Joanna Crooks, President
Joanna Crooks founded the Dublin Youth Orchestra in 1981, the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras (IAYO) in 1994, and the Jeunesses Musicales Ireland in 1995, and devised the IAYO Festival of Youth Orchestras in 1996, and has played many key executive roles since then to ensure their consistent success. She has toured all over Europe, in Canada and in the USA with the youth orchestras, giving young Irish musicians invaluable international experience.
Board Members
Laoise O’Brien, Chair
Laoise O’Brien divides her time between her music production company and her career-long championing of the recorder. She studied flute at the College of Music in Dublin, recorder at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and holds a Masters in musicology from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.
For the past twenty years she has promoted the recorder through concert performances, education, recording, and broadcasting, working with all the major ensembles and arts organisations in Ireland. She has traveled extensively throughout the country performing at festivals, concert series, and as part of educational projects.
Since 2015 Laoise has enjoyed a successful career as a music producer working on multiple recording projects, mostly in the classical and folk music genres. In addition to producing music for albums, video, radio and podcast, Laoise has delivered workshops and talks on the art of recording in the hope of encouraging a greater understanding of what happens behind the glass. She is regularly engaged as a consultant for national organisations on diverse topics including education, media production, and performance skills, and holds a part-time position at TU Dublin Conservatoire.
Laoise lives with her family in Kilkenny City where they enjoy being part of a vibrant cultural community. Laoise is on the programming committee of Music in Kilkenny and sits on the Local Music Education Partnership of Music Generation Kilkenny.
Visit her website at www.laoiseobrien.com.
Kathrine Barnecutt
Kathrine Barnecutt was born in Belfast, grew up in Yorkshire and has lived and worked in Manchester, Borneo, Dublin and Limerick.
From 2014-2024, Kathrine was the Manager of the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s Sing Out with Strings initiative where she designed and delivered their curriculum in association with the musicians and artistic vision of the Irish Chamber orchestra. Responsibilities included coordinating the overall teaching content, organising visiting artists in schools, raising necessary funds for the programme, project management and producing concerts.
Kathrine has worked as a community musician with Manchester’s “Music Unlimited” company, and taught violin, viola and chamber music at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music’s Junior Department, Music and Movement classes for the Dublin Institute of Technology and Birmingham Conservatoire’s Junior Department.
She has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education from Manchester Metropolitan University, in association with the Junior Strings Programme at the Royal Northern College (specialising in String pedagogy Dalcroze/Kodaly.) She is a founder member of the Dalcroze society in Ireland and facilitates workshops for Music Generation’s Professional Development Programme.
As a violist, Kathrine held a position with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra from 2008-2014 and has played with numerous orchestras including the Hallé, Irish Composers Collective, Crash Ensemble, Ulster Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. She has performed live on BBC television and radio, RTE’s Arena arts programme, RTE Television, BBC Proms and recorded albums with Altan, Corine Bailey-Rae, Akeanos ensemble, Arun Ghosh and with the experimental Owl Ensemble for Paul Heaton at the Manchester International Festival. She has also played viola solo with the acclaimed Dublin-based alt-folk bands, Mary and the Pigeons and the Rhubarb Sisters.
Kathrine is currently based in Limerick and divides her time between being a mum to 2 young children, teaching and performing.
Avril Crotty
Avril Crotty is the founder and conductor of Ériu Orchestra and Deputy Conductor of the Dublin Symphony Orchestra. Known for her collaborative and approachable leadership, she fosters an environment where musicians thrive. Avril strives to emphasise Irish classical music, especially works by Irish women composers, bringing fresh perspectives to each project.
Her experience spans classical music, contemporary works, and musical theatre productions like Sister Act and The Addams Family. Avril’s qualifications include degrees from MTU Cork School of Music, the University of Westminster, UCD, NUI Galway, and Pulse College. She has also trained with renowned conductors such as Marin Alsop, Robert Houlihan and Tim Redmond.
Avril honed her skills in commercial orchestral recording at FAME’S, a leading studio. She has a strong background in performing arts and live event management, serving as director before the age of 30. She has previously worked with the Irish Memory Orchestra, Wicklow County Council Arts Office, Music Generation and The Gaiety School of Acting and has been a judge for the Digital Media Awards for the past five years.
She is currently working with The Arts Council’s Creative Schools programme, promoting arts in young people’s lives. As a cellist, Avril has performed nationally and internationally at venues including WhelWhelan’s, The Dublin Fringe Festival, Thomond Park and The Late Late Show.
Liam Daly, Treasurer
Liam was a member of the Artane Boys Band from the age of 9 and studied French Horn with Victor Malirish at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra, National Wind Ensemble and National Youth Choir. He obtained a Diploma in Advanced Music Studies, an LTCL Performance Diploma on French Horn and a BA Music from Waterford Institute of Technology.
Liam has worked extensively with youth bands and wind ensembles in Ireland and was Music Director of the Barrack Street Concert Band Waterford, Carlow Choral Society, Mayfield Brass Band, Dungarvan Brass Band, Athlone and Fermoy musical societies and conducted the Ruckert Orchestra and the Cork Symphony Orchestra. Liam took up a commission with the Irish Defence Forces in 1989 and served 14 years where he was Office Commanding and Music Director of the Band of the Western Brigade Athlone and the Band of the Southern Brigade Cork. In 2004 he took up a commission the Australian Defence Forces where he was Second in Command/Deputy Music Director of the Australian Army Band Melbourne, Officer Commanding/Music Director of the Australian Army Bands Darwin and Perth. While in Darwin he worked at Darwin University teaching at a youth orchestral music programme and directed the Darwin Symphony Orchestra.
