New musical instrument lending scheme launched in Wicklow through County Library Services

Guitars, saxophones, accordions, flutes and other instruments will be available for rental by budding young musicians at Wicklow County Library branches under a new musical instrument lending scheme.

This exciting project has been developed in collaboration between Wicklow County Council and Music Generation Wicklow and is intended to encourage young people to start playing an instrument.

Funding for the scheme was made available in 2015 by the elected members of Wicklow County Council, in acknowledgement of the huge achievements of the Council and Kildare Wicklow Education Training Board in developing Music Generation Wicklow’s first phase.

The staff from Wicklow County Council Library Service then joined forces with Music Generation Wicklow Manager Ann Catherine Nolan to establish the scheme and plan for its roll-out locally. The project was officially launched at Wicklow County Council Buildings on Monday 8 May by Cathaoirleach, Cllr Pat Fitzgerald, and Cllr Nicola Lawless, Chairperson of Wicklow Music Education Partnership.

Young musicians from St Coen’s Primary School, Rathnew and St Cronan’s Boys National School from Bray were on hand to celebrate the occasion, performing a range of music on violin, ukulele, guitar and piano. A selection of the wonderful instruments which will be made available through the lending scheme were also on display.

The service will help Music Generation to move forward within Wicklow and to engage more and more children and young people. The intention of scheme is to support children to progress onto instrumental learning from choral singing, and to encourage new participants to consider picking up an instrument for the first time.

The new instrument banks will be housed in Arklow and Blessington libraries and will be available to rent by families or community music groups, providing an opportunity for young people to try out playing an instrument before making a financial commitment.

Now almost five years in existence, Music Generation Wicklow delivers diverse music programmes in many different genres and styles to 4,000 children and young people in the county. It is part of Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education programme initiated by Music Network and co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds and Local Music Education Partnerships. Locally, Music Generation Wicklow is managed by Wicklow Music Education Partnership, co-funded by Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board and Wicklow County Council.

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For further information about this and other initiatives at Music Generation Wicklow contact:

Ann Catherine Nolan, Manager
Music Generation Wicklow, Kildare Wicklow ETB Admin Offices, Church St, Wicklow

t: 0404 60505
e: AnnCatherineNolan@kwetb.ie
musicgenerationwicklow.ie