Tickets for the Irish Aviation Authority Festival of Youth Orchestras go on sale from the National Concert Hall from Monday 7 December. We have changed the ticket pricing structure this year in a way that we hope will bring more young people along to the events. Tickets start at 7.50 Euro for children with full price tickets at 15 Euro. There are also family tickets available for both concerts at 40 Euro.

This year’s line-up has representative orchestras from the two pilot projects of the Music Network report A National System of Local Music Education and we hope that representatives from VECs and arts offices from around the country will come to hear them – County Donegal Youth Orchestra and Kylemore College Orchestra will play in the afternoon performance. The evening concert will see a performance by the newly re-formed NYOI Camerata who will be directed by Fionnuala Hunt in a selectioin from her Tangos and Dances.

We have just one first-timer in the Festival this year. St Peter’s College in Dunboyne won a 2005 IAYO achievement award for the orchestra for the ‘Strings for All’ programme in their school. It’s also the first time the Symphony Orchestra of Dublin Youth Orchestras will have performed at the Festival although we have had all the other DYO ensembles performing in the Festival in the past. We also have the welcome return of the County Tipperary Ryan Youth Orchestra, Galway Youth Orchestra and the County Wexford Youth Orchestra.

Afternoon Performance - 3pm
County Tipperary Ryan Youth Orchestra
County Donegal Youth Orchestra
St Peter’s College Dunboyne
Kylemore College Orchestra

Evening Performance - 8pm
County Wexford Youth Orchestra
Galway Youth Orchestra
DYO Symphony Orchestra
NYOI Camerata