Young Wicklow musicians to perform in a concert series as part of the Music Network Artist Residency

On Friday 8 February, 25 young musicians from Music Generation Wicklow’s Rithim Orchestra will take to the stage at the Mermaid Arts Centre alongside Triona Marshall, Tim Edey and David Power, three of Ireland’s leading traditional musicians.

Ranging in age from 12 to 18, the Rithim Orchestra is a Bray-based traditional music orchestra comprising harps, flutes, fiddles, uilleann pipes, concertina, bodhrán, banjo and guitar. Established in 2015, the orchestra was formed by parents and tutors to work on ‘Rithim na Reamhloide,’ a suite of newly composed music by Tim Doyle to be performed at the 2016 commemorations. Many of the young musicians continue to be members of the thriving Bray Comhaltas group, with whom Music Generation Wicklow has enjoyed a good relationship in supporting young musicians to access workshops and masterclasses over the past four years.

As a Music Generation Wicklow traditional orchestra since 2018, the Rithim Orchestra is supported by tutors Gerry O’Donnell, Tim Doyle and Rachel Duffy. Most recently, the orchestra has performed at events such as Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018, the Taste of Wicklow Festival 2018, Culture Night 2018 and now as part of the Music Network Artist Residency concert series.

Friday’s performance is one of a series of six concerts curated by Musician-in-Residence and Music Generation Wicklow tutor Eamon Sweeney as part of the Music Network Artist Residency. Having performed ‘Tradition in the Royal Court’ on 13 December 2018, this will be the Rithim Orchestra’s second outing as part of the series.

Eamon has put together a rich and varied programme of outreach initiatives and concerts reflecting his passions – early music, Irish music, classical music, poetry, song abd music for children and babies. The outreach portion of his residency will take place on 29 March, in association with Music Generation Wicklow. Acclaimed conductor and composer Brian Irvine will work with students from St. Cronan’s Boy’s National School and Ravenswell Primary School, Bray, where a large Music Generation Wicklow programme has been established. Brian will conduct a series of improvisation workshops with the students which will then be performed at the concert the following day, along with Eamon Sweeney and musicians Malachy Robinson and Francesco Turrisi for a performance of newly-composed works, improvisations and on-the-spot creations.

Tickets for both concerts are on sale now at Mermaid Arts Centre.

The Rithim Orchestra is set to hold auditions on 16 February, recruiting players of all types of music with the possibility of introducing other instruments into the orchestra in future.

For more information about this and other programmes at Music Generation Wicklow, contact:

Ann Catherine Nolan, Manager
T: 0404 60505 / 086 7909887
E: AnnCatherineNolan[at]kwetb.ie
www.musicgenerationwicklow.ie