MusicConnects works with local libraries on various outreach programmes, most recently through the guided listening programme, Music Unveiled. This Guided Listening initiative is presented at Galway’s city libraries (Ballybane, City, Westside) in partnership with University of Galway’s Music Department and Galway City Council Arts Office’s Cultural Partnership programme. The sessions are paired with MusicConnects’ flagship Lunchtime with ConTempo concerts and provide audiences with the opportunity to learn about the music that will be performed ahead of time.
One week before each Lunchtime with ConTempo concert, Music Unveiled deconstructs some of the featured repertoire, empowering the audience to understand its structure, inspiration and context, as well as the performers’ interaction with the work and composer. The sessions are led by Senior Lecturer of Music at University of Galway, Dr Aidan Thomson, with inputs by featured contemporary composers and live demonstrations by ConTempo Quartet. Following these free Music Unveiled sessions, audiences can listen deeply, more confidently and experience greater meaning at our Lunchtime with ConTempo concerts.
Committed to the belief that everyone has the right to ‘listen to, learn about and love music’ MusicConnects aims to serve local communities by bringing musicians to long term care facilities throughout Galway city and county and engaging with residents in a meaningful way.
Music in the Afternoon acts a focal point for residents to gather, socialise and enjoy live music together and with the visiting musicians. These repeat visits provide access to high-quality music that offers new forms of creative engagement with music and sound, boosting memory and creativity and improving well-being.
In 2025, MusicConnects proudly added Irish speaking visits to this programme. Professional musicians with Irish visited nursing homes in county Galway performing for residents in their native tongue.
Thanks to Creative Ireland, Galway County Council and Galway City Council we have been able to run these mini-residencies for over three years and we hope to continue this vital service.
Connecting with ConTempo is our ‘at-home’ series aimed at keeping in touch with our audiences by delivering beautiful music and musical insight. The series included Creative Responses, the community outreach branch of this initiative, which invited local artists and writers to explore a deep connection to music and ConTempo Quartet within their own art form. The results have been exquisite with contributions from artists and writers throughout Galway! Born out of the Covid years, this series can now be viewed in full via our YouTube channel.
Artist Maeve Curtis and Author Mike McCormack guide these monthly, deep listening workshops where participants engage in process-oriented mark making either in paint or in words, responding to this season’s music programme.
