A group of talented young Donegal boys were part of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland (CBOI) which performed two sold-out shows yesterday at Belfast’s SSE Arena.
The pupils from St Patrick’s NS, Letterkenny (main pic, bottom right), took part in the ‘Peace Prom’ by the orchestra which is made up of 130 young musicians and 6,000 strong young choir members from across the country. They were joined on stage by Ulster Scot dancers alongside Irish dancers from across the island. Also in the band were 25 young pipers and drummers led by world champion highland piper Grahame Harris.
The Peace Proms concert series performed two 90 minute shows of exhilarating performances of music and dance which captivated the Belfast audiences during the unforgettable 90 minutes shows!
The guest of honour at the lunchtime show was Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly MLA and Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA representing the First Minister.
Established in 1995, the orchestra has been at the forefront of music education while promoting peace, unity and tolerance on the island of Ireland. The Peace Proms 2024 is a testament to the young musicians and performers remarkable work and achievements. All the shows have captivated audiences across the island with a hugely popular series of seventeen Peace Proms concerts. These concerts commenced at the University of Limerick (January 27th) and continued to Dublin, Belfast and the final two shows in Waterford.
These concerts featured 35,000 children from every corner of Ireland and Northern Ireland under the direction of the distinguished conductor Greg Beardsell and was led by Dundalk born violinist Richie Dunne.
The Peace Proms concert series has seen the orchestra and choir perform to sell out concerts across Ireland and abroad. The group have received standing ovations and global recognition as they have performed at venues world-wide such as London’s Royal Albert Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall and the Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre. The orchestra’s impactful performances at national and international events have consistently conveyed messages of reconciliation, healing and hope.
