November Newsletter
Hi there,
We can`t believe how fast these weeks are flying by – already mid-November with Christmas around the corner ! We are busy here at DMEP headquarters getting ready for this weekend’s student concerts and of course making preparations for the various Christmas performances that our Performing Groups will present throughout December. (Full details in our December newsletter.)
However you should note that tickets went on sale THIS MORNING ! for our Annual Christmas Concert in An Grianán Theatre on Sunday 13 December – a family favourite that gets more and more popular every year and so tickets will most likely sell-out fast. To avoid disappointment, book yours right away here at An Grianán Theatre or at An Grianán Box Office on (074) 9120777.
Tickets are at their usual price of €10 / €5 children with a family ticket of €25 (2 adults & 2 children). Also, based on your feedback from previous years, note our earlier concert starting time of 5pm.
Student Concerts
We have two concerts this weekend featuring a number of our students from different parts of the County. The first takes place on Friday 20 November at 7pm in An tSean Bheairic, Falcarragh and the second and final one is on Saturday 21 November at 11am in the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. (On St. Cecilia’s Day, the Patron Saint of Music.)
These concerts are specifically designed to provide performance opportunities for our students and will feature beginners right through to the more advanced players and singers. It would be great if you could come along to one – or both – of these and applaud them on their musical journey. As always, there is no cover charge and everyone is welcome.
The John Lennon Educational Tour bus, Irish Tour 2015, Reveal Day Premiere
A number of talented young musicians from Donegal Music Education Partnership featured on the big screen at Dublin`s Irish Film Institute last week as part of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Reveal Day Premiere. The young musicians from DMEP were joined by Guest of Honour, Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan T.D. and renowned composer, producer and Irish music icon Bill Whelan for the premiere screening of their very own, original music videos, which were produced as part of a 12-county tour of The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus during the summer of 2015.
The Reveal Day premiere, presented by Music Generation in partnership with The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, was an occasion to acknowledge and celebrate the artistry, talent and hard work of these young people who wrote and recorded original songs and developed and filmed broadcast-quality music videos together with the help of three engineers, on-board The John Lennon Bus. A great day was had by all!
Letterkenny Trad Week 2016
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event the Regional Cultural Centre and An Grianán Theatre are once again presenting Letterkenny Trad Week from January 9th to 15th 2016. It features a feast of folk and traditional music from Ireland and Scotland that should help chase away those post-Christmas/January blues.
A very strong line-up combines legendary Irish traditional musicians like fiddler Kevin Burke and box player Jackie Daly with younger Scottish singer/songwriters like James Yorkston. Organised by Donegal County Council Cultural Services and An Grianán Theatre in association with EAF, DMEP and Ceol Na Coille the programme features three star-studded concerts.
The opening concert ‘An Evening with Seamus McGuire’ at An Grianán Theatre on Saturday January 9th, a celebration of the great Letterkenny based fiddler’s music featuring Buttons & Bows, West Ocean String Quartet and Coirm, promises to be a very special occasion. Three of Scotland’s leading singer/songwriters James Yorkston, Withered Hand, The Pictish Trail perform together at The RCC on Wednesday January 13th and the final concert also at the RCC is Liam Ó Maonlaí, Kevin Burke and Tim Edey on Friday January 15th.
All concerts commence at 8pm and tickets can be booked at An Grianán Theatre Box Office on 00353 7491 20777 or online at angrianan.com.
Tickets for ‘An Evening with Seamus McGuire’ are priced €18/€14 (concession) and a family of four for €50, James Yorkston/Withered Hand/The Pictish Trail and Liam Ó Maonlaí, Kevin Burke and Tim Edey tickets are €12/€10 (concession). You couldn’t give a better Christmas gift.
And finally a big shout out to U2 who are donating €2 million of their box office from next week’s Dublin concerts to Music Generation for the further development of Music Education and the creation of additional Music Education Partnerships around the country. Well done lads ! Thanks for reading our November Newsletter and keep an eye out for our December edition.
