Musical Futures in Ireland

We will be working with the University of Limerick over the next few months to start testing Musical Futures as an approach to teaching and learning in schools.

A seminar will take place to launch Musical Futures in Ireland on 18th June at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

This seminar will feature scholarly debate on Musical Futures as an approach to teaching and learning, as well as practical workshops for music teachers. It will be of particular interest to academics teaching and researching in the field of music education in Ireland, in addition to policymakers and those involved in curriculum reform. It will also be of interest to primary, post-primary or instrumental/vocal music teachers who wish to enhance their approach to music teaching and learning (see attached flyer).

The aim of this seminar is to establish a network of academics, teachers (primary, post-primary, instrumental teachers), principals and policymakers in order to:

• initiate a scholarly debate on non-formal teaching and informal learning in music education within the Irish context
• engage in practical workshops using the Musical Futures approach (for more information see www.musicalfutures.org)
• discuss the ways in which the Musical Futures approach might be incorporated/adapted in schools
• pilot the Musical Futures approach in a number of primary and post-primary schools in Ireland

Speakers and workshop leaders are:

• Abigail D’Amore and Fran Hannan (Musical Futures)
• Professor Ruth Wright (University of Western Ontario)
• Dr Maria Varvarigou (Canterbury Christ Church University)
• Stephen MacFarlane (post primary music teacher)
• Rosaleen Malloy (Music Generation)
• Dr Gwen Moore (University of Limerick)

This work is funded by the Irish Research Council New Foundations Scheme.