Music Concert

Saturday evening was the first of many concerts in St. Columba's College. It was a joint performance by Pat Coldrick, brother of Noel Coldrick, maths teacher in the college, on guitar and a Harp Trio from the DIT Conservatory of Music.

It was a whole school concert which began with Pat on guitar. He played a variety of pieces by various composers including himself. He showed outstanding technique throughout his performance and the audience were very impressed.

The harp trio were fresh from a victory at the Dublin Féis earlier on in the year. They were Claire, from Dublin, Clarie, from Monaghan, and Giovanna, from Milan. Again their mastery of their instruments was truly impressive and they, hopefully, encouraged several pupils to consider the harp as an instrument to study here in the school.

Below is a short review of the concert by George Reade (form V).

I had no idea what to expect of the concert but as soon as the guitarist started playing I was hugely impressed. His masterful playing was beautiful and relaxing and, in the best possible way, I could easily have been lulled to sleep by it! The harpists were following a very tough act but they showed amazing skills. I enjoyed them but the guitarist was my favourite.

The Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition 2010

Congratulations to Old Columban Benjamin Russell who took part in the final concert of the 6th Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, 2010, last Tuesday evening. The evening was a very prestigious occasion boasting performers from all over the world and audience members such as her Excellency, President Mary McAleese. Benjamin gave a great performance and was very popular with the audience. Benjamin, despite being the youngest competitor by a large gap, came 5th and was also awarded the Dame Joan Sutherland Prize for the most promising young singer.

The Finals will be broadcast on LyricFM at 11am on the 10th and 11th February. On the assumption that they will broadcast the 6 finalists in the order in which they performed on the night, and as Benjamin sang first, we expect to hear his singing at 11am on the 10th.

There is a chance for all of us to hear Benjamin sing live, along with Ms. Anna Brady, at A Valentine’s Evening of Song on Friday the 12th of February at 8pm in the Grand Hotel, Wicklow Town. This is a great opportunity to support these extremely talented performers and have a very entertaining evening too.

Alexandra Traditional Irish Group Visit: An International Concert

Sophie von Brauchitsch one of our form V pupil's from Germany writes about the Alexandra Trad Band visit to the school.

On Tuesday, the 8th December, nine girls and their teacher from Alexandra College, Dublin visited our school to hold a concert of traditional Irish music in the BSR.

This concert was a great opportunity for the music students in forms V and VI to hear traditionalal Irish music, an important part of the Leaving Certificate Music course, live. However, not only music pupils attended this concert. Many others curious about Irish music style came too.

The group consisted of four harps, three fiddles, a flue, a tin whistle and a bodhrán, which is a traditional Irish drum. They played twenty-two pieces in blocks of three and four, dances like Reels, Jigs, Slip jigs and Slides along with traditional Irish songs, like The South Wind, Drowsy Maggie, Trip to Sligo and Sally Gardens. In some pieces, players performed solo accompanied by the harp, presenting their instruments and how they sound on their own.

In the breaks between the blocks, Justine Heffernan, a form VI pupil from our school, preformed three traditional Irish dances, first a Reel, then a Jig and finally a Slip jig.

After the concert, everyone went up to the Cadagon main room, where the performers and the audience talked about their experiences with traditional Irish music.

This concert brought Irish music, which can sometimes seem a little dry, nearer to the us all and gave the pupils who haven’t dealt with this topic before an idea about traditional Irish music.

Music in the Classroom, Junior Cert.

Below are two reviews of a trip to the National Concert Hall to a concert organised by the Irish Times Music in the Classroom project. The concert was aimed primarily at Junior Cert. pupils but even the Transition Year pupils who came with us gained alot from the performance. Gearóid Grant conducted the RTE Concert Orchestra, vocally aided by Emmanuel Lawler, giving examples of music through various periods of history and introducing the orchestra.

Nicola Dalrymple
On Tuesday the 10th of November we left St. Columba’s College at 9:00 and made for the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Form I, II, III and IV music pupils all made the trip.
When we arrived we looked around the park at the back of the concert hall. They were very beautiful. We then headed into the hall and sat down. (Click here to read more...)

Peter Quigley
On Tuesday the 10th of November we went to the National Concert Hall to listen to an orchestra play. They started off by playing the theme tune from Star Wars. The conductor, Gearóid Grant, then talked to us about the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras. (Click here to read more...)

Music Soirée

Ling Fan Gao writes on the first Music Soirée of the new term.

The Music Soirées organised by Mrs. Malone-Brady throughout the year provide a valuable opportunity for music pupils to perform in front of friends and other musicians. They provide a stage from which new musicians can practise playing and singing in front of others, gain experience and become more relaxed. The audience is very appreciative as they know firsthand the challenge that overcoming nerves poses. The event took place on Saturday evening in the Cadogan Music Centre. It was quite informal and anyone who wished to come along to play could.

There were a number of people playing from the very young to the more senior. No matter the standard of difficulty every performance was met with a big round of applause and a great confidence boost. This was a first performance for many and was a great experience.
Refreshments were provided by Mrs. Malone-Brady following the concert and it was a great opportunity to stand around and talk about the experience and exchange compliments to one another.

Many thanks to Mrs. Malone-Brady for organising the event.

First Concert of the new year

The first concert of the new academic year will take place on the Saturday the 12th of September. The programme will consist of music the choir sang on its recent trip to Tuscany which will be intersperced by presentations given by the pupils involved.