Music crosses all boundaries, including age, as seen by the massive show of support in Oranmore and Maree for the community’s first ever inter-generational choir.
Amhrán Mór choir is a volunteer led project to bring together the community, and find new spaces for young and old to engage with each other as friends and equals.
They’ll be hard at work rehearsing over the next eight weeks with the goal of putting on their inaugural performance at the Oranmore Arts Festival which takes place from May 16 – 19.
The choir held their registration day on Sunday in Scoil Mhuire NS, Oranmore and over 150 locals signed up to become involved, with three generations of a family arriving together in many cases.
“We were delighted with the numbers that turned up to register their interest,” said Gillian Carey, volunteer organiser on the Amhrán Mór committee.
“We are very excited that so many people are as enthusiastic as we are about the project,” she added.
The choir is in safe hands as they prepare for their stage debut with conductors Ronan de Búrca and Ronan Trainor.
Ronan de Búrca is an experienced music facilitator as well as qualified Music Therapist who has developed a reputation in supportive voice work.
He’s well suited to the voices of all ages at play here, having worked in the past with people ranging from pre-school to people waving goodbye to their first century.
Ronan Trainor is an accomplished singer, guitarist and pianist with over 25 year’s music experience countrywide.
He enjoys creating new acoustic versions of classic songs and has a passion for bringing people together to enjoy a good sing song.
Amhrán Mór will take to the stage on May 18, at the height of the Arts Festival.
It’s hoped that through this inter-generational grouping “bridges will be built within the community that remain far beyond the event itself”.
photos: Michael Cannon
