37 members, drawing people from all over the county and based in Castlebar. Since its inception it has been well supported by Mayo County Council in the provision of workshops by the Whistle Blast Quartet and James Cavanagh, with St Patrick’s BNS providing a home for instrument libraries, rooms to teach in and a hall to rehearse in. Most of the members attend the Saturday morning classes provided for all instruments of the orchestra, expertise being drawn from a pool of very talented local musicians and teachers, with Dervilla Hynes coaching the brass sections.
The 18th Festival of Youth Orchestras takes place at the National Concert Hall, Dublin on Saturday February 9. Tickets from €7.50 to €15 from the NCH box office: 01 417 0000 www.nch.ie
