Society for Music Education in Ireland (SMEI) Conference - 27 November

Society for Music Education in Ireland /

Cumann Ceol Oideachas na hÈireann

Inaugural Music Education Conference in St Patrick’s College Drumcondra on Saturday 27th November

 

A day-long music education event to launch the recent establishment of the Society for Music Education in Ireland (SMEI) will take place at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra on Saturday 27th November, between 11am and 4pm. The inaugural conference will feature workshops on group music making and school-based research. Participants at the SMEI launch will include representatives from a variety of music education and community music groups. Addressing the launch will be guest speaker Gary Ó Donnchadha, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Department of Education and Skills, along with young musicians from the Ballymun Music Project, an initiative sponsored by DIT’s Conservatory of Music and Drama.

Musicians Eoin Coughlan and Brian Morrissey will present conference participants with an interactive exploration of practical approaches to the introduction of rhythm, composition, traditional music, contemporary song-writing and lyric analysis. In another session, delegates will learn about two ongoing research projects relating to traditional music and to group music making in the classroom.

SMEI acts as an umbrella group for music education and community music interests in Ireland. It has affiliate status with the International Society for Music Education (ISME) and as such provides a platform for music education in Ireland at an international level in areas of Research, Community Music Activity, Early Childhood Music Education, the Education of the Professional musician, Music Policy in Educational, Cultural and Mass Media Policies, Music in Schools and Teacher Education, Special Education: Music Therapy, Music Medicine, and Instrumental and Vocal Teaching. SMEI members currently comprise music educators at primary, second and higher education levels, community musicians, artist-teachers, choral educators, instrumental teachers and more. SMEI has already received wide support among the music education community, with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin of the University of Limerick describing its establishment as ‘a very significant step for Irish music education’. Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to the conference organisers, Graham Welch, President of the International Society for Music Education, describes the November 27th event as ‘a landmark opportunity for colleagues engaged in music education, whether in formal educational settings or in the wider community across Ireland, to network, share ideas, celebrate successes and work collectively towards even higher standards of music learning and teaching. This is an exciting moment, both for you and also for the rest of us in the world community’.

To register an interest in this event email bronagh.farrell@spd.dcu.ie

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Tuesday November 23 2010