Students from St Michael’s College in Dublin recently had a visit from composer Fergus Johnston.

The visit was arranged through the Contemporary Music Centre’s Composers in Schools scheme, which encourages schools to arrange composer workshops or talks as the best way to bring new music to life for the students.

Philip McCann, a member of 6th Form 2 in the Junior School which is in Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4, sent this report on their workshop:

'The composer Fergus Johnston visited our class during Music Week. He taught us how to keep a good rhythm in different ways - by clapping, by playing instruments and even by stamping. He taught us how to make music describing different things like a volcano, an earthquake and the planets. My class worked on the theme of volcanoes. We started with peaceful music and then added rumbles with the drums and finally added a huge bang for the eruption.

'Fergus told us what it was like to be a composer and how when conducting, everybody in the orchestra is looking at you to see what to do. In my opinion, Fergus’s visit was great fun and we learned a lot about music.'

For teachers who would like to arrange a school visit, CMC can put you in touch with composers who are experienced in education work and assist in making the arrangements with them. You may find you have a 'local composer' living and working in your area, with whom ongoing links can be made.

To arrange for an Irish composer to visit your school, and for other education resources, visit the Education and Outreach section of this web site.

Posted: 12 December 2005