Music students strike a chord with leading Irish guitarist
Students on the BA (Hons) Music and Performance Technologies visited the Droichead Arts Centre in Drogheda in February to participate in a workshop with leading Irish guitarist Jim Murray in association with Music Network.
The students, who are all studying Irish traditional music as part of their degree programme, had the opportunity to play with Jim, who generously gave them advice on their approach to performance and arrangement.
Murray is one of the world’s leading traditional Irish guitar players. For over twenty years he has toured, performed and recorded with artists such as Sharon Shannon, Sinéad O’Connor, Steve Earle, Shane MacGowan, Séamus Begley, Mike McGoldrick, Altan and Mary Black. Jim also has a wealth of teaching experience both at home and internationally and has regularly been invited to give masterclasses around the world.
Murray was in Co. Louth for the Music Network tour where he is collaborating with renowned artists Kevin Burke, Dermot Byrne and Norianna Kennedy, as part of the National Touring Programme. DkIT are delighted again to collaborate with Music Network, Ireland’s national music touring and development organisation, founded by the Arts Council in 1986. They develop and run programmes that make high quality live music accessible to communities throughout Ireland and help musicians to develop fulfilling careers. For students at DkIT, opportunities such as this workshop highlight future graduate opportunities and enable them to become more aware of the important music ecosystem and sector that many of them aspire to work in.
The students expressed their enjoyment, remarking on how quickly the time went and the various lessons each of them could take from it. Jim’s creative and relaxed approach engaged everybody and complimented the learning style and programme aims at DkIT. Some of the students stayed on for the concert, enjoying a stellar night of music from some of Ireland’s leading artists in a wonderful local venue.
