In February 2008 Coole Music hosted its first Junior Orchestra Festival. Four orchestras from Counties Galway and Clare came together to play music in the ballroom of the Lady Gregory Hotel in Gort. Each Orchestra performed a 15 minute programme, then joined to form a single 'Festival Orchestra' to perform the Finale. It was an amazing experience to see and hear so many young musicians playing music together.
The festival was an instant hit and clearly filled a need to give young orchestras in the West of Ireland an opportunity for performance and networking. The success of the festival was recognised by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, and Coole Music received the Special Achievement Award from the IAYO in the National Concert Hall in February 2009.
The festival was an instant hit and clearly filled a need to give young orchestras in the West of Ireland an opportunity for performance and networking. The success of the festival was recognised by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, and Coole Music received the Special Achievement Award from the IAYO in the National Concert Hall in February 2009.
In March 2009 five orchestras and one junior choir participated in the second annual Junior Orchestra Festival.
This time the orchestras came from Ennis (Clare Music Makers), Sligo (Sligo Academy of Music), Galway (Galway Youth Orchestras), Athenry (Athenry Music School) and Gort (Coole Music Orchestra).
The celebrated finale 'Berlin Bear', especially composed for the occasion by Katharina Baker, saw 163 young musicians performing together!
This time the orchestras came from Ennis (Clare Music Makers), Sligo (Sligo Academy of Music), Galway (Galway Youth Orchestras), Athenry (Athenry Music School) and Gort (Coole Music Orchestra).
The celebrated finale 'Berlin Bear', especially composed for the occasion by Katharina Baker, saw 163 young musicians performing together!
For the third annual Junior Orchestra Festival in March 2010, five orchestras from counties Roscommon, Clare, Sligo and Galway have signed up to perform and are currently very busy preparing their programme for the day. The festival will take place on the 7th of March 2010 at 3pm in the Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort. Save the date!
