An exciting new project has just commenced in Portadown and Lurgan areas. It’s the ‘Music for All’ project funded via Peace IV. The project will bring young people and others from within the community together to experience cultural traditions in N. Ireland. It’s set up on a cross-community basis including ethnic minority groups. 4 Schools are linking - Lurgan Model & Carrick P.S. plus Derryhale & St Oliver Plunkett’s P.S. Also involved will be the FastTrad community music programme with N.I. Piping & Drumming students. All of the participants will learn gain an understanding of the traditional music traditions in N. Ireland whilst experiencing learning instruments which many would not have accessed previously. Workshops will also include dealing with sectarianism and racism and promote a shared cultural experience overall. Professional artists will deliver and teach throughout the annual project including Grahame Harris on bagpipes, Mark Prescott on fiddle, Mary Fox on tin whistle plus group facilitation, Lee Lawson on drumming, Paul McKernan on uilleann pipes, Conor Caldwell delivering history of cultural traditions plus Donegal & Scottish fiddle links, Ian Carmichael - lead facilitator and musician plus Len Graham on song. Annette Collins, the administrator says ‘There are many more artists to be involved throughout the year. The project culminates with a final performance in June 2019 which will highlight the outcomes of the ‘ music for All’ project, details later. Watch out for performances around ‘Burns’ and 'St. Patrick’s’ events within the ABC Council area. The participants will have a very enjoyable musical experience overall plus gain an understanding how music can unite communities in the ABC council area’
A few pics of some of the workshops and performances so far.
This project has been supported by the EU’s Peace IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)
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