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Find Your Local Music Generation

Music Generation 2015: It’s been a great year!

Christmas image Decemnber newsletter
As we near the end of 2015 and get ready to dust out the chimney for the imminent arrival of the holidays, we’re reminded of the wonderful year gone by and all that has been achieved by so many children and young people throughout the country.

In Carlow, Clare, Cork City, Laois, Limerick City, Louth, Mayo, Offaly, Westmeath, Sligo, South Dublin and Wicklow thousands of young musicians took part in and developed their musical skills through song-writing initiatives, brass bands, orchestras, choirs, rock groups, rap projects, early years projects, grupaí cheoil and composers clubs.

A national tour of The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus reached more than 400 young musicians and song-writers in 12 areas of Ireland during its longest trip on the road to date, and a very special REVEAL Day saw the groups come together again to view their original music videos on the big screen at the Irish Film Institute.

Hundreds of Music Generation musicians celebrated Culture Night 2015 with free concerts, events, music-making workshops and rock jams. And in partnership with the Arts Council we presented and initiated some very special residency projects with local music education partnerships.

Our tutors, Coordinators and partners joined master choral teacher Doreen Rao during the summer for a choral music education experience, aimed at developing and improving their skills, presented in partnership with the Association of Irish Choirs, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Choral Music Institute.

With extraordinary generosity, U2 and The Ireland Funds extended their support of Music Generation by gifting a further €3m to expand the programme into new areas of the country and reach even more children and young people in the coming years.

Music Generation Young Ambassadors performed brilliantly and kept audiences wrapt at prestigious venues including the US Ambassador’s Residence and Dublin Castle, as well as at events such as the Global Irish Economic Forum, The Ireland Funds Worldwide Conference, the 2015 British Irish Council Summit and the launch of the Arts in Education Portal.

And this is just a tiny snapshot of the projects undertaken during the year, many of which are set for further development in 2016 and beyond! Take a look back through our Blog and our News Feed for a full and very colourful picture of a successful year for Music Generation nationwide.

Already we look forward to a busy and exciting start to the beginning of 2016, as together with partners across Ireland we prepare for a very special national choral project – A Nation’s Voice – which will mark the Centenary of the 1916 Rising on Easter Sunday.

Once again we would like to take the opportunity to thank our friends, partners, tutors, funders and of course all the children and young people who have worked with us over the past year. We so look forward to the 12 months ahead.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!