Music Generation Mayo is delighted to announce the launch of two new music education resources for young people and musicians in Mayo. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny will officially launch the Music Generation Mayo Library Resource & the Mayo County Community Forum Instrument Bank on Monday evening at 7pm in Mayo County Library, Castlebar, Mayo.
Since its inception in 2011, Music Generation Mayo, part of Music Generation - Ireland's National Music Education Programme, initiated by Music Network and funded by U2 and The Ireland Funds, has implemented a range of music education services for young people in Mayo as well as continued professional development opportunities for musicians. It is managed and co-funded locally by Co.Mayo Music Education Partnership (MEP), an inter-agency partnership comprising the following organisations: Mayo V.E.C, Mayo County Council Arts Office, Mayo County Community Forum, Mayo County Development Board, Mayo Education Centre and Mayo County Council Dept. of Community and Integrated Development.
Music Generation Mayo in partnership with Mayo County Council Library Service is developing 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.
The partnership has also recently procured the first phase of a county instrument bank, via MEP partner organisation Mayo County Community Forum. The instruments will be loaned through Mayo County Council Library Service. In the initial phase, children and young people will be able to access instruments through their local library network in south west Mayo (in Achill, Ballinrobe, Claremorris, Castlebar, Louisburgh & Westport). Phase two of the County Instrument Bank, which will cover the urban areas of Castlebar & Ballina as well as north-east Mayo, will be rolled out later this year.
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.”
The acquisition of the bank of instruments demonstrates the success and effectiveness of the Co. Mayo MEP interagency structure, which includes Mayo VEC as lead partner. Mayo County Community Forum as partners in the MEP submitted a project proposal to South West Mayo Development Company Rural Development Programme2007-2013 (LEADER). “The County Community Forum is delighted to be able to facilitate this unique project that will make music more accessible to young people’ said Brendan Sammon, Chairperson Mayo County Community Forum.“It will help to relieve the financial pressure on parents and guardians who cannot afford to buy musical instruments for their children and who can now borrow them for a rental fee through the local county library system. The Forum wishes to acknowledge SWMDC and the NDP (LEADER) for assisting with the funding, Mayo County Council Arts Office and the County Library staff for accommodating the instruments and facilitating their lending”. The approval of this proposal was a major boost to the Music Generation Mayo initiative and helped significantly towards the matched funding commitments required of local MEPs participating in the Music Generation National Programme.
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 launch the new resources, “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."
The official launch of the Music Generation Mayo Library Resource and County Community Forum Instrument Bank by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D., will take place at Mayo County Library, Castlebar on Monday April 22nd at 7pm. 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 members of the Music Generation Mayo Traditional Music Ensemble and the Killocraun Drummers, a young percussion ensemble. All are welcome.
Notes to editors:
Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme, initiated by Music Network and co-funded by U2 and The Ireland Funds, together with local Music Education Partnerships. Music Generation helps children and young people to access music education in their local area. Music Generation is currently operating in Carlow, Cork City, Laois, Limerick City, Louth, Mayo, Offaly/Westmeath, Sligo and Wicklow. Music Generation works closely with the Department of Education and Skills who have committed to fund and develop the Music Education Partnerships with Exchequer funding in future years when the donations cease. Visit www.musicgeneration.ie for further information.
Music Generation Mayo is part of Music Generation and provides a local music education service for children and young people in Co. Mayo. It is managed by Co.Mayo Music Education Partnership and co-funded by Mayo County Council, Mayo County Development Board, Mayo County Community Forum, Mayo Education Centre and Co. Mayo VEC, its Lead Partner. For further information visit www.musicgenerationmayo.ie.
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