Emmanuel 2017

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Press Release – Monday 6th March 2017

Unique student concert series begins in Dublin’s Helix

 

Almost two and a half thousand teenagers from all over Dublin and surrounding counties will be on stage in the Helix over the next four nights – singing and playing Church music.

The students, from 60 different secondary schools, are taking part in the Emmanuel project run by the Archdiocese of Dublin.  Beginning tonight (Monday) the concerts run nightly until Thursday.

The concert series is unique in the Irish Church – with students between the ages of 12 and 17 singing music, live in front of a large audience.  Each evening performance is almost entirely student led with soloists chosen from participating schools to sing live, musicians performing from the student body and student presenters acting as MC’s each night.

This year, for the first time, boys and girls from the Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra will together sign and participate in each of the four concerts.

Before getting on stage each day the students participate in faith-based workshops, reflections rehearse hymns and play music.  Each morning of workshops is followed by full rehearsals and then a live concert every evening where parents, family members, teachers and the public get to enjoy the fruits of the musical and spiritual preparations.

The students take the music and prayers they learn during the Emmanuel workshops and concerts, use, and adapt them in their own prayer services and liturgies in their school communities throughout the year.