Music Generation Celebrates St Patrick's Festival Weekend
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!
Geantraí – An Ghlúin Úr
TG4 Sunday March 16th at 9.30pm
On Sunday, March 16th, TG4 will premiere the inaugural Le Chéile gala concert, featuring over 200 young musicians from across Ireland. The event brings together participants from the Music Generation programmes nationwide, offering an eclectic mix of traditional Irish music, song, and dance.
This special Geantraí- An Ghlúin Úr was filmed at the concert Le Chéile- during Galway Tradfest, which took place in University of Galway’s Kingfisher Hall and showcases over 100 instrumentalists attached to Music Generation Trad Collective. These performers are joined by over 100 members of Galway Schools Choir. The orchestra will perform with Geantraí presenter Pauline Scanlon, Sharon Shannon, Beoga, Niall Mc Cabe, Nathan Pilatzke, Bláithín & Nell Ní Mhainín, Augustina Taborda, Niall Teague, Martina Flaherty & Fionnuala Hannigan.
Music Generation Galway County’s Music Development Officer, Eric Cunningham is the Producer and Musical Director of the event and Conductor Ita Geraghty is responsible for the orchestral arrangements. The next generation of musicians will give us a feast for the senses.
TG4 is delighted to partner with Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board and Music Generation Galway County to bring this concert, Le Chéile- Galway TradFest, to our screens. The concert showcases the Music Generation Trad Collective performing together for the first time. It brings young performers from five different regions of Ireland together, - Music Generation Galway County, Music Generation Laois, Music Generation Waterford, Music Generation Kerry and Music Generation Wicklow.
Le Chéile was a gathering of Music Generation regions and programmes through Irish traditional music. It took place in November 2024 as part of Galway Tradfest, and TG4 cameras recorded the event for a special programme to be aired on the station on March 16th at 9.30pm.
Niall Mc Cabe and members of Beoga with Music Generation Trad Collective
Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme with a mission to empower children and young people to realise their full potential through access, to and participation in, high quality performance music education.
Together, the team at Music Generation strives to transform children and young people’s lives by giving them opportunities to create, play and perform music in their own communities and on their own terms.
What makes Music Generation Trad Collective unique is that young musicians who play Irish traditional music and those who stem from other musical genres are given a platform to play together through inventive arrangements based around well-known Irish traditional tunes.
"At Music Generation we are committed to the shared vision for the powerful role that music plays in the lives of children and young people and as part of our work we continue to create pathways to development and inspiring experiences for young performers. The Le Chéile concert offered a unique opportunity for over 200 performers attached to Music Generation programmes to collaborate with their peers but also to perform with some of Ireland's most celebrated performers. We are delighted that TG4 has documented this event which offers an insight into the work that Music Generation undertakes, not only in Galway County but across 29 regions of Ireland, and I wish to acknowledge sincerely our many partners who made this event a reality."" Eric Cunningham ,Music Generation Galway County
Commissioning Editor TG4, Proinsias Ní Ghráinne says
‘TG4 is proud to be the broadcast partner of this hugely ambitious event that brings together hundreds of gifted players and singers from various branches of Music Generation. We are delighted to give many of these players their first opportunity to play on TV and we congratulate all involved.'
Initiated by Music Network, Music Generation is co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds, the Department of Education and Local Music Education Partnerships (LMEPs) in which Education and Training Board and Local Authorities play a lead role.
Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board is the lead partner of Music Generation Galway County. Additional support is provided by a number of other local partners including Galway County Council, Galway Rural Development, Foróige, Galway Culture Company, Ealaín na Gaeltachta Teo, the Local Creative Youth Partnership, University of Galway, Tusla/CYPSC, Youth Work Ireland, Involve and Forum Connemara.
Photos by Seán Lydon
