Making music in Baile Mhúirne
Rekindle your love with music!
That’s the sentiment as residents in Baile Mhúirne and the surrounding areas 55 years of age and over are invited to pick up instruments they used to play and start playing again.
The project is focused on helping participants return to playing an instrument and sharing the joy of group music-making. It provides participants with free tuition from professional musicians, access to instruments for the duration of the programme and opportunities to connect and learn with other budding musicians through traditional Irish music along the way.
The project is being made possible with the help of Making Music in Múscraí, a traditional music teaching residency, a partnership between Music Network and Ionad Cultúrtha, supported by the Heritage Council, Ealaín na Gaeltachta and Cork ETB.
Participants will receive tuition on fiddle, button accordion/melodeon, guitar, banjo or mandolin with renowned musicians Lisa O’Sullivan (fiddle), Richard Lucey (button accordion/melodeon) and Conor O’Sullivan (guitar/banjo/mandolin).
Applications for the teaching residency, which will run from 16 September-9 December, are now open. Participants in the project will receive eight one-to-one lessons and three group lessons with others playing the same instrument. The project will conclude with three large ensemble sessions, where all participants will join together with the professional musicians to play music learned during the project. As well as playing together, participants will meet for coffee sessions and chats on wide-ranging musical topics and more.
Commenting, CEO of Music Network Sharon Rollston said: “We are thrilled to announce the call out for this our first Teaching Residency in partnership with Ionad Cultúrtha and the Heritage Council. Following on from the previous residencies in other areas around the country we’re delighted to be able to give people in Baile Mhúirne the opportunity to rekindle their love of learning and playing music.
“We warmly welcome Lisa, Conor and Richard on board, who we know will ably guide and inspire participants with their vast musical knowledge and expertise.”
Places on the residency are limited to 15. Priority will be given on a first come first served basis, however additional criteria used for selection include availability of teaching slots, availability of instruments and ability to partake in the full programme.
Participants must be available on all project dates; a full list of dates is available on Music Network’s website. While the preference is for in-person events wherever possible, individual lessons can take place via video call if necessary, in which case we will endeavour to provide any technical support needed to enable online learning.
Applicants must be aged 55 or over, resident in or close to Baile Mhúirne, and have some previous experience of playing music. Ability to read music is not essential. The project will be based in Ionad Cultúrtha.