GOSPEL RISING Music Festival, Ireland's biggest gospel music and choral festival, comes to Galway, for a weekend of concerts, workshops, and interactive events, with artists and mentors from Britain, Spain, and Ireland.
The festival, now in its eighth year, takes place in Galway’s West End from Friday May 12 to Sunday 14, featuring gigs from Kilá's Rónán Ó Snodaigh, trad/folk band Corner Boy, Moises Sala (Gospel Viu ), UK Beatboxing Champion Grace Savage, and singer Gemma Sugrue.
Classes on gospel music, performance, and singing for all levels, including large group workshops and smaller masterclass style sessions, covering soloist technique, conducting, harmonising and beat-boxing, as well as two workshops focusing on the male voice, take place on Saturday 13. Rónán Ó Snodaigh will help run the ‘Gospel ReJig’ workshop, giving a new perspective into the Irish gospel music scene Sunday 14. Workshop booking is through gospelrising.com Tickets are €10/25/65 excluding booking fees. Advance booking is advised.
Festival gigs include Corner Boy at the Róisin Dubh on Friday 12 at 10pm with the Gospel Rising Jam Session, an interactive gig where the audience can sing as well (admission €5 ). Leading Irish gospel choirs will perform at the Gospel Lunch at Monroe’s Tavern, Saturday 13, from 1pm to 3pm. The annual festival concert is also on Saturday, at the Black Box Theatre, featuring gospel choir performances showcasing the many different styles that make up an ‘Irish gospel choir’.
The festival is hosted by the IGNITE Gospel Choir. Keara MacDhómhnaill, musical director of IGNITE, said it is "very excited the festival is coming to Galway this year. Galway is a festival city and adding a Gospel Music Festival to the eclectic mix is just fantastic. No matter what choir you are in or if you just love to sing – there is something here for everyone."
Tickets are €15/12 from the Town Hall Theatre (091 - 569777, www.tht.ie ). See also www.gospelrising.com, www.roisindubh.net, and www.monroes.ie
