5th Birthday Celebration at Coole Music

Coole Music Orchestra



Programme cover

On the way home from the PPMTA  conference I  called into the Lady Gregory Hotel in Gort to hear the concert celebrating 5 years anniversary of Galway Music School, Coole Music.

The ballroom was packed  to capacity with parents and friends and the mood was celebratory raher than dutiful . I was intrigued by the unusual tattoo of a nearby  wheelchair bound patron who had a best before date and a bar code printed on his bald head (the tattoo index is usually negligible at music school events) No doubt there was an tale to tell there.  I was just in time for Yuki Nisioka's  showstopping performance of Monti's Czardas. She was followed on stage by the Dublin based, Ebony Wind Quintet  featuring   Tom Burke and Fergal Lynch on oboe and horn  , familiar faces from youth orchestra days who both remarked and the sense of occasion  at the event. After the interval there was a charming small choir with an atttractive repertoire followed by some chamber ensembles.I would love a copy of the Joraalsa Suite as played by the Shanawalla Sextet featuring attractive dance rhythms


  The highlight of the concert was the performance of the Coole Music Youth Orchestra who played  Katharina Baker's  attractive  Adventure Suite which had lovely catchy rhtyhms . The finale featued everybody,  choir and all the ensembles in a number,  Amani Utope attributed to P Ford Simms and K Baker . Quite a feat of organisation in itself to get everybody  into palying position. Professional  photographer,  Declan Monaghan was on hand to record the moment .



Junior Orchestra Festival





Katharina Baker Director



What I found most remarkable was the sense of esprit de corps amongst not only the contributors but also  among the capacity audience .  The concert was overlong for my meagre attention span  clocking in I think at about  three hours  leaving out the preamble foyer ensembles.  The first half featuring invited  guests  could have been  pruned , but nobody went home early and I am not surprised she has a surplus of talented musical  guests wishing to add to the occasion . Katharina's own compositions are very attractive and her students clearly enjoy playing them  and I look forward to seeing them published .  I always find a visit to Coole Music Events is a master class in how to run a successful event  and all the details are attended to . I was delighted to meet a ,Hugh Connolly  of Dolmen String Quartet who was there to support his son .