Music Generation comes to Ballinasloe

Music Generation Ireland are setting up a new hub Ballinasloe, making more additional genres of music tuition accessible to young people and to make musical instruments and lessons available at affordable prices.

Music Generation Galway County is part of Music Generation, Ireland’s National Music Education Programme which transforms the lives of children and young people through access to high-quality, subsidised performance music education. Established by its parent company Music Network, Music Generation is co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds and the Department of Education and Skills and Local Music Education Partnerships.

Ruth Gordon is in charge of setting up the hub here. She is the Music Development Officer and has worked in the Arts for 15 years in Cork and Galway in a variety of organisations and festivals. She coordinates music programmes for young people around the county based on what the need is in any given area of the county in partnership with a wealth of organisations and partners including Galway County Council, Galway Rural Development, Foróige, Youth Work Ireland Galway, Tusla, FORUM Connemara Ealaín na Gaeltachta and others.  

 Since starting just two years ago, Ruth has rolled out a variety of music programmes for children and young people in a range of genres and settings including primary school programme Lán le Ceol, mixed instrumental programme Symphonic Schools, rock school programme RockPopHipHop, a regional orchestra Symphonic Waves and an Uilleann Pipes programme which is delivered in both Irish and English in different locations.

“I  believe the hub will be successful here due to the vibrant, long-running brass band, the Comhaltas branch, Féile Cheoil Larry Reynolds and a Musical Society-  so hopefully the it will become part of the rich musical landscape of Ballinasloe and surrounding areas “ states Ruth.

Sessions are 45 minutes long with small group instrumental lessons priced at €8 and larger group music sessions like Samba Drumming, Réalta Vocal Group and Ukulele Orchestra priced at €5 a session. They run their lessons weekly in line with the school calendar. 

They have a range of fantastic musicians teaching the different instruments and groups including guitar, ukulele, piano, drumkit, group singing and Samba drumming. The instrumental tuition will have three to four in a group and the larger groups will start with five participants initially and will expand in line with public health advice.

Students are encouraged to bring their own instruments but if they don’t have any, the hub will have an instrument bank where students can hire great instruments at very affordable rates.

All musicians have undergone HSA training and will be equipped with facemasks and visors as well as screens where appropriate. There will be no sharing of instruments and hub users will be required to use hand sanitiser before entering the hub and will maintain social distancing throughout.

Classes will commence in the first week of October in various locations centrally depending  on what instrument or group activity has been chosen.
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To register for classes, email [email protected] or call 091 874 557 and they will register your interest and send you a quick online form to submit. Alternatively, they can complete this form with parents/guardians over the phone. The final date for registration is September 30th but there may still be some spaces unallocated.
Contact [email protected] / phone 091 874557 or see www.musicgenerationgalwaycounty.ie. Office hours are 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.