The voluntary committee of Galway Early Music has organised innovative and entertaining medieval, renaissance and baroque festival programmes in Galway for the past 18 years, but this year’s festival (May 8-11) is certainly the most daring yet!
Our 2014 programme concentrates on VERY early music, music that can only be brought to life through expert archeological, musicological and iconographical study. It’s an exciting area of music, and we are very lucky to be bringing some outstanding international scholars and performers in this area to Galway.
This will be a unique chance to see and hear all sorts of early horns such as the bronze-age Irish trumpas, the amazing animal headed carnyx, and latin bucinae as well as lyres, tibia, early Irish harp, triple pipes and all sorts of rattles, percussion and many other early sound tools. Not all the music is VERY early. Archeology plays a large part in Mare Balticum’s multi-media concert, based on instruments found on the Swedish flagship Kronan (lost 1627).
The funds raised in our Fund it campaign will allow us to bring Ludi Scaenici, specialists in Roman Music, and medieval flautist Norbert Rodenkirchen with his programme Hameln Anno 1284, a musical look at the story and history of the Pied Piper of Hameln. We will also use the funds to include a number of free public events in the programme, including Buile Shuibhne – Mad Sweeney, a family theatre event by award-winning Moonfish Theatre Company with live music from Ancient Music Ireland; an illustrated talk on prehistoric Celtic horns by Simon O’Dwyer and brass expert John Kenny; and Roman Legion battle reenactments.
These are only a few of the wonderful performers and events in the Festival. This year we are partners with the European Music Archaeology Project, who are supporting Mare Balticum’s concert, as well as some talks and demonstrations on Scandinavian prehistoric music and Greek music. We are also grateful for support from the Arts Council and Galway City Council. But we still need to raise funds for the events described above.
We would be thrilled if you will join us in our adventure by supporting our Fund it campaign. Your support helps us to bring this music to a local and international audience and also supports the musicians and performers who come to the festival. It also helps to foster interest in and support for early music studies and performance in Ireland, something that is very close to our hearts.
With your help, the 2014 Galway Early Music Festival will be an exciting, educational, challenging and FUN experience for all.
Please view our video for a taste of the full Festival programme!
Update posted on Saturday 26th April '14 @ 08:04:51
Thank you to all our funders! We are approaching the final run-in to the Festival so it's go, go, go here. Your rewards are being organised - you will be receiving an e-mail from us soon. IN the meanwhile, the festival programme has come together and there are a number of very exciting events. The programme is all up on our new website www.galwayearlymusic.com, so do take a look at what's coming up! We'll be in touch again soon.Update posted on Monday 7th April '14 @ 10:04:03
On one side, the Roman Army with horns used for giving orders, organised, disciplined. They clash their spears and swords agains their shields and give the war cry as they march steadily towards... The Gauls, whose mighty trumpas and carnyx fill the air with sound that seems to batter against you. Their champions stand to the front, challenging the Romans to single combat, but the Romans don't oblige. And so, with trumpas and carnyx blowing, they run forward, giving their war shout and banging their weapons against their shields. And so the Celts meet the Romans in Galway - but what will be the outcome? Come to the concert Romans and Celts to find out!! 2 days to reach our goal - last in still wins!Update posted on Sunday 6th April '14 @ 02:04:56
Thank you to all our latest funders. You are stars!Update posted on Sunday 6th April '14 @ 02:04:27
Thank you to all our latest funders. You're all stars!Update posted on Saturday 5th April '14 @ 10:04:06
The music of the Celtic areas of the British Isles is a part of the European story and the wonderful and evocative ensemble Coracle open the festival with a concert of Scottish early music from ancient lays to Bardic poetry and the instrumental music of the triplepipes and early Gaelic harp. Coracle are Griogair Labhruidh (voice), Siobhán Armstrong (early Gaelic harp) and Barnaby Brown (triplepipes and highland bagpipes). They are old friends, first appearing to great acclaim at the 2012 festival (with the help of our first FundIt Project!). Only 5 days left for the current FundIt project - thanks for your help so far.Update posted on Tuesday 1st April '14 @ 09:04:54
Thank you to all our new funders - many of whom are very shy, seemingly! We have a big job to do in the next eight days, so if you know of anyone whose intentions are good, but who haven't gotten around to doing the deed - please give them a nudge!Update posted on Thursday 27th March '14 @ 09:03:06
Hmmmm, we can't add the video link to the links at the left. It's on our facebook page - if you haven't already, please 'like' us!Update posted on Thursday 27th March '14 @ 08:03:12
The Swedish Ensemble Mare Balticum were inspired to put together the programme they will be performing in Galway by the discovery of musical instruments in the Kronan, a royal Swedish flagship which spectacularly sank in 1627. One of the few survivors was a trumpeter. Their concert brings alive the tragic loss of the Kronan through music, slides and readings. There's an award winning trailer for this concert worth watching. We've added the link to our weblinks on the left of the page.Update posted on Tuesday 25th March '14 @ 10:03:29
Many thanks to Anna Lardi Fogarty, Deirdre Ni Chonghaile, John Rogers and three anonymous supporters. Your help is much appreciated!Update posted on Saturday 8th March '14 @ 09:03:00
'Romans and Celts: War and Peace' is one of the main events of this year's Galway Early Music Festival. It is going to be an amazing experience. Ludi Scaenici (with your help) will introduce the classical Roman sound of lyre, kythara, tibia, aulos and drum, while Ancient Music Ireland with friends John Purser, John Kenny and and Peter Holmes tell an ancient tale with trumpas, horns, lyre, rattle and drum. And the finale!!!....well, more of that anon!Update posted on Thursday 6th March '14 @ 09:03:22
Thank you to our anonymous funder who has gotten the ball rolling within minutes of the project going live!There are 19 public funders of this project
There are 7 anonymous funders of this project
anonymous
anonymous
anonymous
anonymous
anonymous
anonymous
anonymous