Latest Laois Event: Europe Day to be celebrated by Laois musicians
Exciting music collaboration in Laois to celebrate Europe Day
A very exciting, large-scale music collaboration will take place in Laois to celebrate Europe Day on Tuesday 9 May.
Tune in to Music Generation Laois’ YouTube and Facebook channels at 12noon on the day and be part of Co. Laois’ celebration to mark Ireland’s 50-year membership of the European Union. Participation is free and livestream links will be easily accessible and shared on Music Generation Laois and Laois Education Support Centre social media channels in advance of the event.
Initiated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Education and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, an invitation was issued to schools and community groups across the Country to perform the EU Anthem ‘Ode to Joy’ on Europe Day, 9 May.
Music Generation Laois(MGL), Laois School of Music(LSM) and Laois Education Support Centre are collaborating with Laois Partnership, Laois Offaly ETB Local Creative Youth Partnership and Creative Ireland Laois to make this a truly memorable and epic event.
5 Primary School choirs, a Junior Orchestra, an Intermediate Trad Group and an Intergenerational Ukrainian Choir – all part of LSM/MGL – will gather in the Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise to perform Ode to Joy as a collective, singing it in Irish, English and Ukrainian, and played by a Classical Orchestra and Traditional Irish Music Group.
The livestream will start with the screening of a pre-recorded short film, documenting the learning and preparation phase of Ode to Joy, followed by the live performance.
Over 180 singers/musicians will be taking part in the live event, with thousands others joining in the livestream in their schools, homes and workplaces.
Following the performance, the livestream audience will be invited to stay on-line for a preview of entries into the Short Film Documentary Competition, an initiative by Laois Partnership and Communicating Europe Initiative, supported by Laois Offaly Local Creative Youth Partnership.
The call-out for entries challenged young people in County Laois to get creative by shining a spotlight on how the EU affects their community. The films will be screened in full in the Dunamaise Arts Centre at a separate event on the evening of 9 May.