Gwen Moore BMusEd, MA Mus Ed, PhD, ALCM, GRIAM is Director of Teaching and Learning and Associate Professor at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick. Prior to her appointment at MIC, Gwen taught music and guitar at post-primary and third level. Gwen has been involved in several funded projects in music education and in teaching and learning and is published widely in edited books and international peer-reviewed journals. She serves on a range of international editorial boards such as: International Journal of Music Education, Music Education Research, Journal of Popular Music Education and Irish Educational Studies. Gwen is the fourth Irish person to be elected to the Executive Board of International Society for Music Education (ISME) since its establishment in 1953.

Assistant Professor of Music Education in the School of Arts Education and Movement, Institute of Education (DCU), Marie-Louise teaches undergraduate and graduate music education modules within the primary and secondary education degree programmes (BEd., BRelEd. & PME Post-Primary) while supervising Masters and Doctoral students. Having previously worked as a post-primary Music and Irish teacher in a variety of settings, (including the establishment of string and brass programmes), she is a passionate advocate of the transformative effects of public schooling and arts education. Furthermore, Marie-Louise founded a music school in her hometown, Portlaoise, while also creating a multidisciplinary Arts summer programme, “Music For Fun” which enjoyed great success. As a Fulbright scholar (2010-2014), she earned her Doctoral Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, NYC with her dissertation titled Post-Primary Music Education in Ireland: Principals’ investigating the extent to which music was implemented in second-level (secondary) schools across Ireland. She was a Commissioner for the International Society for Music Education (ISME’s, Music in Schools and Teacher Education, MISTEC) and currently serves on the Music Generation Laois Steering Committee. Marie-Louise combines a life of teaching and research while also maintaining a busy schedule as a viola player (orchestral/chamber music), pianist (accompanist) and traditional Irish fiddle player.

Link to Biography

Dublin born June, is an active music teacher and musician with experience in mainstream, special schools, ensemble, band, choral and instrumental teaching.

As a performer, June has gained numerous experiences in choirs, orchestral, bands, ensemble, and solo work. June has enjoyed performing across the UK and Ireland including being a ‘Recorder Breaker’ for the most number of recorders in the Guinness Book of Records. From concert and theatre venues, churches to prestigious concert halls as well as Europe – Germany, Holland, France and Italy and USA tours, including Carnegie Hall where she was a woodwind tutor for the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, June believes in and is grateful for the transformative power of music making. Recently, June has also delivered woodwind workshops for the IAYO and conducted the Junior and Year 1 Artane Bands. These experiences drive her passion and advocacy for all things musical.

June is the Music specialist between the CRC Schools in Dublin, where she enjoys whole school singing from pre-school to school leaver, using Orff and Kodály inspired approaches, teaching classroom instruments and using technology creatively. Recently, her two choirs have performed at the Peace Proms, and the leaver class are working with Irish National Opera and the JCSP class are working with MaSamba School! June has taught piano, flute, bassoon, recorder, and musicianship in various musical establishments. She holds a BA (Hons), MPhil, PDGE and a MEd (Music Education). Research interests include informal learning, playing by ear, special education, curriculum, and the field of piano teaching and music making. June is keen to further her research in music education.

Avril McLoughlin is an Irish traditional fiddle player and a doctoral student at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at University of Limerick. For the past ten years, she has been teaching music theory to undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Academy. Avril’s interest in literacy, orality, notation and music theory in Irish traditional music has led her to pursue doctoral studies in this area. Entitled “Bridging the gap between theory and practice: locating music theory and its pedagogies for Irish traditional musicians”, her research examines how music theory is used for the performance and community based practices of Irish traditional musicians in addition to exploring pedagogies that engage music theory and practice.

Avril has presented her research at a number of national and international conferences including the International Council for Traditional Music Conference, Thailand (2019), International Society for Music Education, Azerbaijan (2018) and Traditional Tunes and Popular Airs, London (2017). In addition to this, she has taken part in a number of Erasmus+ exchange programmes including visits to BerZeit University and The Edward Said Conservatory, Palestine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, and Tbilisi State University, Georgia.

Shannon Burns is currently an Irish Research Council PhD scholar at the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick. She lectures in music theory, performance studies and music notation software on undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in the Academy. Her current PhD in arts practice research titled, Transmitting Music Theory: A Performative and Pedagogical Exploration focuses on the use and creation of a performance based music theory curriculum for third-level students who come from a non-classical musical tradition. She has presented at both international and national conferences including the Arts Practice Research conference held in Texas, USA, October 2015. Her M.A. in ethnomusicology, Banding Together: research focused on the social identity and participation in a community brass and reed band.

Outside her work in the Academy she is a founding co-Director of the Redemptorist Centre of Music, which provides access to music tuition for adults and children throughout Limerick. Now in its 6th year the RCM

She is also an active performer on both saxophone and clarinet. She has performed in master classes and concerts with the Bob Mintzer, West Point Jazz Band, Eugene Rousseau, Col. Arnold Gabriel, Ken Edge, Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, University of Limerick Orchestra, the Blue Monk Quartet and the Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra.

