Teacher Training

Peace Proms Preparatory Course

• Department of Education accredited
• Guaranteed school place in Peace Proms
• Highly-experienced course directors

Peace Proms hosts a CDC Department of Education and Skills-accredited teacher development course for primary school teachers preparing to take part in the Peace Proms programme.

Our Peace Proms Preparatory Course usually takes place in Dublin and/or Kilkenny.

The course is open only to teachers who are taking part in Peace Proms during the coming academic year. When you participate in the course, you guarantee your school’s place in Peace Proms. This is a fantastic opportunity to prepare Peace Proms songs and get ahead of the game before school starts back in September.

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Course Overview

The purpose of this course is:

1. To enhance Music and Arts Education in Ireland by:

a) Engaging teachers in practical music making so that they can engage children in music and enrich their lives through exceptional musical experiences and performances.
b) Developing teachers’ confidence, expertise and enjoyment of music through performance, so that they can involve their school in Peace Proms and other performance based activities with self-assurance. c) Introducing teachers to music from different cultures, so that the Peace Proms programme can be used to help raise awareness of issues surrounding racism, peace and reconciliation; multiculturalism; diversity and inclusivity.

2. To equip teachers with the skills they need to deliver Peace Proms within their school, giving children the once in a lifetime opportunity to:

a) Sing with a choir of up to 2,500 children
b) Perform with a full symphony orchestra
c) Work with leading professional conductors and musicians
d) Perform in premier venues
e) Develop vocal technique, presentation and performance
f) Experience a variety of musical styles and genres and develop an appreciation of them

3. To train teachers in:

a) Techniques to teach children to read music and improve music literacy – including notation and rhythm
b) Techniques for engaging children in music education in a fun and interesting way, e.g. using music focus games and response games
c) Techniques to improve presentation and performance
d) Basic conducting
e) Interesting ways to introduce children to the instruments of the orchestra

4. Teachers will be taught the Peace Proms choir programme to performance level for the incoming year.

5. Teachers will engage in choreographing the songs and will actively participate in the production of a DVD of choreographed moves to accompany the songs in the programme.

6. The course will focus on leadership. The teachers who participate in the course will be the Team Leaders for Peace Proms within their school. They will be advised on managing their team, and delegation of roles, as well as managing their school group outside school.

Expert Tutor: Fiona Sweeney

Fiona Sweeney holds a Post Graduate Professional Diploma in Choral Conducting, with distinction from St Patrick’s DCU and has studied with renowned vocal educators Martina Niernhaussen; Michael McGlynn, Prof Paul Deegan; Alan Leech, Martin Barrett; Mary Amond O’Brien, Niall Crowley and many more.

Fiona currently leads four CÓRus choirs, managing all aspects of staging and logistics for massed rehearsals and concerts involving up to 800 choir members, as well as conducting. CÓRus has performed on RTE’s Late Late Show, TV3’s TVam, RTE Radio’s John Murray Show and had the honour of performing as part of the RTE Centenary Concert 2016 with the RTE Concert Orchestra at the Bord Gais Theatre.

Fiona has conducted choirs at numerous events including at the Aviva Stadium for an Irish Rugby International with the Army Band, and various charity events in Dubli.

Fiona has taught many school choir groups and her choirs have performed in Peace Proms for a long number of years. She is experienced in rehearsal planning for Peace Proms, as well as handling a busy class timetable and curriculum demands; working with the target age group; devising programs and techniques for engaging children; and ensuring that their choral and musical experience is fun and enriching.

Expert Tutor: Ross Scanlon

Ross Scanlon trained at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, where he was awarded the Michael McNamara Gold Medal of excellence in performance. He further trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Ross was the winner of the CBOI’s ‘The Soloist’ competition in 2017 and sang with the youth orchestra on its Arena Peace Proms Tour in 2018.

Ross sings widely in concert. Recent engagements have included ‘Ed’ in ‘A Belfast Opera’ conducted by David Brophy in association with Northern Ireland Opera; a sold out recital of ‘The John McCormack Songbook’ at the National Concert Hall; a gala recital for the British Embassy at Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid; performing as a guest artist for Minerva Cruise Ships in Athens and Istanbul, and as a Tenor soloist for The London Concordia Foundation Christmas Gala, at St. Paul’s, Covent garden.

Other engagements have included ‘Alexander’s Feast’, ‘Messiah’, and ‘The Creation’ with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra; ‘Messiah’ at the Halle Festival, Germany; ‘Messiah’ at the Handel Music Festival, Dublin, and with the Irish Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ross has performed with choral societies through the UK and Ireland and in oratorios including Britten’s ‘Saint Nicolas’; Dvorák’s ‘Stabat Mater’; Handel’s ‘Alexander’s Feast’ and ‘Coronation Anthems’; Haydn’s ‘Die Jahreszeiten’; ‘The Creation’ and ‘Missa in Tempore Belli’; Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ and ‘St. Paul’; Stainer’s ‘Cruci Xion’; Mozart’s ‘Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore’ and ‘Coronation Mass’; Schubert’s ‘Mass in B flat’; Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace’ and Goodall’s ‘Eternal Light– A Requiem’ (Irish Premiere).