Music Generation National Development Office

Rosaleen Molloy

National Director

Rosaleen Molloy was appointed the National Director of Music Generation in 2010 and has over 20 years’ experience of working in the field of music education in Ireland – as a secondary school teacher, a vocal and instrumental teacher, a choral and orchestral conductor, a workshop leader, a facilitator and trainer, and director of a wide range of ambitious music development programmes.

Previous strategic leadership roles include Project Director Arts in the Classroom Initiative (1996-1997), Founder/Director of County Wexford Children’s Choir Programme (1997-2002) and County Arts Officer, Wexford County Council (2002-2010).

A former student of Wexford School of Music and honours graduate of the Music and Education Departments of University College Cork, Rosaleen is also a skilled choral music education specialist and holds an Artist Teacher Diploma and Master Teacher Certificate from the Choral Music Experience Institute, USA. She was recently awarded a prestigious Fellowship from the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of Ireland to complete Harvard Business School Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Leadership programme.

A passionate advocate and dynamic leader for music education, she has pioneered, strategically designed and led numerous ground-breaking initiatives in music education and music development, which have combined innovative and unique approaches to performance, participation and partnership.

Cathriona Grange

Operations Manager

Cathriona is an experienced project and office manager with many years management experience in a variety of voluntary and private sector positions, including afterschool programmes, nursery services, child and family centres, and facilities management.

Cathriona spent almost 20 years working in Social Care roles which have included all age groups of children and young people.

Cathriona’s qualifications include a Diploma in Social Care from DIT (now TU Dublin), a Post Grad Diploma in Management (for Pastoral and Voluntary Services) from All Hallows College, in conjunction with DCU and DePaul University, Chicago, a NEBOSH certificate in Health and Safety Management, and a QQI Certificate in Project Management.

Cathriona is a member of Diva Voces choir, an award winning four-part female voice choir based in Dublin city, which now regularly performs on Culture Night as well as in various concerts and choral festivals.

Cathriona is also an amateur piano and guitar player, who started piano lessons at a young age and completed grade 8 piano with RIAM. Cathriona has a love of a variety of musical genres, in particular of musical theatre.

Paula Phelan

Head of Quality, Support and Development

Kildare native, Paula, completed her undergraduate BAmus degree in NUI Maynooth. She holds an MA Baroque Performance Practice from Queens University Belfast, an MA Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from University College Dublin, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from NUI Maynooth and a Postgraduate Diploma in Early Childhood Music from Birmingham City University.

Previously Paula was General Manager of Irish Baroque Orchestra, a Post-Primary Teacher, Freelance Musician Educator, Programme Director of Music Generation Carlow and General Manager of Belvedere Youth Service. Paula brings with her a breadth of experience spanning the worlds of arts and corporate management, music education leadership and practice.

Liz Powell

Support and Development Manager

A music and maths graduate from University College Cork, Liz Powell has over 25 years’ experience as both an arts manager and as a music educator, through her role as choral conductor, trainer and leader. Working in the music sector she was CEO of the Association of Irish Choirs and Irish Youth Choir, overseeing the reinvigoration of this national resource for choral music education. Particular achievements in this role include the establishment of the Irish Youth Chamber Choir, working on the establishment of the National Choral Singing week and developing a strategic partnership with the University of Limerick, which saw the organisation move to and flourish in its new home.

She worked for a number of years as Acting Head of Literature and Acting Head of Arts Participation in the Arts Council. She also held briefs in theatre, circus and dance and as the Registrar of Aosdána. More recently Liz has worked in a freelance capacity as Festival Support Adviser with Tipperary County Council, as well as with Music Generation.

As choral conductor and singing leader she has worked with a variety of choirs including Diva Voces, UL Choral Society and Glória, and she currently conducts the Mellow Tones female-voice choir in Cloughjordan. She is passionate about the positive physical and mental health benefits of group singing and music and has also worked with a diverse range of groups in schools and healthcare settings, with workplace choirs, staff and board members of organisations, and even TDs, Senators and staff of Dáil Éireann.

Jennifer O’Connor-Madsen

Support and Development Manager

Jenny O’Connor-Madsen is a music educator and project manager. She holds a BA (Hons), an MA and a PhD in musicology from Maynooth University. Her doctoral thesis, completed in 2010, explored the role of women and music in nineteenth-century Dublin. She is the founder and organiser of the Women and Music in Ireland Conference series and has contributed to numerous RTÉ Lyric FM documentaries on the subject. She has spoken at conferences both nationally and internationally and has contributed articles on women and music to a number of publications, including The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland (2013). She lectured in Music at St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra from 2012-2015.

In 2013, she developed the RIAM Teaching Network, the Royal Irish Academy of Music’s online music education platform. She subsequently project managed the Teaching Network until February 2018. From 2014-2018 she held the post of Senior Examiner for the Royal Irish Academy of Music local centre exams.

She became the Music Development Officer for Music Generation Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in March 2018.

Aoife Lucey

Communications and Marketing Manager

Since graduating from Trinity College Dublin with a degree in Drama Studies and English Literature, Aoife has worked with leading national and international cultural organisations including Dublin Theatre Festival, the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Canadian Stage and the Abbey Theatre.

Her previous roles have spanned the fields of strategy development, communications, marketing, audience development and digital media management.

Aoife has since completed a Certificate in Management Practice with the University of Ulster and qualified as a drama teacher, through the Leinster School of Music and Drama. She is currently undertaking a Certificate in Community Education and Equality Studies, through The Wheel’s Transformative Leadership Development Programme 2020.

Aoife is a lover of music of all genres.

Helen Grant

Finance Manager

Helen Grant as Finance Manager is responsible for developing, maintaining effective accounting/budgeting procedures and producing management accounts/reports. Helen, who is CPA qualified has over ten years’ experience in Finance. Prior to joining Music Generation, Helen worked with various different companies, from service to manufacturing and from medium to large multinational corporations.

Anita Butler

Finance & Administration Assistant

Anita is originally from Australia with a Bachelor degree in English and Theatre Studies and a Post Graduate Diploma in Integrated Human Studies. Anita is now an Irish citizen and has enjoyed living in Dublin with her family for nearly a decade.

Anita has several years’ experience working as a project officer for the Australian Government, State Revenue Office of Victoria and she has volunteered in arts organisations such as Screen Hub and participated in the Melbourne Fringe Theatre Festival.

Anita has been an office manager and worked in operations roles for several years in Ireland before taking her current position with Music Generation.

Anita has a great love of music, having played violin from a young age and performing in bands during her time at university and as a young adult. Music has made a hugely positive impact on Anita’s life and she also hopes to help children and young people in Ireland feel uplifted by music learning and performing in their lives.