The year started with a Facebook post comparing annual contributions to Sport by successive governments side by side with investments in the music in Galway city. It was an easy comparison. Galway received nothing in music funding. Out of that there was a groundswell of feeling that resulted in us becoming unlikely hosts to the launching of a campaign to secure state funding for music in the city. That quest continues and has taken on different directions and supports but the idea is still advancing.

Our International teaching staff got a chance to show what they could do when a group of three Hungarians performed as part of the Music for Galway concert series for the Hungarian Ambassador.

Our partner organisation this year ended up being two partners. The first was the Regina Rogers Ballet School who prepared with us for a live performance in Leisureland in April. We had the musicians from the Clare Music Makers school along to swell the numbers and bring new repertoire and ideas.

Then in October we began the first leg of a partnership with a school in Dusseldorf in Germany. The came for a week of music and a huge repertoire of cultural activities. It was filled with possibility and led to a complete revision of work for our return visit in 2019.

Benny Solyom won the MCnG prize and thanks to a collaboration with Music for Galway we were able to arrange a masterclass with Emma Thomson. She liked Benny so much she now tutors him in London.