Senior Orchestra
Our Senior Orchestra aims to provide a fun and sociable outlet where players of all abilities can enjoy playing their instruments together. We see the Senior Orchestra as a continuation of the musical journey where players can challenge their musical talents and improve their skills while making and developing friendships. Members of this orchestra are generally attending secondary school and range in age from 12-18 years but there are no hard and fast rules. While many of the players have been playing their instruments for years, there are many others who are just beginning to play an instrument and others still, who choose to change instruments at this stage. Music is arranged for players according to their individual ability and we have players of all abilities.
The focus is on personal development through orchestral performance of classical, popular and contemporary works. The Senior Orchestra has also been involved with artistic and challenging projects where members are involved in performance, composition, conducting and management.
We have a wide range of instruments in the Senior Orchestra. Our string section has violins, violas, cellos and double basses; in our wind and brass section we often have flutes, piccolo, oboes, clarinets, bass clarinet, trumpets, French horns, trombones and bassoon. We also have a very exciting percussion section complete with timpani drums, bass drums, snare drums, cymbals and a glockenspiel as well as many other smaller percussion instruments. Many of our players own their instruments but we also have an instrument rental policy particularly for some of the more expensive and less common instruments.
Rehearsals are held in Coláiste na hInse in Laytown every Friday evening from 6.30-8.30pm. This includes a short break where the players get time to chat..
Our performances over the year usually include a major performance such as our 2017 project, Gesamtkunstwerk as well as an end of year performance usually with the Junior Orchestra. We have also one international tour under our belt, in 2019 we performed at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Lisbon, Portugal.
Academy Orchestra
The overarching aim of the Junior Orchestra is to provide a fun and sociable outlet where young children of all abilities can enjoy playing their instruments together. It is the beginning of what we hope will be a long musical journey where players develop their musical skills while making new friends with a shared interest. Children in this orchestra are generally attending primary school and range from 6 years of age to approximately 13 years but there are no hard and fast rules. The repertoire of the junior orchestra is a wide and lively mix of pieces ranging from the classical to the contemporary and we welcome suggestions from players. Music is arranged for players according to their individual ability and we have players of all abilities from those who are just beginning to take lessons, to children who have been playing for a number of years.
We have a wide range of instruments in the Junior Orchestra. Our string section has violins, violas, cellos and double basses ; in our wind and brass section we have flutes, clarinets, trumpets and trombones. We also have a very exciting percussion section complete with timpani drums, bass drums, snare drums, cymbals and a glockenspiel as well as many other smaller percussion instruments. Many of our players own their instruments but we also have an instrument rental policy particularly for some of the more expensive and less common instruments.
Rehearsals are held in Coláiste na hInse in Laytown every Friday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Please arrive on time to allow everyone to sign in, set up and get tuned.
Our performances over the year include an informal Christmas concert for family and friends, an end of term (Summer) performance usually with the Senior orchestra and the orchestra may also participate in a festival or do an exchange with another orchestra.