Press Release

Date: Friday 14 October 2005 (NR/26/05)

'Score' - a celebration of outstanding musical talent in NI schools

Some of Northern Ireland ’s brightest young musicians will celebrate this Friday night at the ‘Score’ concert in the NTL Studio at Belfast ’s Waterfront Hall. The musical extravaganza will showcase the best and most entertaining performances and compositions from the CCEA’s summer 2005 GCSE and AS level music examinations

The annual concert is organised by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and sponsored by Dawsons, the UK 's largest retailer of musical instruments. Featuring everything from jazz to bagpipes, classical compositions and the unusual Chinese instrument, the Guzheng, the ‘Score’ concert truly is a celebration of outstanding, diverse musical talent, styles and culture.

Gavin Boyd , Chief Executive of CCEA, commented;

“I am looking forward to welcoming these young performers to what has become one of the highlights of the education calendar. Score is a truly wonderful event, giving talented young people the opportunity to perform in front of their friends, families and teachers. We all will be extremely proud to watch them take to the stage.

Amongst the evening’s highlights is a unique performance by a young lady who only moved to Northern Ireland from China three years ago. She plays a traditional Chinese composition on the Guzheng, an unusual instrument rather like a harp.

A traditional Grúpa Ceoil fuses pop and traditional styles, whilst classical instrumentalists, solo singers and a young vocalist from Ballygowan, who recently performed on the ITV1 series the X Factor, also feature in the line-up.

I’m sure everyone involved will leave with a new-found appreciation for the outstanding musical talent and creativity being that is being nurtured in our schools.”

William Thompson, Education Manager of Dawsons Music comments;

“As the biggest supplier of musical equipment to Northern Ireland ’s schools Dawsons is very pleased to sponsor CCEA’s ‘Score’ concert. As a former music teacher I am delighted to be associated with an event which seeks to recognise and encourage young musicians in our schools.”

Score will take place, Friday 14 October, in the NTL Studio at Belfast ’s Waterfront Hall at 7.30pm .

Score

CCEA would like to take this opportunity to thank all the performers and composers, their teachers, parents and family members for contributing to the success of this year’s Score concert.

We would also like to thank Floralearth for donating the floral arrangements.

Date: Friday 14 October 2005

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: NTL Studio, Waterfront Hall, Belfast

 

Performers at Score 2005 are as follows:

Performer(s) School

Ballymena Academy Jazz Band

Alison Beattie, clarinet

Sarah Kernohan, trumpet

Stewart McIlrath, tenor Saxophone

Andrea McNeill, trombone

Claire Ferguson, double bass

Michael Dornan, piano

Matthew Parkinson, drums

Ballymena Academy

Laura Cosgrove, Oboe (with piano accompaniment)

Sacred Heart Grammar School , Newry

Jonathan McGuinness, keyboards and Richard Lappin, guitar

 

Lismore Comprehensive School , Craigavon

Mairiosa Biddle, vocals (with piano accompaniment)

Lumen Christi College , Derry

Methodist College String Quartet

Stephen Heagney, violin

Matthew Murphy, violin

Priya Nayar, viola

James Parish, cello

Methodist College , Belfast

Michael McNeill, guitar

 

Sullivan Upper School , Holywood

Tommy So, piano

 

Methodist College , Belfast

Grúpa Ceoil

Fiddles: Maeve Dundas, Clara Treacy, Claire McGrath

Concertina: Shauna Moore

Accordian: Catherine Mulligan

Flute: Emma Smyth

Tin Whistle: Ciara Reihill

Piano & Vocals: Carina Ferguson

Bodhran: Donna Moynagh

Mount Lourdes Grammar School , Enniskillen

Daniel Hasson, Scottish pipes and Brian Hasson, side drum

St Columb’s College, Derry

Ensemble

Michael Olatunji, alto saxophone

Orla McElhone, vocals

Kristam Moffett, drums

(with piano accompaniment)

Dominican College , Portstewart

Steven Alexander, clarinet (with piano accompaniment)

Ballymena Academy

Arron Pollock, vocals (with piano accompaniment)

Lagan College , Belfast

Danielle Rogan, flute (with piano accompaniment)

Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry

Suspects, band

Giulio Vaccaro, drums

Ronan McGarrigle, guitar

Patrick McGinley, guitar

Paul Tully, bass/vocals

Holy Cross College , Strabane

Wang Zhu Hui, the Guzheng

Glengormley High School

Stephen Heagney, violin (with piano accompaniment)

Methodist College , Belfast

The Bangor Grammar Concert Band

Flutes: Brian Robb, Ross Carson

Clarinets: Matthew Irwin, Patrick Baird, Eduard Zatriqi, Omar Zatriqi

Bassoons: Craig McDowell, Mark Dunne

Saxophone: Owen Loftus

Trumpets: Colin McIlhagga, Andrew Flack, Stephen Robinson

Horns: Adam McClure, Matthew Crawford

Euphonium: Jamie Clegg

Trombones: Rory Ingham, Robin Gordon, Kevin Baird

Tubas: Graham Hegan, David Mailey

Drums, Gary Beggs

Oboe: William Baker

Bangor Grammar School

 

Media enquiries to Ruth Maguire on (028) 9026 1216, Mobile 07796947993. E mail rhmaguire@ccea.org.uk


ENDS

 

Note to Editors

CCEA is the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.

CCEA places learners and those who have a concern for their educational and personal development at the forefront of its thinking. CCEA's mission is:
"To enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised"

What we do

CCEA is a unique educational body in the UK , bringing together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment.

Advising Government – on what should be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools and colleges.

Monitoring Standards – ensuring that the qualifications and examinations offered by awarding bodies in Northern Ireland are of an appropriate quality and standard.

Awarding Qualifications

– as Northern Ireland’s leading awarding body we offer a diverse range of qualifications, such as GCSEs, including the new GCSE Double Award specifications in vocational subjects, GCE A and AS levels, Entry Level Qualifications, and Graded Objectives in Modern Languages.

- CCEA also offers a range of Awards and Certificates in Education, Training and Skills (ACETS) targeted at learners who want to get
the knowledge, understanding and skills needed
to hit the ground running in the world of work.