Since returning to Ireland in 2008, Liam has taught in Saint Canices Co-Ed National School, Kilkenny, Coolcotts in Wexford and at the Redemptorist Centre of Music, Limerick. Liam was conductor of the University of Limerick Orchestra from 2012 to 2019 and of the Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra (ISWO) for 3 years. He currently teaches brass and theory at the Limerick School of Music. Liam is the events manager for Discover Ireland Tours and organises concerts for international ensembles. He is the administrator of the Symphony Club of Waterford (SCOW) where he organises up to 6 concerts a year in Waterford.
Liam is married to Veronica and lives in Kilmeaden, County Waterford.
Anne Gannon
A native of Dublin, Anne (Beausang) Gannon studied the violin under Herbert Poche between 1974 and 1981 at the DIT College of Music [TU Dublin] where she completed her Grade 8 Associated Board Examinations. During her student years, Anne played with a number of musical ensembles including the Junior Irish Youth Orchestra and the Dublin Orchestral Players.
Now living in Cork, Anne continues to play and is a member of the Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra. Anne currently holds the position of HR Manager at University College Cork and has completed a BSc Management, MSc (Commerce) and PhD (pending).
Anne would be delighted to work with the IAYO board as she is a strong advocate for the enjoyment, social interaction and educational benefits associated with youth orchestral playing, having experienced this first hand as a performer and observing her own three children progress through the Cork Youth Orchestra.
Anna Rosa Mari
Anna Rosa Mari is the CEO of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland.
With experience in arts management, music education, and performance, she previously worked with the Orchestras of the Americas Group, in capacities including Academic Director of OAcademy Conservatory, Strategist, and Advisor, leading in programme design, strategic development, curriculum and international partnerships.
Anna studied at the Royal Northern College of Music (MMUS, BMUS). During her career as a flautist, she performed extensively as a chamber and orchestral musician with orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic, The Hallé, Manchester Camerata, and Ulster Orchestra, and was a flute tutor in various departments, including at the University of Salford.
Katharine Mac Mághnuis
Katharine is a co-founder and the CEO of Athenry Music School, a not-for-profit community music school that houses eight orchestras and choirs, a chamber music programme, and serves over 600 students. She is ardent in her promotion of youth ensemble music making having founded her first youth orchestra 30 years ago. She continues to conduct and compose as director of the Athenry Youth Orchestra programme and is a co-founder and Director of the OURchestra Summer Camp.
Katharine is an active chamber musician and orchestral player; a founding member of Luminosa Orchestra and was appointed deputy leader of the Irish Memory Orchestra in 2017. She also enjoys playing with Vespera, Galway’s Baroque Orchestra, and is an avid traditional fiddler. She is passionate about increasing quality and access to all levels of music education and promoting opportunities for professional development.
Matthew Toal
Matthew Toal is a qualified Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and practises full time as an actuary in his hometown of Belfast. Alongside his career in the financial services industry, Matthew is the General Manager of the Queen’s University Symphony Orchestra (QUSO), a local amateur orchestra based in Queen’s University Belfast. With his friend and colleague, conductor Adam McCambridge, Matthew led the Orchestra’s re-build following the pandemic, implementing a new management structure, social media presence and culture. Matthew was himself a student at Queen’s, studying Actuarial Science & Risk Management from 2015 to 2019. During his time in university, Matthew played in QUSO and studied violin under the tutelage of Jonathan Griffin of the Ulster Orchestra.
As a violinist, Matthew has toured the USA and Europe on several occasions and has played with many leading amateur orchestras across Ireland, including the Ulster Youth Orchestra, the Esker Festival Orchestra and the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra. He has twice performed in IAYO Festival of Youth Orchestras in the National Concert Hall and in the Youth Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, London. He holds an Associate of the Royal Schools of Music diploma in Violin Performance and continues to play violin with his own string quartet, the Claremont Quartet.
Matthew is a firm believer in the benefits of music education, and in particular ensemble experience, in fostering the skills and attributes in young people that help develop successful careers. He hopes to use his time on the IAYO Board to positively promote orchestral opportunities for young people and support the continuing effort to ensure orchestral music is properly valued across the island.
Mark Thomas
Mark graduated from Dublin City University with a BA in Accounting & Finance in 2018. He went on to work as an auditor for KPMG for the next four years where he worked on a number of high-profile clients. While in KPMG Mark balanced both work and study, as he completed his professional accountancy exams. After joining Chartered Accountants Ireland, Mark left KPMG in the summer of 2022 to go traveling and later accepted a full-time position with CRH as a Financial Analyst in November 2022.
Outside of the business world Mark is an active orchestral player currently playing with the City of Dublin Chamber Orchestra and The Hibernian Orchestra. Mark studied with both Loretto Nelson and Maeve Broderick and went on to work as a violin teacher while in college while also tutoring with Dublin Youth Orchestra until the summer of 2023.
