2010

January:    RTÉ 1 broadcast the of the four-part documentary Music Changes Lives, by Mind the Gap Productions, featuring the music project based in St Agnes' School, as  well as St. Ultan’s Cherry Orchard on Tuesday 5th of January at 10:15 pm. 

Subsequent episodes were broadcast on January 12th, 16th, 19th and February 2nd. The programme followed the stories of children who play in the orchestra, and explored the richness music has brought to the lives of those involved. There were many interviews and stories featured, culminating with the orchestra’s 2009 performance at the National Concert Hall.

Dublin Youth Orchestra - Sixteen of our senior St Agnes' Community Youth Orchestra (CYO)  players performed at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, with Dublin Youth Orchestras. It was a great night! Saturday Jan 16th

Primary School Principals Conference - The St. Agnes' CYO  performed at the National Primary Schools Principals Annual Conference in City West Hotel, Dublin, on 28th January. The orchestra got a fantastic reception, and Sr. Bernadette made a presentation to principals as to how to develop music in their schools. There was a very high level of interest shown by many principals.

Mention in Dáil Debate - Leinster House Dáil debate January  28th 2010 led by Catherine Byrne TD refers to orchestra project in Crumlin. Read the debate here.

February
European  Council  of Artists (ECA) visit St. Agnes'. An international delegation from the European Council of Artists came to visit St. Agnes’ school, to observe the violin project as an example of an arts project in practice in a school environment on February 1st.   Representatives from Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Romania, Croatia, Malta and Latvia heard the orchestra play, and met afterwards with staff from the school and violin project. The ECA represents artists around Europe. It works for promotion of the arts and to influence European policies of concern to Artists.
We were very pleased to have the ECA visit, and we thank them for their warm encouraging words.

RTÉ's Morning Ireland appearance -  Sr Bernadette Sweeney and Joanna Crooks were interviewed on Morning Ireland radio programme, RTÉ radio one,  Tuesday 2nd February 2010. Cathal McCoille, interviewing was very enthusiastic about the violin project, while Joanna and Sr. Bernadette spoke of its positive effects and possibilities. If you missed the programme, you can listen online here.

Festival of Youth Orchestras 2010- A group of St Agnes' players attended the afternoon Festival Concert. At  the evening concert Sophie Fahey and Joseph McCabe presented flowers. They received red Valentine roses - here they are on the steps of the National Concert Hall.

St Agnes' Parent Orchestra -  was launched on Tuesday February 23rd. Those playing first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses were conducted by Seamus Doyle. Everyone was amazed and delighted. The Parent Orchestra will continue to meet on Tuesday mornings.  Refreshments were provided downstairs in the small hall.

Feature in the IRISH TIMES Music in the Classroom magazine Tuesday February 23rd - Kellie O'Neill, viola, was featured on page 4 of the Irish Times Music in the Classroom magazine. She did a brilliant interview, and mentioned both St Agnes CYO and Dublin Youth Orchestras.

Feis Ceoil press launch at the National Concert Hall, Dublin. St Agnes' Music Crumlin was invited to attend the Press Launch of the 2010 Feis Ceoil. Five girls from 3rd class, accompanied by Sister Bernadette and Joanna Crooks, represented St Agnes' Music Crumlin. The girls were featured in a lot of photographs and were treated to drinks and canapes in the foyer of the National Concert Hall.

March
CPSMA  Annual Conference - St Agnes' CYO performed  on the 5th of March at  7:30  pm in the Killarney Suite of the Radisson Airport Hotel for delegates attending the Catholic Primary School Managers' Association 2010 conference.  The Orchestra played quite an extensive programme, including Haydn's St Anthony' Chorale, the Trepak from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, There Stands a Little Man from Humperdinck's ballet, "Hansel and Gretel", Flirtation by Sandra Dackow, The Day of the Dolphin by Edward Huws Jones, Mozart's Sleigh Ride with bells, and the Finale to Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld.

Córfhéile na Scoileanna - Inter-Schools Music Festival - On Saturday February 6th St Agnes' CYO (primary school children only from St Agnes and Scoil Colm) performed at the Inter-Schools Music Festival hosted annually by Wesley College. Under the baton of Seamus Doyle they earned a well-deserved 88%.
Well done to all those who performed.

Rosary College Musical Evening - On Monday 15th March St Agnes' CYO opened the Rosary College Musical Evening at 7:30pm. They were joined for Mozart's Sleigh Ride by the Rosary College Recorder Ensemble. Tuned bells and sleigh bells were played by Kirsty Nolan, Laura Rooney, Danielle Maloney and Sophie Fahey from St Agnes' CYO 2nd violins. Amy Leon and Amy Murray performed Schumann's Two Grenadiers accompanied by Triona English. The Rosary College Orchestra included Yasmine Byrne, violin, Kayleigh Greenhalgh, violin, Amy Leon, viola, Amy Murray, viola, Aishling Greenhalgh, double bass, and Claire Hyland, double bass, all members of St Agnes' CYO. The Rosary Orchestra accompanied most of the items throughout the evening.

Dublin Youth Orchestra (DYO) auditions : Alannah King, cello, Jordean O'Brien, cello, and Nerea Murphy, double bass, got places in Dublin Youth Orchestras at the March auditions. In the season ahead there will be 21 St Agnes CYO players or past players in DYO!

Feis Ceoil - St Agnes CYO made their debut appearance in the Junior Orchestra Competition at the RDS in the ESB Feis Ceoil. Under the baton of Seamus Doyle they received 1st Class Honours 85%. Here they are setting off in the bus in high spirits. Later Seamus Doyle walks onstage to conduct in the RDS Main Concert Hall.

NSO rehearsal - On Friday 19th March, Shauna McCann, violin, Orlagh Doyle, violin, Lucy Ray, violin, Alannah King, cello, Emma Lynch, cello, and Jordean O'Brien, cello, escorted by Pauline Cavanagh and Joanna Crooks, went to the morning rehearsal of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall. They sat on the edge of the balcony, looking right down onto the stage to hear violin soloist Nicola Benedetti rehearsing Tchaikovsky's violin concerto and Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture.

RTÉ  News Six One and the 9pm - Wed April 21st  - broadcast a report by Samantha Libreri on St Agnes' Parent Orchestra, featuring a Tuesday morning rehearsal and two family groups, Peter Elliott, his daughter-in-law Jacqueline Elliott, and her son Josh and nephew Ben, and the Jones family with Ken and Lisa Jones, Kelsie, Sara, Karl and Daniel.

Drogheda Arts Festival - St. Agnes' CYO performed as guest artists the 2010 Drogheda Arts Festival  in the fabulous new Barbican theatre. The orchestra played a selection of current favourite pieces and gave the audience a chance to get the feel of learning music through audience participation numbers. The concert was shared with the choir of Our Lady's College Greenhills, Drogheda, and the Ballymun project Wind Ensemble.