TrADFEST COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
Calling all musicians
TradFest have launched a brand-new all-Dublin community orchestra!
A first-of-its-kind, ensemble open to all instruments, all musical background and from every corner of Dublin — no experience of trad required, just a love of playing!
The all-Dublin ensemble will bring together musicians from every corner of the city and county, playing every kind of instrument, in a single, unified sound.
Applications are now open until September 18th at 5.30pm for musicians aged 18 and over who want to be part of an exciting new sound.
One orchestra. Every genre. Every instrument.
Building on the legacy of TradFest and its long-standing commitment to nurturing artists, the Community Orchestra is the festival’s most ambitious grassroots project to date.
As TradFest has grown to take place right across Dublin – from the city centre out through Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown – an orchestra that belongs to the whole of Dublin is a natural next step.
It also marks a new chapter for the festival: a year-round, participatory project that reaches well beyond the January programme.
While TradFest is rooted in trad and folk, the Community Orchestra is being built to be inclusive and open across genres. Fiddle players and pipers are as welcome as electric guitarists, classically trained cellists, brass players, drummers, and everyone in between.
This isn’t a traditional orchestra in the classical sense — it’s a new kind of collective, shaped by the musicians who join it and the musical traditions they bring with them.
The TradFest Community Orchestra will be directed by Tom Doorley, founding member of Trad Supergroup, Danú, a celebrated Irish traditional and classical flautist, composer, conductor and educator with extensive orchestral experience.
“TradFest has always been about putting music into the hands and ears of as many people as possible. The Community Orchestra takes that a step further. It isn’t about who you are or where you trained — it’s about bringing Dublin’s musicians together to make something none of us could make alone. If you play, this is your invitation.”
— Kieran Hanrahan, Artistic Director, TradFest
Questions or access requirements please contact: tickets@tradfest.com
Festival Archives
With over two decades of performances across Dublin city and county, TradFest has made some unforgettable memories!
Take time to look back on official TradFest programmes, interviews with artists, and insights into the historic venues in which events are held.
