Despite the rainy weather on the characteristically gloomy Sunday the 15th of March, the Irish Youth Choir, led by Lyndsay Callaghan, made their best effort to provide some cheer to the streets of Dublin as part of this year’s St. Patrick's Day festival. Ahead of the two performances, members from both the 14 to 17 year old and 18 to 25 year choirs made their way to Dublin from all over the country for a rehearsal session in the incredible performance venue at 1 Windmill Lane. Here, Lyndsay led the group through an exciting and engaging rehearsal process, which set the choir up for success when it came to their performances later on. The atmosphere was supportive and encouraging, with lots of opportunities for involvement and suggestion from the singers, which I personally find fosters a greater sense of connection amongst the choir.
When the day arrived, after a final rehearsal session, the group set out to perform in both Barnardo Square and Wolfe Tone Park, having prepared an exciting programme of Irish classics rearranged for choir. This included everything from traditional pieces such as the Irish Blessing, and Oro Sé Do Bheatha' Bhaile, arranged by James E. Moore and Deirdre Moynihan respectively, to some popular hits, such as a personal favorite of mine, Zombie by the Cranberries. The centerpiece of the programme was absolutely Eoin Conway’s brand new arrangement of Kingfishr’s iconic Killeagh, which looked at the chart-topper through a newly introspective and emotional lens, and was a favorite among many of the singers.
The performances on the day had a few close calls, mainly due to the typically unpredictable Irish weather, but despite that fact, the choir members and Sing Ireland team still gave it their all to put on a show for the people of Dublin. On the steps of Dublin Castle, we sang Zombie through a downpour so heavy it started turning the pages on my digital score, before wrapping up to head to our second venue, Wolfe Tone Park, where we even got involved with a break-dancing troupe, a personal highlight of the weekend. We closed out our participation in the festival with that second performance, where it thankfully stayed dry enough to get through our full-set, and in her first performance as a conductor of the Irish Youth Choir, Lyndsay Callaghan’s vibrant energy made the event incredibly memorable for all involved.
On a more personal note, as a young Irish musician myself, it was very special to be a part of an event which celebrated Irish music, heritage and composers, and to get to do it with some of my best friends. Working with Sing Ireland over the past few years, and singing as part of the Irish Youth Choir, has connected me to a network of some of the most talented, hard-working and influential young people and musicians in the country who I’m proud to call my friends, as well as providing me with exciting opportunities to perform alongside them in truly special ways. As well as that, the boundary-pushing programming choices of the summer courses, in addition to initiatives like Sing Ireland’s work with the Contemporary Music Centre has opened my eyes to a world of new compositions and arrangements by Irish composers covering so many genres, styles and themes.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to spend St. Patrick’s weekend singing alongside my friends, and sharing beautiful music with people, a feeling that I believe resonates with all who were in attendance. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for my first St. Patrick’s day performance with the Irish Youth Choir, and I look forward to many more sure to come.