14 From the Heart
Paul Keenan

One hardly needed fluency in homophonic textures or counterpoints to be aware that something rather special was happening in St Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle, on February 26th. On that night, Second Level students and their music teachers from across the country gathered in a grand setting beneath crystal chandeliers and golden colonnades to hear their own compositions performed by the National Chamber Choir for the 2002 'Composition Workshops' Concert.

The concert was the culmination of two year's work by the NCC with students to 'bring to life' the most promising choral compositions from a wealth of talent across Ireland.

The project, now in its ninth year, works on a two-year cycle whereby members of the National Chamber Choir visit Second Level schools to lead improvisation workshops in Year One. Then, in the second year, students are invited to compose a three-minute work to be rehearsed, performed and recorded by the Choir at its home venue in DCU, and other venues around the country.

Finally, 14 works are selected for the February concert. From this shortlist, adjudicators decide on one recipient of the Gerard Victory Memorial Commission, an award of EUR650 intended to allow the chosen composer to attend lessons with a professional composer and compose a further work for the National Chamber Choir. All students receive certificates for their composition, and works are eligible for inclusion in portfolios of students taking Composition as their Higher Elective in the Leaving Certificate.

From a heady list of inspirations, such as Seamus Heany, Emily Dickinson, Walter de La Mare, and U2, this year's composers presented a range of compositions and styles to challenge the NCC. Over the course of the evening, the Choir found itself delivering haunting choral works ranging from traditional to jazz to gospel, a mix described by Conductor Colin Mawby as both "challenging and fun."

Mary Ryan, music teacher with Ardee Community School, which was responsible for two works on the night, was full of praise for the "perfection of delivery" by the 17-member Choir. Regarding her own students, she was quick to remind that all had worked "over and above class time during Leaving Cert prepartion to be here."

Choir member Warwick Harte was equal in his praise for the young composers, describing the "truly high achievement of 17 and 18 year olds who only a year or two previously had never written a piece of music. It feels great to have helped them achieve something so worthwhile."

The night's Gerard Victory recipient was Garret Sholdice, a sixth year student at St Andrew's College in Booterstown, whose piece, entitled "Lines from 'Song'" was based on stanzas from the Alan Ginsberg 1954 poem 'Song'.

Following the award, Garret, overwhelmed by emotion and the throng of well-wishers, spoke of his "double pleasure of hearing my own work performed, and then of winning the award." Garret hopes to study Music Theory at Third level this year.

The compositions performed at the concert will be broadcast on Lyric FM's 'Lyric Breakfast' at 8.10 a.m. each Tuesday and Thursday from April 4th to May 21st.

For more information on the National Chamber Choir, visit its website at www.dcu.ie/chamber/index.shtml