European music maestros here to conduct training
Andrew Tyndall, Administrator of the National School of Music makes a point to maestro Robert Houlihan at an introductory meeting Wednesday. At right is maestro Adelino Mota. (Samuel Maughn photo)
Andrew Tyndall, Administrator of the National School of Music makes a point to maestro Robert Houlihan at an introductory meeting Wednesday. At right is maestro Adelino Mota. (Samuel Maughn photo)

TWO European music maestros are in Guyana and will train conductors of the Police and Army bands, the National Steel Orchestra and various choirs.

The visit of Robert Houlihan of Ireland and Adelino Mota of Portugal was made possible by the local Delegation of the European Commission and facilitated by the Department of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Ministry of Education.

They were introduced to the local media at an event held at the National School of Music on Brickdam, Georgetown.

The renowned conductors will facilitate a two-week workshop in orchestration and band conducting. The workshop will culminate with a Unity Concert at the National Cultural Center on September 10.

Andrew Tyndall, Administrator of the National School of Music, expressed hope that the training would “create a new and unique sound.”

“We’re hoping that at the end of this workshop our conductors would be in a better position to execute and get better performance from the groups that their working with,” he said.

Maestro Houlihan, who has conducted over 100 different orchestras and has won many awards, said the workshop would be a learning experience for him.

“I actually don’t know anything about teaching, just learning; so I will be a two way street for us,” he stated.

He began his music career at age 16, and actually trained the Mota, who he is in Guyana with.

“We plan to work with these conductors and we hope they continue these workshop where eventuality these person can (teach) others musicians,” Houlihan stated.

Houlihan’s career has led him to conduct leading orchestras in France, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa, etc.

Maestro Mota is a member of the International Association of Jazz Education and participated in workshops in the USA on the history of jazz, improvisation, direction and techniques of big bands.

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