National Chamber Choir Education and Outreach

The National Chamber Choir offers a range of programmes to enhance music education and access to music.

The Children's Opera Project for Primary schools introduces young people to solo and group singing in an engaging way, as they make their own version of the Opera: the Torc of Gold.

The two-year Composition Workshops programme, available to second level students, gives students an opportunity to work with professional musicians and composers to create a three minute composition, which is performed and recorded by the National Chamber Choir.

By introducing students to the language of music, the arts become a tool of inclusion and integration, as well as education.

The National Chamber Choir has also performed in Residential and Day Care settings, in collaboration with The National Concert Hall Learn and Explore Programme, and The Bealtaine Festival 2009.

"Sing" is a project developed in association with axis Ballymun and Dublin City Council. "Sing" offers adults with an interest in singing a chance perform alongside the National Chamber Choir and take part in workshops with singers from the Choir.

Sing Again

Following the success last year's project, "Sing Again" will offer adults a chance to take part in eight weeks of choral singing under the guidance of singers from the National Chamber Choir, culminating in a joint Gala performance at axis Ballymun.

To apply for the project contact 01 8832123 / 8832147 or pick up a form from the axis Box Office. Places are strictly limited, and the programme starts Tuesday October 18th, 6.30pm, axis Ballymun.

Children's opera project: the torc of gold

The Torc of Gold is a specially commissioned Opera for Children composed by Colin Mawby with a libretto by Maeve Ingoldsby.

The opera has become a vehicle for many young people, particularly special needs students, to discover new abilities and modes of expression, which are transferable to other areas of life and knowledge. The ultimate result for each child is a growing sense of self pride.

The final performance by each school gives students an opportunity to display their own talents while performing alongside professional musicians.

For audio excerpts from The Torc of Gold please click here

The project is divided into three stages:

1) Professional development for teachers through Department of Education and Science approved in-career development courses.

2) In-school work supported by visits from the NCC's Education Officer.

3) A visit to each school from the NCC for a workshop/performance of the opera.

Click here for an application form

Composition Workshop

Listen to 'He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven' composed by Éadaoin McCole (2005 Recipient of the Gerard Victory Memorial Commission - first performed in March 2006)

The "Composition Workshops" is an exciting and rewarding two-year programme for senior cycle Music students. Participants have a unique opportunity to work with the National Chamber Choir. The project can be approached by groups interested in using the project as a vehicle for developing overall musicianship, or by individuals with an interest in taking composition as a Higher Elective for the Leaving Certificate. The project, which is free of charge, is open to all schools in the country offering Music as a Leaving Cert Subject. Participants may submit their final composition for examination purposes.

Over the two years of the project students work with professional musicians to compose a piece of music for the Choir. A selection of the pieces composed will be performed at a gala concert in Dublin at the end of the programme. In previous years this concert has been recorded and broadcast by Lyric FM and featured on the Lyric Breakfast. At the concert, prizes are awarded to the most promising individual composer and the most original group composition. Certificates of achievement and CDs of the piece are presented for each composition composed over the two years.

Project timescale:

Three locally based workshops with composers and singers
Correspondence with and visits from the NCC Education Officer
Recording workshops with the NCC
Gala concert

There is a limited number of places available for each year's project. Please contact us for details if you are interested.

Composition Options

There are two composition options:

1. Group composition
2. Individual composition

Group Composition

A piece for SATB choir written with input from a small group of students or a whole class. The piece should preferably involve student performers (you can use keyboards, additional singers, guitars, percussion or any traditional or orchestral instrument played by class members.) The piece should be of no more than 3 minutes duration. It can be based on any melody, text, rhythm or theme (eg the Sea, Nature) from the NCC repertoire, a free composition, or an arrangement of a piece you intend to present for examination as a performer, or from the Leaving Certificate syllabus of set works. The work can be in any genre: rock, pop, classical, jazz, traditional.

Individual Composition

The work should be for SATB choir. The work can be either A Cappella (unaccompanied) or accompanied by piano, or you can add extra instruments, if you have the players. The piece should be of no more than 3 minutes duration.

Awards

Certificates of Achievement / CDs

Every composer receives a certificate of achievement, and a CD of the National Chamber Choir performing the piece is presented for each composition. These are presented at the gala concert (whether or not that piece is performed at the concert). If the composer is unable to attend the concert, the Certificates and CDs will be posted to the school.

Special Awards

Group Composition Prize - A prize of €100 will be presented to the composers of the most original group composition.

Victory Composition Commission - Individual composers will be considered for the Victory Composition Commission. This commission is named after the Irish Composer Gerard Victory who had a strong association with the NCC. This commission is worth €650, and is a commission to compose a new piece for the NCC to be performed at the following year's gala concert.