Music Matters Inclusive Community Choir Newsletter February 2014

Musical Director: Grinne OGrady www.facebook.com/inclusivechoir e: inclusivechoir@gmail.com www.facebook.com/musicmatters2012 M: 087-9803020 www.musicmatters.ie www.twitter.com/InclusiveChoir www.musicmatterschoir.blogspot.ie www.meetup.com/Music-Matters-Inclusive-Choir-Dublin

Rehearsal Venue: MACRO Building, 1 Green St, Dublin 7 (Every Wednesday 7.00 9.00 PM) January was a fantastic month for Music Matters Inclusive Community Choir! The New Year is getting off to a flying start, as we are learning I did it my way by Frank Sinatra, Katy Perrys Roar and the Irish folk song called The Gypsy Rover We are also delighted to welcome all of the new singers and volunteers who joined us over the past month Music Matters is always looking for new volunteers to help with marketing, event management, fundraising, admin, book keeping and helping to make and burn practice CDs! Hours are flexible and can be either from home or our office in Blackhall Resource Centre, Smithfield, Dublin 7, which we can use Mon-Thurs 9.30am-2.30pm. Please email: volunteers@musicmatters.ie if you have a couple of hours a week to spare and you want to get involved! Katherine Lynch- Songs from Settling Dust Axis Ballymun has teamed up with Music Matters, once again!! Comedienne-turned-singer, Katherine Lynch (of The Wagons Den) will perform songs from her debut album, Songs from Settling Dust - a live presentation of exceptional music, original songs and some show stopping covers including On Raglan Road (her dark hair). During this show-stopping moment, through the wonders of technology, Katherine manages to duet with her grand uncle, the poet and author Patrick Kavanagh. Obviously while the presentation is musically authentic, you can expect a few hilarious anecdotes and introductions throughout the show. Its Katherine Lynch after all! Axis Ballymun Friday 28th February 2014 @ 8.00 PM http://www.axis-ballymun.ie/theatre/Default.4255.html

Music Matters will perform with Katherine for part of the concert Tickets are 15.00 for EVERY ticket bought through Music Matters the choir will receive a 5.00 donation Tickets can be bought from us through cash, at our rehearsals, through PayPal or through bank transfer: collect on the night For more info, please visit: www.facebook.com/musicmatters2012 Or email: grainne@musicmatters.ie

Awards Ceremony at the Mansion House

On Friday 17th January 2014, three of Music Matters' finest ladies represented the choir at an Awards Ceremony for Volunteer and Community Workers who are based in Dublin City Council community centres.
Music Matters was represented by Grinne O'Grady (Musical Director), Elaine Caul (Social Media & Communications Manager) and Denise Hosford, our most dedicated choir member who has never missed any rehearsals, since the choir was founded almost 2 years ago. We would like to thank the staff at St Paul's Recreation Centre, Blackhall St, Smithfield, Dublin 7 for nominating us for this award. Councillor Oisn Quinn, Lord Mayor of Dublin, presented all the award winners with a crystal vase.

Image Credit: www.jasonclarkephotography.ie

Image credit: www.jasonclarkephotography.ie

We were also delighted to see our former member, Dominic O'Neill, who won an award for his valuable commitment to his local community centre in Dominick St, Dublin 1. His special guests were none other than Dave Collins - Music Matters' very own Santa Claus and Donnagh Byrne, who is well known to many of our choir members and has come along to many choir events. Musical Memories Choirs Latest Update Grinne O'Grady, Musical Director of Music Matters is delighted to announce that her contract with the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the Musical Memories Choirs for Older People, especially those with dementia, has been renewed until December 2014, following the success of the pilot project. The hard work has definitely been worth it! These choirs are currently funded by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, HSE Arts and Health Partnership and Living Well With Dementia Stillorgan-Blackrock. Rehearsals take place every Thursday in Deansgrange Library (11.00 AM - 12.30 PM) and every Saturday in St Raphael's Convent, Stillorgan (11.00 AM - 12.30 PM) Grinne plans to start another branch of Musical Memories, with funding from Fingal County Council, in Baldoyle, Dublin 13. She hopes that this project will be up and running by March 2014. If you or anyone you know would like to join, please email: grainne@musicmatters.ie All "Musical Memories" choirs are looking for volunteers and guest musicians to get involved! If you can help out in any way, please email: grainne@musicmatters.ie