Susan McCormick obtained a PhD in Musicology at Queen’s University Belfast in 2015. Much of Susan’s PhD research was carried out in Germany where she spent some time as DAAD award holder in the Bach-Archiv in Leipzig. Susan has worked for many years as a post-primary music teacher, and is a regular contributor to press and radio in relation to Leaving Certificate Music. Susan is Assistant Professor of Music Education in Trinity College Dublin, where she leads the Bachelor in Music Education and Master in Education (Music) programmes. Her research combines her interests in musicology and music education, and includes multiple bass chorales, Johann Christian Kittel, the pedagogy of J.S. Bach, initial teacher education, and the accessibility of music education in Ireland.

Simeon Smith is a native of Dublin, Ireland, but grew in the western city of Galway.

He has achieved a BA is Arts and an MA in Community Development, both from NUIG, and in 2007 achieved a primary qualification as a counsellor in Reality Therapy/Choice Theory.

Simeon has been playing samba for 22 years, and is a founding member of MaSamba Samba School.

Over this period, he has received formal and informal training from many of the top practitioners in the field, and facilitated many top samba artists to visit and teach in Ireland.

In this time he has developed a huge musical repertoire, covering many of the popular styles of Afro-Brasilian music.

As an Educator, Simeon has taught for National University of Ireland Galway, University of Limerick, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, as well as being responsible for setting up over 20 samba bands in Ireland and the UK. Simeon has spent over 6,500 hours teaching samba thus far in his career.

Simeon has developed many of the unique teaching methodologies used by MaSamba Samba School and is regularly asked to deliver workshop programmes with samba bands, music teachers and corporate groups.

As a Musician, Simeon is Musical Director of MaSamba Samba School in Dublin and one of the only full time percussionists in Ireland. In recent years, he has played extensively throughout Ireland with over 100 performances a year under his belt.

In 2005, he performed on the world tour of world music pioneers Dead Can Dance.

In 2007 and 2008, Simeon played with the Rio-based group Monobloco on tours of the UK and Ireland. Simeon has toured Brazil on several occasions, having the opportunity to study carnival traditions in Rio, Sao Paulo, Recife, Olinda and Salvador.

In 2009, Simeon also studied carnival celebrations in Switzerland and Austria. He is also currently writing the percussion parts for a forthcoming Kíla track.

Simeon is a proud endorsee for Pro Mark, Pearl Percussion, Sabian, Leiva Cajons, Hardcase and Protection Racket.

Andrew Jordan, PhD, MA, BA (Hons), DipABRSM is from Limerick City. Andrew is an educator, community musician, conductor and researcher. From an early age, Andrew began tuition on the trumpet and has been a member of many local and national ensemble. He is currently a member of the Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Limerick Philharmonic Orchestra, Limerick City Big Band and the University of Limerick Orchestra.

Since 2019, Andrew has worked full time as a music teacher with the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and is based in Limerick Prison. Andrew’s work involves the use of music education to provide positive experiences of education to those in the prison system and engage in a way that provides personal and social development along with educational attainment.

Previously, in 2010, along with a number of colleagues, Andrew founded the Redemptorist Centre of Music in Limerick City. The RCM is a music centre which makes music accessible to those who would not normally be able to access music education. Andrew continues to conduct the RCM Concert Band along with providing tuition in all brass instruments and music theory. Andrew also conducts the Boherbuoy Brass and Reed Band, Limerick – founded in 1850, the Boherbuoy Band is one of Limerick’s oldest arts organisations. Andrew’s work in band education has seen him develop band programmes in Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Dublin. Previously, Andrew was also the director of Newpark Music Centre in Dublin, one of the largest private music schools in Dublin. Andrew has previously delivered music education/community music programmes in Zambia, the Philippines and Abu Dhabi.

Andrew recently completed his PhD in Music Education at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Andrew’s research explores the work of Music Generation Limerick City (MGLC) and its potential to form communities of musical practice. Along with his completed Doctor of Philosophy, Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Studies in Social Care from the Limerick Institute of Technology. Andrew has worked as a social care worker with people with intellectual disabilities, residential child care and within the homeless services. Andrew completed a Master of Arts in Community Music in 2012 from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.

Andrew is a current committee member of the Society of Music Education Ireland. He is also a research supervisor for Marino Institute of Education. Andrew is in demand throughout the country as an adjudicator, examiner, conductor and music education consultant.

Edmond Gubbins (B.Ed., M.Ed., Ph.D., T.T.C.T.) is a lecturer in music education at Marino Institute of Education in Dublin. He is also currently a visiting research fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. His doctoral research, which examines informal and non-formal learning in music education within primary generalist teacher practice in Ireland has received funding from the Irish Research Council, Mary Immaculate College, and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation. He is the 2020 winner of the Eda Sagarra medal of excellence for being the top-ranking postgraduate scholar in the domain of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences under the Irish Research Council’s Government of Ireland funding. Edmond’s research interests include: primary music education, informal learning, Musical Futures, and generalist teacher practice in music education.

Frances Burgess is senior lecturer in music in St Mary’s University College, Belfast, having worked in initial teacher education for seventeen years. Her research interests included music teaching and teachers in post-primary schools, musical identities, and creativity and the arts in Primary schools. She has published collaboratively with research teams investigating musical provision in teacher education, and integrated arts in Ireland.

Biography to follow