Students get in tune with RTÉ’s national orchestra

THE sound of music took on a new dimension in West Cork yesterday as hundreds of senior second-level students had an opportunity to play alongside the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra.

The country’s largest orchestra has taken up residency for four days in Cork county, linking with locals communities in west and north Cork and performing in large venues in Bantry and Mallow.

The orchestra plays in St Finbarr’s Church in Bantry tonight and in St Mary’s Church in Mallow tomorrow night. Tickets are still available in both centres.

The programme is inspired by themes of exploration, sea voyages and new horizons, including Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, Shaun Davey’s The Brendan Voyage and Dvorak’s New World Symphony.

In pre-workshop projects, senior students created their own percussion instruments to play along with the orchestra. More than 400 students took part in educational workshops in Skibbereen and Schull yesterday with a total of 12 workshops over the four days.

At a performance yesterday in Skibbereen sports centre, Cork county council’s music project co-ordinator Nicky French-Davis said: “The students had a chance to make their own percussion instruments.

“There were really some crackers and what a beautiful sound emerged as they played along to the Pink Panther tune with the orchestra. The noise was deafening.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity, a one-off chance.”