Collaborations
Partnership and collaboration is at the heart of all our work, both locally and nationally. It enables us to curate exciting, high quality creative and performance focused initiatives that support and add depth to young people’s music making and learning.
Such projects would not be possible without the support we receive from the Creativity and Collaboration Fund,financial assistance derived from a combination of funding from the Arts Council/An Comhairle Ealaíon, the Department of Education and Youth, U2 and The Ireland Funds.
CORDA CONNECTIONS
Corda Connections is an intensive, collaborative, youth string orchestra project that brings together musicians from across Ireland for high-level musical training and performance.
Since 2023, it has taken place each year at Dundalk Grammar School facilitated by musician educators from partner organisations Music Generation Louth, Music Generation Kerry and ICO Youth (an Irish Chamber Orchestra initiative). Players from the Irish Chamber Orchestra also present a range of sectional rehearsals and workshops.
HARP COLLECTIVE
Music Generation Harp Collective is a national cross-county youth initiative that brings together dozens of young harpers to perform and create music.
The collective is a collaborative partnership between harp ensembles from Music Generation Laois, Louth, Mayo, and Waterford. It typically features between 45 and 60 musicians, generally aged 10 to 18.
The group often performs newly commissioned works.
“Cláirseoireacht”: A suite composed by Michael Rooney specifically for the collective in 2021.
“Lá na Seacht Síon” (The Day of Seven Storms): A 5-movement suite where the young musicians were the primary creators, mentored by harper/composer Gráinne Meyer.
The Harp Collective has performed at several high-profile international and national events, including the World Harp Congress in Wales (2022), the Edinburgh International Harp Festival (2023), and the Belfast TradFest (2025).
Upcoming Events: The collective is scheduled to perform at the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras Festival at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on 7 February 2026.
Nasc
Formed in 2024, the Nasc Orchestra project was a collaboration between Music Generation programmes in Louth, Cavan Monaghan & Meath Oriel Centre, Dundalk Gaol (Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Regional Centre for the Northeast).
Under the leadership of the exceptionally creative, fun, and talented Lisa Canny, the members of the Nasc Orchestra have been working together since February. Throughout the project the young people collaboratively composed and arranged original music and song for performance at Ceiliúradh Music Generation at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and Culture Night 2024
