Busy season for Moate Youth Choir

The season just passed was the busiest to date for the members of the Moate Youth Choir who were delighted to participate in the 'Carols for All' programme in Tullamore and in Moate. This was the third year of the concert in the Church of the Assumption in Tullamore where the members of the Academy of Music and the Moate Youth Choir were joined by Professor Gerard Gillen from NUI Maynooth who was the Organist for the evening. The Frobenius Piped organ in the Church of the Assumption is one of the finest instruments in Ireland. The organ was originally built in 1965 for the great Cathedral Church of Copenhagen, and consists of 53 stops and 3916 speaking pipes and it was re-homed in Tullamore in 1994. The project was the brain child of Professor Gerard Gillen and was a huge community event at which Professor Gillen performed along with the Maynooth University Chamber Choir Directed by Ciarán Brady, now director of the Academy of Music, in Tullamore. The pipe-work and action is in well-nigh perfect condition, and a lot of work was conducted on the voicing and regulation necessary to adjust to the new acoustics in Tullamore. The net result is that Tullamore can boast of having the largest mechanical action church organ in Ireland, and the sole example in the country of the world-renowned Frobenius's skill and craftsmanship. This marvellous instrument was complemented by the wonderful musicians and singers who brought their own skills to the evening. The Academy Chamber Choir, the Moate Youth Choir, both directed by Ciarán Brady; the Academy Junior Orchestra, director Karen Joyce, the Flute Choir, director, Gráinne Dooley, the Cello Ensemble, director Agata Matelska. Fr Shane Crombie led the prayers and a very appreciative audience enjoyed their evening in this wonderful setting. Onwards to St Patricks Church in Moate where Monsignor Noonan, Fr Farrell and Rev Graham Doyle led the readings and the aforementioned performers were joined by Paul Brady for my favourite piece of the evening Riu Riu Chiu, wonderful harmonies and solos by David Hawkins, Mary Glancy, Paul Brady and Eithne Gallagher. The smaller more enclosed nature of the church in Moate meant that the building was filled with the variety of sounds on the evening and hopefully this first venture in Moate will be followed by many more of a similar nature. Moate Youth Choir rehearses every Thursday from 5.30pm-6.45pm upstairs in Moate Community Hall. It is an education base for young singers offering vocal training, music theory and sight singing. New members are more than welcome. All queries to 086-0678250. Moate Youth Choir would sincerely like to thank the clergy of Moate Parish for all their support. They perform at 10 am Mass in St. Patrick's Church each Sunday of the Academic Year.