Young Musical Ambassadors from Mayo, Donegal and Cork to perform at EU Presidency Event

Éadaoin Ní Mhaicín from Balla, Co Mayo is a Leaving Certificate student at Mount St Michael, in Claremorris. She is the reigning All-Ireland Champion on the Harp at Oireachtas na Gaeilge and will represent Ireland at the Celtic Music Festival in Lorient in France in 2013. She is also the All-Ireland Champion at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann on the Fiddle, Piano, Harp and Lilting. As well as being an outstanding performer, Éadaoin has won numerous scholarships for newly composed tunes and has had a number of her compositions recorded professionally. She has won many other awards for fiddle, harp and classical violin and has performed with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the National Harp Orchestra. She has been tutoring students on the harp, fiddle and piano for the past number of years and will be a Harp Tutor at the South Sligo Summer School in July 2013. She has made frequent television and radio appearances and has performed at The National Concert Hall, The Helix Theatre, The Millennium Theatre in Limerick, NUI Galway and NUI Maynooth. In her free time she has also volunteered with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust.

Donegal violinist Sarah Walsh has spent the last two years studying with Katherine Hunka, leader of the Irish Chamber Orchestra as part of a four year BMus degree in the CIT Cork School of Music. She has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra and Donegal Chamber Orchestra for many years and a participant of the ConCorda chamber music course. As a two-time recipient of the Apple Hill Chamber Music Scholarship based in New Hampshire, USA, she has participated in master-classes with members of the Apple Hill String Quartet and Boston Conservatory professor Leonard Matczynski. In 2010, she performed alongside the Spanish string orchestra Concerto Malaga, and in 2012 she travelled to Romania to attend master-classes with violinist Ruxandra Colan-Petcu. Sarah has a strong interest in Baroque music and has recently started taking classes in Baroque violin and is an active member of the CSM Baroque ensemble. 23-year old Cork guitarist David Keating began his studies in the CIT Cork School of Music (CSM), and recently completed a BMus Degree (First-Class Honours). In May 2012, David won the CSM Senior Recital Competition and in March 2013 was the winner of the Feis Ceoil Cup and Gold Medal for Classical Guitar Performance. David has appeared as a soloist with the Cork Youth Orchestra and Cork Sinfonietta. and also has a keen interest in chamber music being a regular member of the Diversus Ensemble (a 24 piece guitar orchestra), which has toured throughout Ireland and abroad. He has attended master-classes with some of the world’s leading guitarists and in September 2012, David commenced an MA in music performance with the Irish virtuoso John Feeley. He intends to continue his studies with the Australian guitarist Craig Ogden at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in September 2013.

“Music Generation is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Department of Education and Skills on this exciting performance programme to mark Ireland’s Presidency of the EU”, said Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation. “The partnership is providing a wonderful opportunity to showcase some of the country’s finest young musicians and is providing them with the opportunity to perform to an international audience”.

Two further events are scheduled over the remaining weeks of the EU Presidency, which will feature young performers from Laois and Mayo.

For further information please contact Music Generation, c/o Music Network, The Coach House, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. 01 6719945 / info@musicgeneration.ie / www.musicgeneration.ie

Notes to editors: Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme, initiated by Music Network and funded by U2 and The Ireland Funds, together with a range of local partners. Music Generation helps children and young people to access music education in their local area. Music Generation is currently established in Carlow, Cork City, Laois, Limerick City, Louth, Mayo, Offaly/Westmeath, Sligo and Wicklow and works with Music Education Partnerships in each of these areas. Music Generation also works closely with the Department of Education and Skills who have committed to co-fund the programme with local Music Education Partnerships from July 2014. Visit www.musicgeneration.ie for further information.