Music Matters

Inclusive Community Choir

Newsletter May 2014

Musical Director: Grinne OGrady www.facebook.com/inclusivechoir
e: inclusivechoir@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/musicmatters2012
M: 087-9803020
www.musicmatters.ie www.twitter.com/InclusiveChoir
www.musicmatterschoir.blogspot.ie
www.meetup.com/Music-Matters-Inclusive-Choir-Dublin

Rehearsal Venue: MACRO Building, 1 Green St, Dublin 7 (Every Wednesday 7.00 9.00 PM)
April was an active and interesting month for Music Matters Inclusive Community Choir!

The Forget-Me-Nots, the latest choir directed by Grinne OGrady, had their official
launch in Baldoyle
Singing at the National Stroke Survivors Conference at Croke Park
At the end of April, the Music Matters choirs celebrated our Second Birthday
There was also a Sing-a-Thon sponsored singing event at The Beerhouse in Capel
St, which raised funds to support Music Matters in covering our weekly operating costs
Forget-Me-Nots Choir: Official Launch
On Tuesday 8
th
April, The Forget-Me-Nots Choir had their Official Launch in Baldoyle
Community Hall. Following on from the success of the "Musical Memories" choirs in
Deansgrange and Stillorgan, this is the third choir aimed at Older People, especially those with
dementia.

Some senior staff from Fingal County Council attended the launch, as well as Elayne Devlin, an
award-winning documentary maker and producer of "The Late Late Show". She has chosen to
record a radio documentary about The Forget-Me-Nots for RTE Radio "Documentary on One".

There was also an intergenerational aspect, as the 4
th
class from St Laurences National
School, and their teacher, Ms Kelly, joined in with the festivities. The children performed their
own rendition of the Andrew-Lloyd Webber composition Memory from Cats and joined in with
other favourites such as Que Sera Sera and Bring me Sunshine. They will attend rehearsals
on a regular basis.

All photographs were taken by Kay Cairns, who has kindly offered her skills and talents to
capture so many choral events and concerts. Visit: www.kaycairns.com

The Forget-Me-Nots project relies on funding, donations and fundraising. Donations, volunteers
& fundraising always welcomed!

The Forget-Me-Nots is proudly supported by: Fingal County Council Arts Office and The Daily
Profit, Baldoyle Print, Crazy Daisy Florist and Morning Fresh Confectionery (all based in
Baldoyle). For more info, visit: www.forgetmenots.ie or www.facebook.com/forgetmenotsIE


National Stroke Survivors Conference
On Thursday 10
th
April, some members of
Music Matters performed at the 2nd Annual
Stroke Survivors conference.

This year, the event moved to the bigger and
better venue of the Croke Park Conference
Centre in Dublin. Over 250 people attended
presentations, interactive workshops and trade
demonstrations led by healthcare
professionals, support groups and stroke
survivors themselves.

We would like to thank Emma-Jane Morrissey
from the Irish Heart Foundation for inviting us.
Also, thanks to Barry Dempsey, CEO of Irish
Heart Foundation, who is a relative of one of
our members, Noel Brady, and the volunteers
who also posed for photos with us

Music Matters celebrates 2
nd
Birthday
On 25
th
April 2012, Music Matters Inclusive
Community Choir had our first rehearsal in
the National League of the Blind of Ireland.
Little did we know we would appear on Irish
TV - thanks to Margaret Farrelly, of Clonarn
Clover & OEgg Free Range Eggs for her
very generous donation on RTE1s "The
Secret Millionaire
Dublin City Council have provided us with our
own office space in Smithfield and funding to
record our debut album with our friends in
Ossia Youth Choir at Axis Ballymun, which
has been truly wonderful to all of us.
We would like to thank all of our friends and
followers, everyone who has provided
valuable support through volunteering and
fundraising, and of course, our members and
their families for their dedication to the choir
over the past two years.
This photo is of a cake
which was made by the
amazingly talented
Joyanne Rudiak, who
returned home to
Edmonton in Canada
before last Christmas.
She is very greatly
missed by everyone at
Music Matters!



Sing-a-Thon at The Beerhouse
On Sunday 27
th
April, members of Music Matters gathered at The Beerhouse, Capel St, Dublin
1, for the return of our sponsored singing event: The Sing-a-Thon.
This was an afternoon event, with music, singing and an Easter-themed raffle at the end.
Special thanks to:
The Beerhouse for providing us with a room and a stage
Our volunteers: Aidan, Yessika, Frankie and Elaine
Jennifer Sullivan for her beautiful violin solos
Kay Cairns for coming along to take photographs
All of our audience members and those who bought raffle tickets
Staff at the Macro Community Resource Centre,
especially Dave, who promoted our raffle and sold tickets






Due to the generosity of our audience members, everyone who bought raffle tickets and
everyone who sponsored our members to take part, we raised a grand total of:

232.54
This will be used towards the weekly operating costs of our inclusive community choirs,
and will help us to Share the Joy of Music with ALL!