Our Ensembles

Altus - High-Voice Choir

Altus - Maynooth University Ladies’ Choir
Director: Mr Will Woods
Contact: woods_wr@yahoo.com
Repetiteur: Aideen Cahill

Rehearsals: Wednesdays 12.00-14.00 Riverstown Hall during term time plus extra rehearsals for concerts if required.

What is it?
Altus (Maynooth University Ladies’ Choir) is an approved ensemble for module MU151 for first-year ladies.

REGISTRATION
Register online at http://tinyurl.com/MU151RegForm

Rehearsals will take place during term time Wednesdays 12.00-14.00 in Riverstown Hall. Participants are expected to be actively involved in preparing and practising the material outside rehearsals. The principal focus of the choir’s work for this academic year will be a lunchtime concert on campus in Semester 2, date to be confirmed.

MUSIC SCORES
Members of Altus will be required to pay a deposit of €50 to contribute to the cost of purchasing music scores. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the year, subject to the returning of the copies in good condition and with only soft pencil markings. Scores will be made available to members at the first rehearsal.

GENERAL GUIDELINES
To obtain maximum credits, students are expected to attend all rehearsals. Medical certificates may be produced to cover absences. Punctuality is a prerequisite for efficient rehearsals. Members must bring their own copies of music to rehearsals. Late attendance or failure to bring scores may mean a reduction of available credit for any given rehearsal. Full engagement with the work undertaken during rehearsals is essential.

First Rehearsal Date:
Wednesday 11 October 2017

Chamber Choir

Conductor: : Ruaidhrí Ó Dálaigh

Email: m aynoothchamberchoir@gmail.co m

Rehearsals
Rehearsals are held every Tuesday of term time starting promptly at 6.45pm and ending at 9.30pm. The choir rehearse in Bewerunge Room, Logic House. Key dates for the year are overleaf. Please check them before signing up to audition. First rehearsal is Tuesday, Oct 3rd. There is a weekly one hour sectional rehearsal for each part, time tbc in first rehearsal.

About the Choir

The Choir is a selection of the best singers from the University who work on challenging and rewarding material throughout the year. In 2013 the choir performed in Armagh Cathedral and toured New York, Albany, Indiana and Chicago. In 2014 the choir participated in the Canta en Primavera International Competition 2014 in Malaga. In 2015, the choir won one of the most prestegious competitions in the world earning the title “Choir of the World” in Llangollen Wales. In 2016 the choir toured USA and China. The choir were awarded 1st prize in both the Mixed Voice and Church Music categories at the Cork International Choral Festival. The choir contributes to the Christmas Carol Services and also performs a major end-of-year concert in April. The Choir this year will have 26 members.

Who is it for?

The Chamber Choir is open to all students of Maynooth University. The Choir is suitably aimed at singers who want to achieve very high standards in choral singing. This comes from the decision made by all members to commit to practicing their music outside of Thursday rehearsal time so that when the choir gathers together, more is accomplished. Having a good voice and good musicianship while being important, are only two parts. Ultimately, singing in a choir is all about team work and members need to be willing to invest time and effort into perfecting a challenging repertoire as part of a group. The ideal chorister will be able to display individuality and passion in their singing. Choral singing is one of the most rewarding exercises any musician can engage in, and there are many benefits in the development of general musicianship and performance practice.

How do I sing with the Chamber Choir?

If you’d like to audition for the Chamber Choir, please email maynoothchamberchoir@gmail.com and let me know your name and what day you would like to audition out of the three dates given below. In the case that you can only make a specific time of a particular day, let us know and we will accommodate. Otherwise, you can arrive at any time on the day you selected and we’ll fit you in. You can email at any time.

Audition Dates Thurs 21st, Mon 25th, Tues 26th of September
Times 6pm to 9:30pm
Venue The New Music Room, Logic House, South Campus

When you arrive, outside the audition room, in the waiting area, there will be a sign in sheet with time slots. Sign your name beside a blank time slot of your choice and that’s your time. There will also be a sheet to fill in (name, contact, singing experience). Please fill this out before the audition and bring it in with you to the audition.

