Songwriting Events in Tralee

The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), in association with Carlton Hotel Tralee and Tralee Town Council, will host a series of music events this April in Tralee, Co. Kerry.  The idea for the events grew from the unveiling of the commemorative Christie Hennessy sculpture in Tralee town last October, which symbolises the town’s strong tradition in music. Among the events taking place will be a series of music workshops in local secondary schools, and a songwriting panel followed by live performances on Saturday 24th April at the Carlton Hotel Tralee. Fresh from the release of her new album, Songs My Father Taught Me, Christie Hennessy’s daughter, Hermione Hennessy, will be returning to her roots to participate in the songwriting panel.

Renowned singer-songwriter, Luán Parle, and producer, Gavin Ralston, will join IMRO in visiting secondary schools in the town throughout the week to provide intensive workshops on singing, song writing, instrumentation, music engineering, production, recording, touring and many other facets of the ever changing music industry.

The workshops will also cover the latest developments in the industry today including the growth of legitimate digital sales, the dangers and consequences related to illegal downloading and the rapid growth of web based social and music networking.

Local schools participating in the workshops include Presentation Secondary School, CBS The Green, Mercy Mounthawk, Gaelcholaiste Chiarraí and Tralee Community College. Artists from each of the schools will also be taking part in a live concert at the Carlton Hotel Tralee at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, which will be headlined by singer-songwriter, Luán Parle.

An IMRO representative will be available on a one-to-one basis on Tuesday afternoon (20th April) and Friday afternoon (23rd April) for any local IMRO members who would like to discuss their membership or artists interested in learning more about the organisation. To book an appointment, please contact membership@nullimro.ie indicating your preferred time.

Tuesday, 20th April 2010| 3pm – 4:30pm
Friday, 23rd April 2010| 2pm – 4pm
Carlton Hotel Tralee

On Saturday, 24th April, IMRO will host a songwriting panel for local artists at the Carlton Hotel Tralee. Panellists will include Angela Dorgan (First Music Contact), Hermione Hennessy (song-writer / Black & Blonde Management), Luán Parle (singer-songwriter), Gavin Ralston (producer/ sound engineer) and Sinead Troy (IASCA), along with some local radio presenters. Entry is free but places are limited. To reserve a place in the audience, email membership@nullimro.ie.

IMRO Songwriting Panel  
Saturday, 24th April 2010
Carlton Hotel Tralee
11am – 1pm

Hermione Hennessy
The name Christie Hennessy is well-known in the pantheon of Irish music Legends. His death left an enormous hole in the music scene but his music will ensure his legacy will stay alive eternally. And proving that an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, his daughter Hermione releases her new album Songs My Father Taught Me, a record that not only pays tribute to Christie, but an album he urged her to make before he died.

Hermione Hennessy is a classically trained pianist with a voice inherited from a legend. In the past she has duetted with her father on such tracks as Mr Blue, Gettin’ Over You and If You Were To Fall.

She has spent her working life in the music industry, helping nurture and develop acts such as Kami Thompson (Richard and Linda’s daughter) and Judie Tzuke, Stephen Bishop, Feeder and The Soldiers, as well as creatively aiding a diversity of acts from Groove Armada through to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, via Will Smith and R Kelly, through her company Black and Blonde.

Now it’s time for Hermione to shine. Since Christie’s death, she has been managing his back catalogue and taking care of the legacy. This album is as much about him as it is about Hermione.

Songs My Father Taught Me showcases a performer whose entire life has been steeped in the poetry and music of Ireland, with vocal stylings that remind of the likes of Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, right up to the beautiful and dramatic style of Ute Lemper.

Soon after release, Hermione intends to tour, saying “I plan to sing songs he loved, songs I grew up with, songs he wanted me to sing from when I first started playing the piano up to his passing, along with the songs that made the record. And it is my intention to take his music to the world and keep his name alive. “

Having written songs for Frances Black, Roisin O’Reilly and Rhian Mair Lewis, the album and tour will see Hermione debut her self-penned material. 2010 belongs to this multi-talented lady!

Luán Parle
The stunning, Meteor Award Winner for Best Irish Female: Luán (pronounced LU-ON) Parle possesses a powerful and distinctive vocal style, complimented by her ability to compose and perform across genres.
Wicklow girl Parle is an established, popular and critically acclaimed artist in Ireland – with a constantly growing international fan base. Luán holds numerous Industry awards including: A Meteor for “Best Irish Female Artist”, a Tatler “Music Woman of the Year” a Big Buzz “Best Female Performer” and a Balcony TV “Best Female Video”, making the future look very bright indeed.

