&

By Michelle Crean

For 30 years it’s been at the heart of the community and now one of Killarney’s oldest music and dance schools has some exciting developments coming this September.

Kerry School of Music (KSM) originally opened a dance school in Áras Pádraig in 1988, adding music classes in 1989. When that closed to facilitate transfer of ownership to Killarney Town Council, the school moved to Holy Cross Mercy Primary School on New Road where they have been ever since. The dance classes later transferred to the Church of the Resurrection Parish Centre in Park Road.

Such is the demand for ballet and modern, tap and jazz classes that two teachers - Colette Maguire Jensen and Tara Dore - teach packed classes on Tuesdays after school and all day Saturdays.

Meanwhile back in Holy Cross there are many exciting developments coming this September, School of Music Director Aidan O’Carroll explained.

“Randal Devine, a recent and surprisingly young retiree from the National Symphony of Ireland who has taken up residence in Kerry, will teach violin, viola and cello in Killarney exclusively with the Kerry School of Music. A professional player in Ireland’s foremost orchestra for 30 years means that Randal will introduce a new standard to string teaching to Kerry.”

Joining Randal is Rachael Scoazec Lenihan, a talented multi-instrumentalist who among other things has a PhD from the Sorbonne in Paris and a Masters’ degree from Trinity. Rachel will teach Classical Guitar, Irish Harp, 4 and 5-String Banjo, Bouzouki and Ukulele at Holy Cross, he added.

“Killarney native Aisling O’Dwyer is also opening a practice in association with the Kerry School of Music teaching concert flute, Ebony (traditional) flute, tin whistle, clarinet and saxaphone at Holy Cross. Aisling has taught in association with the school in Tralee for many years.”

Katrina Galvin from Milltown, is a brilliant musical theatre performer who has just graduated with a first Honours BA in Dance from the University of Limerick World Music Centre. Katrina will teach a special pre-instrument course to four to seven-year-olds.

“A brilliant dancer and choreographer, she is also opening a junior and intermediate music theatre school and hopes to develop Killarney’s first ever hip hop and street dance troupe.”

Aidan, who is Choir Director at St Mary’s Cathedral since 2013, also teaches at Holy Cross.

Contact 087 4103220 or 066 7125690 for class details.