13 Young Harpists from Music Generation Laois to attend the 2017 Edinburgh Harp Festival!

13 members of the Music Generation Laois Harp Ensembles will join musicians from around the world in Scotland this spring time for the internationally renowned Edinburgh Harp Festival.

The young musicians will pack their instruments for an exciting week of workshops, concerts and events from 31 March to 5 April 2017, together with their tutor, Siobhán Buckley. The Festival draws hundreds of international musicians each year, including some of the harping world’s greatest and most innovative players, with a huge diversity of styles and skills to share, stimulate and inspire a new generation.

There are currently 116 harp students and 2 harp ensembles working with Music Generation Laois, many of whom attend classes in their local primary schools. The Music Generation Laois Senior Harp Ensemble collaborated with Scottish Harpist Catriona McKay in 2016 to create a new suite of music entitled ‘Rising of the Harps’.

You can watch a full performance of that specially-composed piece below:

More recently, this group performed as part of ‘Avoca: A Celtic Journey,’ a 30th birthday concert for Music Network, with music for large-scale harp ensemble by Phillip Martin conducted by David Brophy.

You'll spot some of those brilliant young musicians performing in that performance at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in this video, from Music Network:

Music Generation Laois will host their second annual Tionól for Harps and Pipes later this year, from 3 to 5 November, featuring workshops and performances from many well-known harpists and pipers.

For more information on the harp programme and initiatives at Music Generation Laois, contact:

Music Generation Laois, Laois County Council, Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise, County Laois
t: +353 57 8664176
e: musicgenerationlaois@laoiscoco.ie
w: musicgenerationlaois.ie

About Music Generation Laois
Music Generation Laois is a performance music education programme which provides access to high quality performance music education at subsidised costs to children and young people in their own area. It is part of Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education programme, co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds, the Department of Education and Skills, and Local Music Education Partnerships. Locally, Music Generation Laois is co-funded by Laois County Council (lead partner), Laois-Offaly ETB and Laois Partnership Company.