Audition Process

- Range Test. Simple vocal exercises acting as both a warm up and a range test.
- Sing for about one or two minutes. Choose a piece of any style. Anything that suits your voice and that you enjoy singing. You don’t need to bring sheet music. There will be no accompaniment / backing tracks.
- Ear tests. A few melody repetitions.
- Sight Singing. Short melodies to sight sing that increase in difficulty as you progress.
- The whole audition process will take about 12 or 13 minutes.

Regarding the criteria for assessment, the main focus will be on your vocal technique and tuning. Musicianship and sight-singing is of course an advantage, but not a pre-requisite.

For any questions you might have about the audition, please do not hesitate in contacting Ruaidhrí Ó Dálaigh on maynoothchamberchoir@gmail.com

Results

A list of the 26 successful applicants will be up on a notice in the department on Wednesday 27th September lunchtime. Each new member will be contacted through email that morning and be given pdfs of music to prepare for the first rehearsal.

Registration

First year students: Register online at http://tinyurl.com/MU151RegForm
Returning students: please contact Music Department Office to register your ensemble.

Musical Scores

Members of the Chamber Choir will be required to pay a deposit of €50 to contribute to buying music scores. The scores should be collected from Music Dept Office in advance of first rehearsal. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the year, subject to the returning of the copies in good condition and only with soft pencil markings.

What is involved?

Members are expected to commit to the list of dates below. If there are any dates at all that you can’t do, please let Ruaidhrí know during the audition. There will be some small costs involved in the weekends away.

Key Dates NUIM Chamber Choir 2016 - 17.
Choir will rehearse every Thursday of term time throughout the year.

Key dates for Chamber Choir 2017 – 18

NB: Your commitment to the following specific dates are mandatory

SEMESTER 1

First Rehearsal Oct 3rd
3 Day Workshop no. 1 Oct 29th, 30th, 31st (Sun, Mon, Tues)
Christmas Concert, Venue TBC Dec 9th
Christmas Carol Service,
St Patrick's College Chapel Dec 11th, 12th, 13th

SEMESTER 2

3 Day Workshop No. 2 March 18th, 19th, 20th (Sun, Mon, Tues)
Feis Ceoil Competition March 12th
Annual Chamber Choir
Summer Concert April 22nd.

Choral Society

Maynooth University Choral Society

Director: Dr John O'Keeffe
Email: John.Okeeffe@nuim.ie

Repetiteur: Aideen Cahill

Rehearsals: Mondays and selected Thursdays (see schedule) 18.30 – 20.30. The venue for the full choir rehearsal is Callan Hall. Sectional rehearsals will take place in Physics Hall (Soprano), Callan Hall (Alto), O’Callaghan Room (Tenor) and New Music Room (Bass).

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What is it?

Founded by Father Noel Watson in 1969 and directed by Professor Gerard Gillen from 1985-2007, the Maynooth University Choral Society has gained widespread acclaim for its annual performances of major choral works. Its successes have been founded on a solid tradition of hard work, based on the mutual co-operation of Departmental staff, students and singers from across the campus and local community.
The Choral Society programme of activities is directed towards its Annual Choral Concert (Semester II) together with participation in the Annual Carol Services in the College Chapel.
It is an Approved Ensemble for modules MU151 (men only) MU253, MU319 and MU369.

How do I join?

New members should attend the first rehearsal which begins in Callan Hall on Monday 2 October 2017 at 19.00. First year students: Register online at http://tinyurl.com/MU151RegForm

Performances 2017 - 2018

Annual Carol Services on 11, 12, 13 December 2017.
Annual Choral Concert at 4pm on Sunday 11 March 2018, featuring Handel’s Messiah, with orchestra and distinguished soloists.

Musical Scores

Scores (deposit €50) should be collected from Music Dept Office in advance of first rehearsal. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the year, subject to the returning of the copies in good condition and only with soft-pencil markings.

John O'Keeffe

John O’Keeffe is Director of Choral Groups at Maynooth University and Head of Sacred Music at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth. A former organ scholar of Westminster Cathedral, London, he is founder-director of Maynooth University Chamber Choir and, more recently, of Schola Gregoriana Maynooth.

