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DC 03/10/2019 - REPRO FREE
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Cork Youth Orchestra are launching #trees4change in Ireland, a new positive action, climate change project, to renew our environment by planting up to 1,000 native Irish trees in Tramore Valley Walk near Cork city this November. Pictured at the launch were Pia Wall, Anna Hernan, Irina Riedewald, Ava Barry and Sidney Uzik.
Pic: Diane Cusack
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Cork Youth Orchestra are launching #trees4change in Ireland, a new positive action, climate change project, to renew our environment in Tramore Valley Walk this November.
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The goal of #trees4change campaign is to reduce the carbon footprint of Cork Youth Orchestra by planting up to 1,000 native Irish trees in Tramore Valley Walk by the end of November this year, with the support of the families & friends of Cork Youth Orchestra and Cork City Council.
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As an organization, CYO are nurturing young musicians from the generation that will be tasked with dealing with the damaging consequences of climate change and we are implementing a new positive environment initiative.
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Commenting on the #trees4change campaign, Tomás McCarthy, conductor of CYO said, ‘Since 1958 the CYO has generated paper, equivalent to approximately 100 trees and many of our instruments have been crafted from trees. We aim to replace these 100 with 1,000 trees initially. As a result, we are launching this project, #trees4change in Ireland, in an attempt to reinstate what we are taking out of the environment. We feel that the most beneficial and far-reaching environmental action we can take is by planting native Irish trees (Oak, Willow, Rowan, Hazel, Birch). We have challenged our members and families to help us with this tree planting initiative, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of Cork Youth Orchestra and especially raising awareness among members. This is a positive action, climate change project.
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Native Irish Trees play an overwhelmingly positive role in carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water filtration, flood control, soil fertility security, recreation and wellbeing. The planting of 6 trees, could help neutralize the amount of carbon one person would generate in a lifetime.
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CYO would welcome support from members of local communities to join in. If you wish to support them in their #trees4change campaign you can make a contribution of €20 to CYO and for this the Cork Youth Orchestra will plant 5 native Irish trees (Oak, Willow, Rowan, Hazel, Birch), on your behalf. It’s a small price for a greener future. You can donate online by visiting Cork Youth Orchestra website.
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Notes to Editor
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About Cork Youth Orchestra:
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The Cork Youth Orchestra is a unique community-based organisation. Founded in 1958, it is firmly embedded in the cultural fabric of County Cork, Cork city and Ireland. CYO has been performing for the people of Cork and indeed very much further afield for sixty one years, without a break. It is Ireland’s oldest youth orchestra. There are now 5 orchestra’s in the organisation, CYO, JCYO, CJRO1, CJRO2 and CYCHO. The CYO currently has 133 members who rehearse every Saturday night. They show great commitment and strive to perfect their concert performances. CYO keeps membership fees to an absolute mimimun to allow access to and participation in the orchestra for all. Membership selection is determined by musical ability and the orchestra members represent a large geographical spread right across County Cork. The orchestra is managed by parents who give up their time voluntarily. All funds raised are put back into the running of the orchestra, premises hire, upgrading equipment, purchase of music and provision of the best possible performance opportunities.
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Not only is the CYO the oldest youth orchestra in Ireland, it is also the largest and requires an enormous amount of administrative and logistical support on an almost daily basis by a voluntary group of dedicated parents. For this valuable support we are forever grateful. CYO is almost a full time job for some people. There is always something to be done and planning for the next event is already underway. Concerts are presented to the highest standards and levels of production. CYO has helped to generate new audiences for orchestral concerts in Cork for decades. Audiences have always been glowing in their praise for the professionalism of the performances and the presentation of each event. More particularly if audiences came to see a particular soloist they invariably said they would come again just to see the orchestra performing. Sir James Galway, Colm Wilkinson, Michael Ball and Rebecca Storm, Hayley Westenra, Mike Sterling and Sofia Escobar are just some of the international soloists who said they would all love to perform again with CYO. In 2018 we celebrated 60 years of CYO, 40 years of the Snowman and 10 years since CYO first introduced The Snowman to Cork. We also proudly presented our newest collaboration ‘Fan Liom’ a music video ‘as gaeilge’ performed by CYO member Lasairfhíona de Brun and the Cork Youth Orchestra. Our soloists for our next City Hall concert on the 14th December will be the young and vibrant True Tides, an up and coming Cork band now based in Dublin. We have over 5,000 followers on Facebook. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with our events.