PICTURES: Japanese students visit Laois for three-day musical tour

USE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' BUTTON TO SEE MORE PICTURES

Young harpers from Kinjo Gaukin High School in Japan arrived in Laois for a three-day tour from Monday, March 23 to Wednesday, March 25.

Hosted by Music Generation Laois, the group of 38 harpers had a jam-packed schedule.

Their itinerary included a day in Dunamase College, where students and staff gave them a very Irish welcome, with Irish language classes, Gaelic football, a ceilí, musical performances and refreshments.

The Kinjo Gaukin High School Harp Ensemble also performed in Rath NS, Ballybrittas, where Music Generation Laois facilitates a weekly harp programme. Other events for the group of Japanese students included a ceilí in Laois Music Centre with Maureen Culleton, harp and bodhrán workshops, and a visit to Emo Court.

The visit ended with a collaborative harp concert in Laois Music Centre, featuring Music Generation Laois Junior and Senior harp ensembles and harpers from Kinjo Gaukin High School. Special guest, Laois harper Triona Marshall also performed alongside Siobhan Buckley who leads the Music Generation Laois Harp Programme.

Aibhlínn McCrann, Chairperson of Harp Ireland, Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation, and Muireann Ní Chonaill, Laois Arts Officer, were all in attendance for the collaborative harp concert to mark the end of the Japanese visit.

In 2023, 5 harpers from Music Generation Laois along with their teacher Siobhan Buckley went on a 10-day concert tour of Japan. The tour included a collaboration with Kinjo Gaukin High School Harp Ensemble.

Speaking about the visit to Laois, Music Development Officer with Music Generation Laois, Rosa Flannery said: “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Kinjo Gaukin High School. Our harpers now have a shared repertoire, which they can perform together. Bringing our young harpers and young harpers from Japan together, along with their teachers, is such an enriching cultural opportunity.

“We are most grateful to all schools, parents, guardians, the wider community, local and national organisations who provided such a warm welcome to our visitors.”

Take a look below at photos of the students' visit captured by photographer Alf Harvey.

Dunamase College teachers Ms Chloe Ní Ghealbháin and Ms Emily Lennox with Dunamase College students, Keris Bergin, Gráinne Heffernan, Dáire Ó Loinín, Ryan Cody Dempsey and Music Generation Laois' Gráinne Ní Dhuinn, Rosa Flannery and Siobhan Buckley alongside students and teachers from Kinjo Gakuin High School in Nagoya, Japan.