Opening musical doors from hip hop to classical

Arts Week with Judy Murphy

Providing young people with an opportunity to get involved in making music, regardless of their economic background, is a key aim of the Music Generation organisation. Music Generation is a nationwide educational network, which has two branches in Galway – one in the county, which was set up in 2011 and a more recent one in the city, set up last year.

Music Generation Galway City is currently involved in an initiative to deliver free hip-hop workshops for young people. These online workshops are being given by the multi-cultural Atmos Collective and are being funded by Music Generation Galway City and Galway 2020, European Capital of Culture.

Separate to that, Music Generation Galway City is setting up a new after-school hub, which will open in the city in September, explains the organisation’s Music Development Officer Karen Dervan.

The hip hop workshops, hosted by members of the Atmos group will take place on Zoom next month – on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, August 10, 12 and 14, from noon to 2pm daily.

This collective is made up of Galway-based artists from culturally diverse backgrounds who share and celebrate different voices and languages through music, film, spoken word and theatre.

On August 10, 12 and 14, twelve young people, aged 11-15, will come together online with members of Atmos and be taught how to write lyrics, create beats and compose music.

These workshops are part of Galway Sound Harvest, the latest project from Atmos, which was developed in association with the city’s Black Gate Cultural Centre, which is funded under Galway 2020’s Small Towns Big Ideas programme and Music Generation Galway City.

The plan is to create an original album and video, involving the collective and young collaborators.

The Atmos Collective will continue this series of youth and community music workshops, artistic collaborations and hip-hop ‘pop-up shops’ in different locations across the city and county this year and next, as they work to produce an album based on the project.

And while that’s ongoing, Music Generation Galway City is also setting up an after-school music hub for children and young people, which will kick off in September.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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