Esker Festival Orchestra

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What it is the project?

The Esker Festival Orchestral is a new residential ensemble set up to provide an opportunity for young emerging classical musicians in Ireland to meet each other, rehearse and perform together. The orchestra will meet for its inaugural session this summer with a residency in the beautiful surrounds of Esker Youth Village followed by a performance in Galway Cathedral on August 28th. The orchestra will be made up of musicians from across the country, chosen not by audition but following a brief application designed to find the musicians who will benefit the most from a project like this. The concert will include a performance of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, Sibelius' Violin Concerto performed by rising star Aoife Ní Bhriain and a new work especially written for the orchestra.

With this project we hope to:

1. To provide a high quality, beneficial and meaningful musical opportunity for young emerging musicians.

2. To fill the musical and social void that currently exists in this country by allowing young musicians from across the country to perform together, socialise together and to build relationships that will be essential during their personal and professional lives.

3. To promote and develop orchestral music in Ireland by nurturing the talents of its emerging musicians.

4. To provide all of this with no financial burden on the musicians.

Why it needs funding:

Most countries in Europe have several high standard pre-professional orchestras that players can participate in without incurring any costs, an opportunity that does not exist for young musicians in Ireland. Instead they are often forced to go abroad to seek such opportunities at great expense to themselves or their families. Opportunities in Ireland are usually costly or confined to specific towns or colleges meaning young musicians here rarely get the opportunity to meet and perform with their counterparts across the country. As a result a divide has grown both musically and socially. With this project we would like to combat these issues by inviting players from throughout Ireland work together in a cost-free, collaborative and residential environment.

What the money will be funding:

This is a completely non-profit venture, organised by the musicians themselves. All of the money raised will go directly into providing for the needs of the musicians. The funding will include the price of accommodation during rehearsals and after the concert, venue hire, equipment hire, food, transport and promotion.

Why support this project:

With this project we hope to develop and promote orchestral music in Ireland through nurturing the talents of its young musicians. By supporting the project in any way possible you can help us ensure the future of orchestral music in Ireland and help to provide a beneficial opportunity to not only the musicians themselves but to you the public and to future generations of musicians in Ireland.

For any more information, or if you are interested in becoming a member the orchestra please email eskerfestivalorchestra@gmail.com with some information about yourself and why you'd like to be involved.