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Find Your Local Music Generation

Launch of North Mayo instrument bank

Mayo Instrument Bank
The official launch of the North Mayo Instrument Banks by singer-songwriter Sharon Murphy, will take place at Ballina Public Library on Thursday March 26th at 6.30pm.
Musicians from the Music Generation Mayo music tutor panel will be on hand to give demonstrations on some of the instruments available and there will be performances on the evening by Sharon Murphy and a selection of recipients of the Music Generation Mayo Exceptional Music Students Bursary Scheme. All are welcome to attend, refreshments will be provided.

The Music Generation Mayo Instrument Banks are a countywide resource offering a rental scheme of a huge variety of instruments to young people under 18 years of age, resident in Co.Mayo. Instrument are availble to rent at a nominal fee for a six month period with renewals possible based on demand. The instrument banks are administered via Mayo County Library, for futher details on instruments available, terms and conditions and rentals please visit the Mayo County Library website
The partnership has procured a countywide instrument bank administered via Mayo County Council Library Service. Speaking about the initiative, Anne McCarthy, Arts Officer for Mayo County Council, said “evidence of the need for an accessible bank of good quality musical instruments became apparent during an extensive consultation phase. It emerged that lack of access to affordable instruments was a major barrier to music-making for young people in the county.”

Music Generation Mayo in partnership with Mayo County Council Library Service has also developed an extensive music library resource for the county. The Music Generation Mayo Library Resource holds a wide range of sheet music, books, CDs, DVDs and access to online resources which will be available to library users in the county. This resource will be stored in Mayo County Library but will be accessible through the inter-library loan service in local branches countywide and will be of great value and support to music students, music teachers and music enthusiasts throughout the county.
Both initiatives will be administered by the Mayo County Council Library Service. “Mayo County Library are delighted to work with Music Generation Mayo in realising these complimentary new music resources for young people and musicians in the county” said County Librarian Austin Vaughan.
"Learning to appreciate music is not only a skill but a great gift to a young person, stated An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D., who will officially launched the South West Mayo bank in 2013, “like reading and writing, it is an ability they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. The development of the Music Generation Mayo Library Resource and the Mayo County Community Forum Instrument Bank will mean that young people with an interest in music can access not only educational material but also high quality instruments in their local library. This is a service that may well serve as a model for other counties around the country. I look forward to launching this great resource for our young people and I pay tribute to the agencies involved in bringing it to fruition."

For further information on Music Generation Mayo's programmes and initiatives, contact:

Kate Mc Keon, Co-ordinator, Music Generation Mayo
Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB, Administrative Offices, Newtown, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

T: 094 90 24188
E: katemckeon@msletb.ie
www.musicgenerationmayo.ie