General guidelines

To obtain maximum credits, students are expected to attend all rehearsals (please see rehearsal schedule). Medical certificates may be produced to cover absences due to sickness.
The efficiency of the rehearsal process depends on punctual attendance and on students having their own music at rehearsal. Late attendance or failure to bring your score may mean a reduction of 50% of available credit for any given rehearsal.
A spirited, generous and professional engagement with the work of rehearsal is expected of students of the module. To encourage this and to protect the integrity of the rehearsal process, credit penalties such as that already outlined above will be imposed for chatting, mobile phone texting, or non-participation during sessions.

Rehearsal Schedule

Rehearsal Schedule
Semester 1

October

Monday 2
Thursday 5
Monday 9
Thursday 12
Monday 16
Thursday 19
Monday 23
Thursday 26

November

Monday 6
Thursday 9
Monday 13
Thursday 16
Monday 20*
Monday 27*

December

Monday 4
Thursday 7
December Carol Services[1]
Monday 11
Tuesday 12
Wednesday 13

[1] College Chapel rehearsal at 18.00 each evening, for 19:30 performance.
* (No Thursday Rehearsal this week)

Semester 2

January

Monday 29

February

Thursday 1
Monday 5
Thursday 8
Monday 12
Thursday 15
Monday 19
Thursday 22
Monday 26

March

Thursday 1
Monday 5
Thursday 8

Saturday 10:
11:00 - -13:00; 14:00 - 17:00 [2]

Annual Concert*

Sunday 11 March (14.00 – 19.00)

[2] Full Day Rehearsal (Compulsory)
*Limited choir seating: places will be allotted on the basis of rehearsal attendance.

Early Music Vocal Ensemble

↵Director: Cathal Twomey Email: http://cathaltwomey93@gmail.com

Rehearsals: Mondays 18.45-20.45, New Music Room (Logic House)

What is it?

The Maynooth University Early Music Vocal Ensemble gives students the opportunity to explore a lively and engaging repertoire of sacred and secular music from the Middle Ages to the Baroque. Its primary focus remains the secular music of the Renaissance: madrigals, chansons, frottolas etc. Since its founding in 2014, the ensemble has performed for lunchtime and evening concerts in the music department, as well as on live radio on RTÉ Lyric FM as part of European Early Music Day.
The ensemble is open to any interested singers, within or beyond the music department, and is one of the approved department ensembles. Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings from 18:45 to 20:45, with a concert in the second semester.

How do I join?

Contact the ensemble director, Cathal Twomey, at cathaltwomey93@gmail.com

What is involved?
The ensemble meets for weekly rehearsals of two hours. Members are expected to prepare and practice material individually and to contribute fully to rehearsals.

Registration
First year students: Register online at http://tinyurl.com/MU151RegForm
Returning students: please contact Music Department Office to register your ensemble.

Rehearsal Schedule
Semester 1:
Monday 2/9/16/23 October 2017
Monday 6/13/20/27 November 2017
Monday 4/11 December 2017

Semester 2:
Monday 29 January 2018
Monday 5/12/19/26 February 2018
Monday 5/12 March 2018
Monday 9/16/23 April 2018

Concert Date: 26 April 2018.

Ensemble Director

Cathal Twomey completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Maynooth University in 2015, majoring in musicology with a dissertation on English Baroque opera. He completed his Masters in Musicology, also at Maynooth University, in 2016, writing on the vocal music of the Baroque composer William Boyce. Cathal is currently engaged in PHD research on George Frideric Handel, funded by the Hume Doctoral Fellowship. Cathal’s keen interest in early music encompasses a wide range of topics from the twelfth to the eighteenth centuries, including historically informed pronunciation and the structural importance of text in vocal music. He has sung with the Irish Youth Choir, the Irish Youth Chamber Choir, and the Maynooth University Chamber Choir, making recordings with both the latter ensembles. He was also a founding member and musical director of the Dublin-based chamber choir Bel Cantar. He remains active as an arranger and editor.

Traditional Group

Maynooth University Traditional Music Group

Director: Aisling Ní Choisdealbha
Email: aisling_costello@hotmail.com
Rehearsals: 19.00-21.00, O’Callaghan Room + extra rehearsals for concerts if required.

Traditional Ensemble - Maynooth University

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What is it?

The traditional group is an Approved Ensemble for modules MU151/2 and MU253. The group will put on two lunchtime concerts during the year. The first will take place on Thursday 30 November 2017.