Music Generation Cavan/Monaghan, Leitrim, Longford, and Roscommon launch Creative Sounds, a collaborative, inclusive music project for young people, presented in partnership with Music Network.
Music Generation Local Music Education Partnerships in Cavan/Monaghan, Leitrim, Longford, and Roscommon have joined forces with Music Network to launch an innovative musical project dedicated to young musicians across the mid-west. The project, led by acclaimed musician, composer and musical director Sid Peacock, will initiate an inclusive space for young musicians from across each county to collaborate and create. The programme participants will work together to compose, perform and record an original piece of music inspired by a range of musical genres. This unique partnership between four Music Generation areas and Music Network means young musicians from rural Ireland can engage and learn from internationally recognised, professional musicians.
Local Music Generation Musician Educators from across the four counties will collaborate on a monthly basis with guest professional musicians invited to come together for this project by Music Network. The aim of this collaborative effort is to create a new piece of music that will be interpreted, recorded, and performed by the young musicians.
Between the monthly sessions, Musician Educators will continue the development of the work at a local level with the young musicians, preparing them for their final performance in Longford, on Saturday, 19th November 2022.
Creative Sounds launched on 15th May with fifty-five young musicians gathering in Ballymahon Vocational School Longford for their first session. Minutes into meeting their musical peers for the first time, the young musicians were performing and improvising imaginative, high-energy arrangements. The new musical troupe, led by Sid Peacock and supported by Esosa Ighodaro (voice), Éamonn Cagney (percussion), Niwel Tsumbu (guitar) and Miriam Kaczor (flute), guided the young musicians into a new world of improvisation and syncopation. Creative Sounds will innovate how young people play music. It aims to stretch their abilities, grow their knowledge, expand their skills and inspire. Young people will be encouraged to find their own voice through music and use that to compliment that of their peers.
The newly formed Creative Sounds has united young musicians with backgrounds and interests in a diverse range of musical genres including rock/pop, Irish traditional, folk and classical. A young musician from Music Generation Leitrim described his experience:
"I was delighted to get the opportunity to join 'Creative Sounds', and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, from meeting new people to improvising a guitar solo as well as being invited to join a band! Music Generation offers fantastic experiences to young people." - James O’Neill, Young Musician Music Generation Leitrim
Sid Peacock has held international Musician in Residence positions in many cities and countries worldwide, including Paris, the UK and China, which have added to his broad and eclectic musical background. As artistic director of the Birmingham Jazz Education Project, Sid has a strong interest in community-based performance music and inspiring the next generation of young jazz musicians.
"These young musicians are talented, creative and enthusiastic, making Creative Sounds an easy and exciting project. The musician educators, guest musicians, and the Music Generation and Music Network teams are all up for making Creative Sounds work – you couldn't wish for a better bunch!" -Sid Peacock (Composer, Producer and Educator)
Music Generation is thrilled to initiate this unique project with its partner Music Network and collaborate to bring performance music education and live performance to young musicians in Ireland.Creative Sounds sessions will continue across each county from September 2022, with Saturday workshops and weekly sessions led by Music Generation Musician Educators continuing in each county throughout Autumn ahead of the final performance.Creative Sounds: a partnership initiative of Music Generation Local Music Education Partnerships Cavan/Monaghan, Longford, Leitrim, and Roscommon and Music Network is co-funded by Music Generation/Arts Council and the Department of Education.
Music Network is Ireland’s national music touring and development organisation and was founded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon in 1986. MN make high-quality live music accessible to communities throughout Ireland and help musicians to develop fulfilling careers. Their vision is that of a culture which increasingly values live music in our everyday lives, embracing it as an essential part of a healthy, vibrant society. Music Network’s touring ensembles regularly visit local schools as they travel around the country, giving primary and secondary school students opportunities to experience the joy of high-quality live music in their own classrooms. Their activities in schools incorporate musical demonstrations, student participation, and opportunities to meet the performers.
Music Generation Cavan/Monaghan is locally managed by Cavan and Monaghan Music Education Partnership, led by Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board, with support from Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council.
Music Generation Leitrim is locally managed by Leitrim Music Education Partnership, led by Mayo, Sligo, and Leitrim Education and Training Board with support from Leitrim County Council.
Music Generation Longford is locally managed by Longford Music Education Partnership, led by Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board, with support from Longford County Council and Creative Ireland Longford.
Music Generation Roscommon is locally managed by Roscommon Music Education Partnership, led by Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, with support from Roscommon County Council, Roscommon Public Participation Network, Roscommon Leader Partnership, Tusla, Foróige, and The Brothers of Charity.
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