Would you like to learn more about tutoring youth quartets and small ensembles?

Under the direction of Katharine Mac Mághnuis, the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras will host tutor professional development for anyone with an interest in learning more about teaching chamber music to young ensembles.

The training will be a two part series, consisting of both an online Zoom and a full day of observation. Katharine Mac Mághnuis will conduct the Zoom session on Tuesday, 24 October, with the full day in-person observation in Rosary College, Crumlin in Dublin following this on Saturday, 28 October.The cost for this course will be €100 (€50 for students). Apply here before Friday, 20 October 2023.

This course will run in conjunction with IAYO’s National Chamber Music Workshops and includes the opportunity to observe highly experienced chamber music tutors and performers including Malachy Robsinson, Sinéad Hayes, Paul Roe, Bjarke Gunderson and Tom Crowley.

This training is suitable for:

Music tutors with experience in teaching chamber music to young people;
Music tutors with little or no experience in teaching chamber music to young people;
Conductors who may wish to know more about working with smaller ensembles of young people;
Third-level students with an interest in pursuing tutoring chamber music and small ensembles.

See below for further details on each part of the course.

Part 1: Zoom session with Katharine Mac Mághnuis

Date: Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Time: 7pm – 8pm with a Q&A session from 8pm – 8.30pm

In this session, Katharine will cover many of the elements of teaching chamber music to young people including:

Pedagogical marking of scores;
How to aid the creation of team spirit within newly formed ensembles;
Exercises to increase quality of performance including how to vary repetition to avoid inducing boredom;
Coping strategies for mixed ability ensembles;
Classroom etiquette;
Advance preparation for observing in a classroom situation.

It is highly recommended that you attend this session in advance of the in-person training.

Part 2: In-person Observation and Training Day

Date: Saturday, 29 October 2023
Time: 9.30am -7pm
Where: Rosary College, Crumlin, Dublin & St Agnes’ CCMA, Crumlin, Dublin

During this training day, attendees will observe highly experienced chamber music tutors and performers in a classroom setting as they work with small ensembles of young musicians of various standards and tutti sessions with a mixed ability group.

Guided observation forms will be provided for trainees.

The observation sessions will run from 10am – 5:30pm (lunch, snacks and tea and coffee will be provided). There will then be a Q&A and feedback session in St Agnes’ CCMA (across the road from Rosary College) from 6pm – 7pm with the course director and tutor panel.

Timetable (TBC)

9:30am – 10am: Registration
10am – 1pm: Observation (with breaks)
1pm – 2pm: Lunch (lunch provided for the observers)
2pm – 5:30pm: Observation (with breaks)
6pm – 7pm: Feedback and Q&A session with Katharine Mac Mághnuis and another tutor in St Agnes’ CCMA.

There will be a concert with all the young ensembles at 3pm on Sunday, 29 October which all attendees will be invited to attend.

Apply online before Friday, 20 October 2023.

If there are any questions, please contact [email protected].