The Sligo Academy of Music Sinfonietta, Jazz Orchestra and Summerhill College Choir travelled to Prague on Thursday, March 13 to take part in the Young Bohemia Prague Festival 2016.
Eighty students representing Sligo took part in competitions for Symphony Orchestras, Jazz Orchestra’s and Boys Choirs. The festival had participating ensembles from 16 different countries.
All three Sligo ensembles received Sliver Level performance awards from this prestigious International Youth Music Festival. It was not only an incredible achievement for Sligo, but the Sinfonetta and Jazz Orchestra are the first Irish orchestras to achieve Silver Level performance awards in the 13-year history of the festival.
The Students of Summerhill College and Sligo Academy of Music were tremendous ambassadors participating in many events in the Czech capital and finishing their tour with a well-deserved day of relaxation bobsleighing.
The festival was a wonderful opportunity for music making but also for making friends and future collaborations. Summerhill College Choir will soon be participating in an exchange with a top class school choir from Omagh.
For a chance to see the orchestra in the near future they are really looking forward to their performance again this year in the Kieran Quinn theme night “Piano Man” in the Hawks Well from May 4-6 and also in the Gala Concert with the Army Band and County Sligo Golf Club Male Voice Choir on Thursday, June 2 in the Radisson Hotel, Sligo.
For more photos from the event, see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper – in shops now.
