Galway’s Coole Music Youth Orchestra  has been chosen to appear in this year’s annual Festival of Youth Orchestras, which will take place in the National Concert Hall on Saturday, February 10.

The celebration, organised by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, features a wide variety of music played by some 500 young people from across the country, for other young people.

There will be two concerts, one at 1pm and one at 7.30pm, featuring classics such as Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, Shostakovich’s Waltz No 2, a John Williams’ trilogy and the Irish premiere of Celtic Creature Suite, featuring Selkies and the Púca. That was written by the Artistic Director of Coole Music Youth Orchestra, Katharina Baker.

“We are so excited to be playing at the IAYO Festival again at the National Concert Hall,” says Katharina, adding that it’s been nine years since the Coole Youth Orchestra has performed there – largely due to Covid.

A generation of young musicians from Galway and North Clare missed out on the opportunity to play the renowned venue as a result.

“It’s great to finally be back and it makes it even more special for everyone,” says Katharina.

The programme from the Coole musicians includes the famous Jig (St Paul’s Suite) by Holst and a trilogy by John Williams in addition to the Celtic Creatures Suite.

Meanwhile, The Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra will perform excerpts from their new suite of music, The Impossible Dream, composed by Martin Tourish and orchestra members. This celebrates the achievements of Portlaoise aviator James Fitzmaurice. He was part of the first successful East-West transatlantic flight, from Baldonnel in Dublin to Canada, in 1928.

St Agnes’ CCMA Chamber Music Orchestra is collaborating with Carlow Youth Orchestra, Kiltra School of Music and St Peter’s NS Orchestra to perform, Three Irish Counties by Ailbhe Kehoe. This commissioned piece incorporates traditional Irish tunes from the counties in which the orchestras are based: Dublin, Wexford and Carlow

The Coole Music Youth Orchestra will be performing at 1pm on February 10 alongside the Irish Chamber Youth Orchestra, Dublin’s Kylemore Music Centre Orchestra and SETU’s Budding Bows from Waterford.

Tickets from www.nch.ie.

Pictured: Coole Music Youth Orchestra rehearsing for their NCH appearance on February 10.