Well 2024 has been a blast! As well as a composing, recording and releasing an album of new Folktronica, performing at various festivals, having the honour of judging at others, watching my students achieve fantastic results at competition and teaching as well myself and my daughter only went an became bestselling authors on Amazon with our book "UkeTrad"!
My Keyboard initiative project that I started a couple of years ago has now became electronic with the inclusion of electronic keyboard lessons and I'm working on my electronic music tutor website resources at present.
As we round up 2024, here's a quick run down of the highlights.
Author Credit
I am co-author of the #1 bestselling Folk Music book on amazon: “UkeTrad”
I’ve been involved in providing music at the following festivals:
Food & Cider Festival - Armagh
August 2024
Buskfest Festival – Banbridge
June 2024 - Judge
Home of St. Patrick Festival
March 2024 - UkeTrad Project
Lughnasadh Festival – Navan Centre & Fort
August 2023
Lovestock Festival – Tuamgraney Co. Clare
July 2023
Home of St. Patrick Festival – Navan Centre & Fort
March 2023
Buskfest Festival – Banbridge
June 2023 - Judge
Buskfest Festival – Banbridge
June 202 - Judge
Session Musician:
Benburb Priory
2024 - Provider of occasional, Liturgical and DJ music.
Marty Rafo
2016 – present
Session Keyboardist on Artist, Marty Rafo’s new single ‘Our Last Goodbye’ which released 2023.
Martin Rafferty is a singer/songwriter who tours the UK and Ireland with his band the Northern City Lights. I play session keys (and on occasions accordion) with the group for studio recordings and at select live performances.
Birches
2022 – present
Session keyboardist providing analogue synth and keys for their recent singles and live performances.
Birches are an up and coming indie/emo band from the Armagh and Tyrone counties and will be featuring in the Oh Yeah Centre’s Translink Sessions ‘Sounds of Summer’ music competition.
Donna Fox Tours
2022 – present
Musical Director/Session Keyboardist
Donna Fox is one of Tourism NI’s Embrace A Giant Spirit Brands. As part of her successful bid she engaged me to create a musical experience for the finale of her ‘Unearthing Macha’ tour. I formed the popup group ‘Macha’ from established session musicians and designed a soundscape that fitted in with the theme of Donna’s tour.
Navan Centre & Fort Christmas Show
December 2022
Musical Director/Session Keyboardist
Educator
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
2017 - Present
MD Rafferty Music School
2016 – present
Session musician directing and playing on all of the school’s live lounge and stage events in The Marketplace Theatre, Armagh; Armagh City Hotel; The Band Stand in Market St. Armagh and; on online video content.
7 Hills Blues Festival
2017 – present
Workshop facilitator/session musician
The 7 Hills Blues Festival is a summer music festival that attracts world class musical talent to over 20 venues in the Armagh area with thousands of visitors. I have assisted the organisers by delivering workshops on blues music and playing session keys with a number of bands.
General Experience / musician
1995 – present
I have for many years been fortunate enough as a session keys player to have been invited to play at numerous events from local gigs at hotels, through solo performances at National Trust properties, supporting signed acts and to headlining at festivals.
Producer
The Quartz Pebble - Folktronica Album
2024
Navan Centre & Fort
2023
Producer/composer – Podcast theme music
I wrote and produced the theme music for the Navan Centre and Fort’s ‘Navan Central’ Podcast fusing North African melodic themes with techniques of Electronic Dance Music to reflect the Iron Age connection between The Navan Fort and the Mediterranean.
Conor McCourt – Author of ‘Whispers From The Sanctuary’ Podcast
2023
Producer – podcast theme music
I was commissioned by Grace Point Publishing Author, Conor McCourt to produce the theme music for the related Podcast.
Connell McBride – Portal One
2023
Producer/composer – EP Album
I wrote and produced the music for my solo project ‘Portal One’. Available on Spotify, Amazon Music and most other platforms this EP was a personal project designed to allow me to explore my interest in Electronic Dance Music, production techniques and sound design and fusion.
Donna Fox Tours
2022
Producer/composer – Podcast theme music
I wrote and produced the theme music for Donna Fox’s Tourism NI/Embrace A Giant Spirit Brand Podcast providing a modern take on traditional music in keeping with the theme of the project.
Aonach Mhacha
2021
Producer/composer – Commercial Marketing Project
I wrote and produced the audio track for Aonach Mhacha’s Camino Mhacha event which involved the composition of a new Traditional Irish piece mixed with Electronic Dance Music drum and bass to create an upbeat sound.
Competitions & Awards
2016 – present
I hold prizes in Composition and Keyboard Performance at Fleadh Cheoil CCÉ
I hold a certificate in Advanced Electronic Music Production from the School of Electronic Music in Manchester
I was granted an Individual Artist award by The Arts Council for Northern Ireland
As well as graded examination success, my students have been successful at festivals and at National and International competition including:
International Chopin Piano Festival in Mazovia;
All Ireland Feis Champion (Piano);
All Ireland Fleadh (Keyboards);
EPTA Festival Manchester.
And have been accepted on and received scholarships to various music programmes and have been featured on television (BBC & RTE) and Radio programmes (BBC & Jazz FM).
