Music generation and Laois School of Music open evening next week
Noah and Suzie Kavanagh at last year's Music Generation Laois/Laois School of Music open evening at Laois Music Centre Photo: Alf Harvey
MUSIC Generation Laois and Laois School of Music will hold an open evening in Laois Music Centre, Portlaoise on Tuesday next, 16 June from 6-8pm.
The evening will give members of the public an opportunity to meet the team of music tutors and try out lots of different musical instruments.
Tutors from both Music Generation Laois and Laois School of Music will be on hand to guide families on the huge variety of music lessons on offer, with lots of musical instruments on-site for everyone to try out.
Laois Music Centre is a unique facility for music education in the midlands, located on Church Avenue, Portlaoise (R32 Y074) with access to top-of-the-range facilities for music students. Laois Music Centre houses Music Generation Laois and Laois School of Music.
Laois School of Music provides lessons in voice/singing, piano, violin, cello, flute, recorder, guitar, drums, kindermusic (an introduction to music for younger children aged 4-6) and pre-instrumental music for children aged 7-8. There are also a range of ensembles for young musicians to participate in, including the Laois School of Music junior and senior orchestra and an adult string ensemble Dunamaise Strings.
Laois School of Music provides leaving certificate music classes for students who wish to take music outside of school. Adult students are welcome.
Music Generation Laois provides group lessons in brass, bodhrán, harp, uilleann pipes, tin whistle, concertina, traditional flute, keyboard, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, singing, ukulele, drum kit, double bass and The Music Box â a performance music education programme for children and young people with special needs.
Performance opportunities are available by joining Music Generation Laois’ harp ensembles, trad orchestra, junior and intermediate trad groups, community choir, BOP orchestra and rock and pop bands.
Music Generation Laois has a large instrument bank and instruments are available for hire to both Laois School of Music and Music Generation Laois students.
Music Generation Laois, in partnership with LOETB Portlaoise Further Education and Training Centre, also offers full-time and part-time study options in music studies with popular music, traditional music and sound production, QQI levels 5 and 6.
Speaking ahead of the event, Rosa Flannery, music development officer with Laois Music Centre, said: ‘‘Our annual open evening is always a huge hit with families and the wider community, it's a great chance for people to find out what's available in our centre, meet our team and try out a wide range of instruments, from ukulele to piano, to concertina there is a huge range of options available. For those who already play music, then our bands or ensembles might be of interest or our accredited further education music programmes.’’ To find out more about prices and age requirements for instruments for Laois School of Music and Music Generation Laois, click on the ‘Sign Up Now’ button on musicgenerationlaois.ie Music Generation Laois is part of Music Generation, Ireland's national music education programme, co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds and the Department of Education. Locally, Music Generation Laois is part of Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board and is supported by Laois Co Council.
Laois School of Music is part of Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board and is supported by Laois Co Council arts office.
