Birr Young Voices
Established in 2017 as part of Birr Festival of Music, in collaboration with Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath, Birr Young Voices is our multicultural choral group for young people aged 8-13 years, with over 200 children from 14 primary schools in the region experiencing music and exciting projects with wonderful choral directors and singers over the years.
NEW TERM -
2024 / 2025
Venue: Birr Theatre & Arts Centre
Time: Thursdays, 4pm - 5.15pm
TERM 1
September 19 - December 19 2024
Christmas Performance TBC
TERM 2
January 9 - May 5 2025
Performance during Birr Festival of Music from 1-5 May 2025
Director Gregory Ward, specialist in Kodaly pedagogy, music teacher, singer and composer.
HOW TO TAKE PART
Suitable for
Boys and girls who love to sing from ages 8-13 years old in 2nd - 6th Class
Enrolment Fee
€20. This is the only cost.
How to enrol
Enrolment is now open,
Please complete the Enrolment form below and pay the enrolment fee. Physical enrolment forms will be available from Birr Theatre & Arts Centre . You can return your completed enrolment form to the theatre and pay the enrolment fee there.
Deadline
Monday 16th September, 5pm
ENROL FROM SEPTEMBER 2024
STEP 1: Complete Enrolment Form
STEP 2: Pay Enrolment Fee
CREATURES GREAT & SMALL
Linking music, art, and puppet making, the most recent Birr Young Voices project saw the choir work with a professional team of artists to explore the world of tiny bogland creatures found in artist/photographer Tina Claffey’s publications Tapestry of Light and Portal.
Working with choral director Gregory Ward and pianist Sophie Ward, songs about mythical and familiar creatures, of animals small and large, were the central theme of music and song worked on during 14 weekly sessions, and in a 3-day music and art camp during school Easter holidays.
It also included original songs on the theme by Birr composer Laura Sheils.
Facilitated by artist/puppeteer Caoimhe Dunn and Tina Claffey, the children selected, studied, and created models/puppets of bogland creatures and also visited Birr Library for further research, and Killaun and Boora Bogs with their families.
PERFORMANCE
Monday 6 May 2024
St. Brendan’s Church of Ireland, Oxmantown Mall, Birr.
KINDLY FUNDED BY
