Liber8 Music Programme

Hello, my name is Conor Redmond. I am a Transition Year student, one of the few who attended Liber8 music programme, run by BIMM (British and Irish Music Institute). The program was suggested to us  by our Music teacher, Ms Murphy. Ms Murphy sent myself, Eoin Marlow, Max Carolan, Craig Rooney as well as some 5th years. 

We started attending the Liber8 programme in Late October. Every Wednesday we would navigate ourselves to an area in Thomas Street called “The Digital Hub”, we soon learned  a few other schools would be in attendance. Whilst there our instructors gave us macbooks and taught us about producing music. We learnt sampling, creating beats and melody, mixing audio, different techniques used in producing as well as what programmes you can use. We used GarageBand to do all of the above listed.

Every Friday we would go to one of the Bimm Buildings on Francis Street in the Liberties. We were  divided into 4 groups, Vocalists, Guitarists, Bassists and Drummers. Although I signed up as vocalist for my first choice, I ended up with my second choice, drumming. I met a few other drummers there, some just starting and others with a year or two’s experience. Us drummers got to use the Live Room where the performances were held as it was the only one with a drum kit while the other  groups were taken to a random room to practice.

The programme ran until early December. For the finale we held a concert.  Everyone was taught 3 songs “The White stripes - Seven Nation Army”, “Fleetwood Mac - Dreams” & “Radiohead - Creep”.  Parents were invited to attend and they gathered together into the Live Room and we were put into overlapping groups. 1 Drummer was assigned Dreams, 2 were assigned Creep and 2 were assigned Seven Nation Army. I could’ve gone for Creep but the other two drummers really wanted to do Creep due the emotion of the song. I had noticed that many of the drummers had done bland drumming, not bad, not bad at all. But there was little to no energy as they played, in an attempt to look cool by acting like what they were doing was really easy and took little to no effort. However, I had a different style. Inspired by some of the greats in drumming such as Keith Moon, John Bonham and Dave Grohl, I decided to try to stand out. I am a skilled drummer, but Seven Nation Army was a simple song, so if I wanted to impress the audience I would need to use a style often referred to as “Explosive Drumming”, a style characterized by hard and aggressive hits, exaggerated movements and flailing, headbanging, and an overall theatrical energy.

Before the show I decided to slip into something a little more theatrical as well. Black shorts, a white button-up school shirt with matching school tie. An outfit inspired by Angus Young of ACDC. So there we were, a room full of crowded parents and all of us just waiting in the front row for our shot. Before we performed, our music from the Wednesday classes was played for them. Before and during the show we all gave each other words of encouragement and praise in order to kill the nerves, but the nerves were still there nonetheless. The show opened with a drumming newbie playing Seven Nation Army, then Creep, then Dreams, the Creep again. I was to end the show with my performance, but right after that, to everyone’s surprise, one of the groups had actually made an original song together. It was a nice song to say the least. The drummer Nathan decided to end the song in a spectacular way, lots of speed and good fills. It dawned upon me that I was to be the one to try to end the show after THAT. And as the song was called, I marched up to the kit, grabbed my sticks, and tried to prepare myself. I looked at the audience and knew that if I didn’t go big at that moment, it would be a waste of an ending. And so I went big as I could, I hit the drums with might, flailing my arms with each hit, trying to make the biggest show out of such a simple song. Every chorus was full of energy. It looked as if I was fighting the kit. And as the song progressed, I kept adding more and more to make it any bit less dull. And once the ending came around, and after a big fill, I mashed the cymbals as fast as I could, the clashing of the sticks and cymbals sounded like a symphony to me,  and I ended by mindlessly hitting anything on the kit I could with the sticks, the fill was so chaotic I ended up knocking over the floor tom of the drumkit and falling off the seat!

In the end we gathered for the bows and received our applause. I was told how good it was after. It felt right. I would highly recommend the Liber8 programme for future TY students. And that’s my story.

Conor Redmond

By Marcus Gapasim

Hello, my name is Marcus Gapasim and I am a fifth year student doing Music for my Leaving Cert. I play the guitar and study music in Drimnagh Castle. Many of the music students meet up during lunch break in the music room to play songs or try out new instruments. This is a great time to learn a new song, try a new instrument or just hang out with other students that like music. Many of us performed at our Open Evening in September. The Open Evening was a huge opportunity for me and other students who study music because it gave us a chance to perform in front of an audience and play the different genres of music we are interested in.

The people who performed at the Open Evening were a mix of students from 1st year to 6th year. To start off the Open Evening, we had Harry Dardis, Jake Doyle, Joseph Balogun, Samuel Greene McMahon and Ciaran Murray perform in a band in front of the Parents and Primary School kids. We had Ryan Vu perform on guitar, and we also had a past pupil Jack Nolan play the bass in the band. Our Junior Cycle students Mason Mooney and Alfie Behan played the electric guitar and an electro acoustic guitar. Leonardo Valente and his sister Isabella from the Assumption Secondary School performed a violin duet and even some Primary school kids performed with our group. 

The room was filled with parents and primary school kids and the atmosphere was very lively throughout the entire day. Everybody who performed throughout the evening had a great time and everyone who was watching had a great time. I hope that this Music Open Evening may make some future first years choose Music for one of their subjects. 

The following 6th year studnets are involved in busking in aid of Focus Ireland this Christmas: Jake Doyle, Samuel Greene, Kacper Malecki, Ciarán Murray & Calum Colgan. On Friday the 13th of December they will be playing and singing Christmas songs as part of 'the journey home' in Heuston station for commuters coming in and out of Dublin. They have been practicing for a few weeks for this and the first years have been busy critiquing their playing. All proceeds collected are going to help those at risk of homelessness or currently homeless.