Luán has performed on many national TV shows including Ireland’s longest running TV show: RTE’s the Late Late Show (where she first performed a song she wrote at the age of 11 years old), Tubridy Tonight, The Café, WeTV and TV3’s Ireland AM, & Xpose. She has also performed on all national, regional and local Irish radio shows including: Today FM & RTE Radio 1. Luán regularly features in national press and magazines and has received rave reviews from the top music and entertainment critics in the country. No novice to the music industry, she has been singing since age 7 and writing & performing since age 11.

Luán is currently concentrating, almost exclusively, on writing and recording a new body of work for the next studio album using her now established experience and credentials in terms of creative control over the upcoming sound. Apart from her own songwriting and production input she collaborates with notable industry “legends” such as: CHRIS KIMSEY (renowned producer for THE ROLLING STONES, INXS, DURAN DURAN etc.), HAL LINDES (formerly DIRE STRAITS, now an award winning film and TV score composer) and BILL BOTTRELL (renowned producer for SHERYL CROW, MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA, SHELBY LYNNE etc.). The album is intended to be ready for global release early in 2010.

Gavin Ralston
Guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer, Gavin Ralston has been involved in the music industry for many years, covering virtually every genre from rock, pop and folk to traditional, classical and theatrical. He is one of Ireland’s leading, highly respected and most sought after musicians / producers.

Gavin began his musical career performing on the Dublin music scene with various artists and bands before moving to Dingle in Kerry to study Irish Traditional Guitar with the legendary musical genius Steve Cooney. He has since gone on to perform and tour with acts crossing all genres including: Sharon Shannon, Beginish, Anuna, The Waterboys, Picturehouse, Revelino, Eleanor McEvoy, Clannad, Michael Flatley, Mairead Nesbitt and featured as a soloist with the RTE Concert Orchestra on a few occasions.

As a session musician he has been involved with among others: Phil Coulter, Luka Bloom, Sinead O’Connor, Ronnie Drew, Donal Lunny, Kieran Goss and Tim O’Brien. He has also produced a tuition book, video and DVD for Waltons / Melbay on Irish Traditional Guitar, currently lectures in the College of Music and writes extensively in music publications on modern recording methods.

Seven years ago Gavin set up Silverwood Studios and has engineered and produced for a large and growing list of clients including: The Blizzards, Laura Izibor, Picture House, Luán Parle, Ronnie Drew, Celtic Tenors, Susan McFadden, Clive Barnes, Donna Marie, The Coronas, Last Tycoons, Dave Munnelly / Andrew Murray and Scott Maher.

Gavin has made a lot of TV appearances with artists such as Shane Ward, Natasha Bedingfield, Francis Rossi (Status Quo), Trisha Yearwood, Lulu and Samantha Mumba, Josh Groban and Katie Melua.

Sinead Troy
Sinead Troy graduated from Senior College Ballyfermot in 1990.  On leaving college Sinead worked with noted Irish music promoter Pat Egan for three years.  She then decided to further her career and move to London where she worked with Grapevine Records for seven years as Interntional Product Manager.

Sinead then spent a year with international labels Mushroom and Infectious Records and then decided after seven years in London to return home in 2001.  Sinead worked with music merchandising company Seminal, and then went on to help launch digital start up MUZU.TV.

During her career Sinead has worked closely with many Irish and international artists including EmmyLou Harris, Christy Moore, Mary Black, Westlife,  Kris Kristofferson, Cathy Davey, Muse and Ash to name a few.  Sinead has also represented various employers at conferences such as MIDEM, SXSW, PopKomm and In The City.

Sinead is the General Manager of new society, Irish Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, which was established in late 2009.   IASCA was formed to provide a voice for Irish songwriters, composers and authors and lobby on their behalf.

Sinead can generally be found covered in mud at festivals or  at the back of gigs!

Angela Dorgan

Angela Dorgan is Director of First Music Contact (FMC) based in Dublin. FMC started life as a cross-border umbrella group for music collectives in Ireland, to promote, encourage and develop the work of music collectives, to facilitate those already in existence and to help in the start up of new groups.

Expansion in the past number of years now sees FMC as the only free and independent information and resource organisation for popular musicians and the popular music sector in Ireland.

FMC also co-run the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival, Ireland’s premier A&R festival showcasing emerging Irish talent. (www.hwch.net). Music from Ireland is another FMC spearheaded project, building a brand around Irish bands at international music festivals (www.musicfromireland.org)

Most recently FMC have spearheaded the Breaking Tunes project, providing a platform for Irish musicians to showcase their wares to the industry.(www.breakingtunes.net)

FMC is grant aided by the Arts Council / An Chomairle Ealionn