Music Generation Sligo invests in €60,000 Instrument Bank

Music Generation Sligo has awarded almost €30,000 to schools and youth/music organisations under a new funding scheme to purchase musical instruments worth almost €60,000 in 2013/2014. The scheme will benefit up to 3,500 young people in Sligo.

Music Generation Sligo this week informed 21 applicants – 14 primary & post primary schools and 7 music organisations - that their applications for 50% of the cost of instruments have been successful and together, they will work to build up music instrument banks for the purpose of new and expanded tuition programmes and performances for almost 3,500 young people all around County Sligo. The scheme, which is supported by Music Generation national and local partners, will grant-aid 50% of the cost of each local instrument bank and purchase instruments including trombones, recorders, guitars, digital pianos, violins, fiddles, banjos, concertinas, accordions, drums, a harp, a harpsichord and more… generating more music for a new generation of musicians.

According to one of the applicants “An Instrument Bank can afford young people taking up music the opportunity to learn and experiment with various instruments, without being a significant cost to their parents or guardians. It can also allow every child who wants to learn music to do so by removing barriers such as socio-economic status or geographic location.”

Rhona McGrath, Co-ordinator, explained that "initially we advertised a €20,000 fund, but the assessment panel was so impressed at the vision articulated by the schools and organisation for the future of performance music education for young people in Sligo and the quality of applications, that a decision was made to increase the fund to €30,000." She applauded the boards of management, teachers, committees and musicians who took the time to make an application and find the necessary 50% match funding investment to expand or create new instrument banks across the county with Music Generation Sligo.

Music Generation is a national music education programme for children and young people, initiated by Music Network, funded by U2 and The Ireland Funds. Music Generation Sligo is part of the network of local music education partnerships established under this programme, funded and managed locally by Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB, Sligo County Council, Sligo Education Centre, Sligo County Childcare Committee, Cranmore Regeneration Project, the Department of Environment & Local Government and the local music sector.
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www.musicgenerationsligo.com Email: rmcgrath@sligovec.ie
Telephone 071 913 8306