Increasing Access To Musical Endeavour
International School of Musicians (ISoM) Melodica Keyboard Syllabus Creator
2022 – present
I was invited by the ISoM to work with them in delivering a new and exciting keyboard music syllabus, available globally, which will allow more students disadvantaged economically or otherwise to access keyboard music grade examinations.
Key Stage 1 & 2 Keyboard Music Initiative
Course Designer and Tutor
2022 – present
The Keyboard Music Initiative is a rural music scheme designed to increase access to music in general and practical keyboard music in particular. Aimed at present at Key Stage 1 & 2 school children the project was developed in coordination with a hub of 4 primary schools and the pilot program rolled out in February 2022. So far we have placed over 100 free keyboard instruments in the hands of P3, 4 and 5s and I provided over 40 hours of group lessons (including students with learning difficulties and from ethnic minority backgrounds) in practical musicianship, musical literacy, performance and ear training alongside the curriculum requirements. The project has been a wonderful success.
Keyboard Music Tutor
2016 – present
I have been actively engaged in teaching keyboard music to students of all ages since 2016. During this time my students have achieved national and international competition success, passed graded examinations and performed onstage with professional musicians (including award winning and nominated musicians).
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
2018 – present
Trad for Tots – I developed the ‘Trad For Tots’ programme for my local Comhaltas Branch to encourage children aged 3-5 to begin their musical journey. This programme, (an amalgam of Kodály and Orff methodologies) has led to a marked increase in our branch numbers and allows younger musicians to more quickly choose and learn an instrument.
Pandemic Lessons – I advised and assisted with the technology set up for our branch’s lesson delivery over the pandemic which ensured that all the members of our rural branch were able to continue uninterrupted with their weekly lessons, including online group and recorded lessons. This has meant that our branch’s students benefited considerably to comparable students whose lessons ceased during the pandemic. We have seen a year on year rise in our competition results (1st, 2nd and 3rd places) and last year alone achieved a 400% increase in the highest level All Ireland places.
Melodica Keyboard – I introduced the Melodica Keyboard class to our branch 2 years ago in order to allow our members to learn piano accordion without the cost of purchasing an expensive instrument. My students have achieved distinctions in their graded examinations on this instrument and this year one of our members got through to the All Ireland Final playing this keyboard instrument. As a result we began piano accordion lessons with 11 new students for this first class. At the recent Fleadh piano accordion competition we took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. For a rural community this represents a significant success.
Traditional Music Theory – I introduced the music theory class to our branch 2 years ago to allow students develop a better understanding of written music notation and the underlying principles of tonal harmony and composition. As a result we have had success in the composition competitions of the Fleadh.
ISoM Melodica Keyboard Syllabus
2023
I created exercises and curated pieces graded by technique and difficulty. This syllabus is developing an dis available globally.
Melodica Method
2021
Aimed at beginner keyboardists, I wrote the ‘Melodica Method’ book as an introduction to playing melodica keyboards.
An Portmór Comhaltas Tunebook
2021 – 2023
Aimed at traditional musicians I produced this book as an attempt to consolidate the different notation systems in use by traditional musicians into one system. This book has been widely successful in our branch.
Practice Journal
2023
Aimed at young musicians I created this book to provide a method for systemising the practice of new pieces.
Online Video Lessons
2022
I created a series of instructional keyboard video lessons available online
Join The Dots Videos
2022
I created a series of instructional video lessons demonstrating how to follow written music.
Practice Backing Tracks
2022
I created a series of backing tracks for pieces designed to provide accompaniment and to assist the playing of music on the beat.
Hopefully my contribution to the Arts can be demonstrated with reference to my portfolio of live performance; music production; content creation (including inter alia: music books, composition, syllabus creation, video lessons) and educational endeavour.
I also contribute to the arts in the following ways:
Most recently my work developing the profile of the melodica keyboard has enabled me to become involved in musical instrument building and I am involved with the I’ve Got An Idea Fund and Southern Regional College on two keyboard building projects which will hopefully increase the profile and uptake of this instrument.
I volunteer my time helping out with local musical projects and promoting the uptake of learning an instrument particularly where this work increases access to musical endeavour to those disadvantaged economically, through disability or otherwise.
The Brain Injury Foundation – Workshop Designer / Facilitator
2023/2024
I assisted the Brain Injury Foundation with the design and deliver a series of workshops designed to increase access to the benefits of music for people with acquired brain injury. This programme commenced in November 2023 and was very successful.
Music Not Limits – Project Manager
2020 – present
Music Not Limits is a young charity set up to address the growing disparity in access to quality music education. The Directors of Music Not Limits have a broad skillset from musicians and educators to social workers and research scientists. As a result of my legal background I was delighted to be invited to assist this group with their governance and registration process with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. I am also delighted to assist them now to design and develop projects in my capacity as a musician and Project Manager.
Triple A – Workshop Designer / Facilitator
2019 – present
Triple A (Autism Action Armagh) are an Armagh based charity offering opportunities for adults with autism, learning and physical disabilities. I meet with the group regularly bringing instruments such as ukuleles, and percussion and we sing songs, play instruments and are working on performance.