Our Ensembles

Altus - High-Voice Choir

Altus - Maynooth University Ladies’ Choir
Director: Dervilla Conlon-Maloney
Contact: dervillaconlonmaloney@gmail.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/MU152 for first-year ladies.

REGISTRATION
Register online at MU151 Registration Form

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 10 October 2018

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 Riverstown Hall. Key dates for the year are below. Please check them before signing up to audition. First rehearsal is Tuesday, Oct 9th. There is a weekly one hour sectional rehearsal for each part, time tbc in the first rehearsal.

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 us 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 put your name down. You can email at any time.

3 Audition Dates               Mon 24th Sep / Tues 25th Sep / Mon 1st Oct
Times                                     6 – 9.30pm
Venue                                   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 will be 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 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

Audition Results

A list of the 26 successful applicants will be up on a notice in the music department by Friday 5th October, lunchtime.

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 prestigious competitions in the world earning the title “Choir of the World” in Llangollen Wales. In 2016 the choir toured USA and China. In 2017, the choir were awarded 1st prize in both the Mixed Voice and Church Music categories at the Cork International Choral Festival and last year in March 2018, the choir won the top prize at Feis Ceoil. 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?

Members are expected to commit to the list of key dates below. Attendance for concerts, events and weekly rehearsals for all students is extremely important. For music students, absence will be penalised according to the scheme outlined in the department handbook.

If there are any of these key dates that you can’t do, please let Ruaidhrí know during the audition. There will be some small costs involved in the 3 day workshops.

Registration

In addition to contacting me through email, any students registering for MU151 or 2nd or 3rd year performance modules should register online at MU151 Registration Form

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 2018 - 2019.

Choir will rehearse every Thursday of term time throughout the year.

Key dates for Chamber Choir 2018 - 2019

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/MU152 (men only) MU253, MU319 and MU369.

How do I join?

New members should attend the first rehearsal which begins in Callan Hall on Monday 1 October 2018 at 18.30.
First year students: Register online at MU151 Registration Form

Performances 2018 - 2019

Annual Carol Services on 17, 18, 19 December 2018.
Annual Choral Concert at 4pm on Sunday 10 March 2019, featuring Mozart’s Requiem and O’Leary’s Psalmus Invitatorius (Commissioned to mark the choir’s 50th anniversary), 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 1
Thursday 4
Monday 8
Thursday 11
Monday 15
Thursday 18
Monday 22
Thursday 25

November

Monday 5
Thursday 8
Monday 12
Thursday 15
Monday 19*
Monday 26*

December

Monday 3
Thursday 6
Monday 10
Thursday 13
December Carol Services[1]
Monday 17
Tuesday 18
Wednesday 19

* (No Thursday Rehearsal this week)

Semester 2

February

Thursday 1
Monday 4
Thursday 7
Monday 11
Thursday 14
Monday 18
Thursday 21
Monday 25
Thrusday 28

March

Monday 4
Thursday 7

Saturday 9:
11:00 - -13:00; 14:00 - 17:00 [2]

Annual Concert*

Sunday 10 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)

Description of the Ensemble:

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. However, its primary focus remains the secular music of the Renaissance: madrigals, chansons, frottolas, catches 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 are Monday evenings from 18:45 to 20:45, with a concert in the second semester.

How do I join?

You need to register : Register online at MU151 Registration Form. Voice placing sessions will be held at the beginning of October. These are NOT auditions, merely opportunities to meet the director and ensure you are assigned to the correct line for your vocal range. Singers who cannot make the voice placing sessions are still welcome to come to the first rehearsal; a short voice placing can easily be done during the break.

Any interested singers, whether or not they can attend the initial voice placing, are invited to contact the ensemble director, Cathal Twomey, at Cathal.Twomey@mu.ie

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 MU151 Registration Form
Returning students: please contact Music Department Office to register your ensemble.

Voice placing dates:
Monday 1, Tuesday 2, and Wednesday 3 October 2018 18:45 – 20:45
New Music Room, Logic House

Calendar of rehearsals
(all rehearsals 18:45 to 20:45, New Music Room):

Semester 1:

Monday 8 October 2018
Monday 15 October 2018
Monday 22 October 2018

Monday 5 November 2018
Monday 12 November 2018
Monday 19 November 2018
Monday 26 November 2018

Monday 3 December 2018
Monday 10 December 2018
Monday 17 December 2018

Semester 2:

Monday 4 February 2019
Monday 11 February 2019
Monday 18 February 2019
Monday 25 February 2019

Monday 4 March 2019
Monday 11 March 2019
Monday 25 March 2019

Monday 1 April 2019
Monday 8 April 2019
Tuesday 23 April 2019
Monday 29 April 2019

Concert date: Semester 2 to be confirmed

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. His master’s dissertation, on the vocal music of the Baroque composer William Boyce, received the inaugural Alison Dunlop Graduate Prize in 2016. 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 musico-linguistic analysis of song. He has sung with the Charles Wood Singers, the Irish Youth Choir, the Irish Youth Chamber Choir, and the Maynooth University Chamber Choir. He is currently co-director of music at St. Anne’s ‘Pepper Canister’ church, as well as a freelance arranger.

Traditional Group

Maynooth University Traditional Music Group

Director: Aisling Ní Choisdealbha
Email: aisling_costello@hotmail.com
Rehearsals: 19.00-21.00, Bewerunge 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 6th December 2018.