News: National Concert Hall Invites Schools to Participate in  Music and Science Workshops Quavers to Quadratics this June

Media Release Monday 20th March 10am 

The National Concert Hall (NCH), UCD and TCD are delighted to announce the continuation of its science and music programme for primary schools - Quavers to Quadratics – this June in the week of the 12th and 19th of June.  Supported by Science Foundation Ireland and ESB, the innovative and interdisciplinary programme sees primary school children play with ideas common to science and music.  

Guided by university science and music education students who have been involved in Quavers to Quadratics for some time, the programme is presented under the leadership of Dr. Marita Kerin (TCD), Dr. Shane Bergin (UCD) and the NCH Learning & Participation team.   
Participating teachers and students attend and engage in a full programme, exploring a range of experiments to bring science and sound to life. Children also have the chance to make their own instruments and to play them with our team of facilitators.  

Thanks to support from Science Foundation Ireland and ESB, Quavers to Quadratics is offered to school children in several ways.  

Children visit the National Concert Hall for a day of hands-on workshops. Undergraduate science and music facilitators visit the children in their school before and after the visit to the National Concert Hall.  

Quavers to Quadratics attend the school. This version of the programme sees facilitators run science and music workshops in schools over two days.  

Schools can also enrol in an online version of Quavers to Quadratics and will be supported with videos and regular virtual check-ins. 

Quavers to Quadratics can also be offered through Irish. 

This June, the NCH is inviting schools to collaborate with NCH, UCD, and TCD in bringing this unique programme to Ireland’s young students. The first step for the participating schools will see teachers attending a collaborative workshop with the Quavers to Quadratics facilitators, to co-plan the workshop for visiting schools. Step two sees a facilitator visit the participating school in advance of their NCH workshop to introduce the programme and prepare students for what they can expect. Step three will see schools on site at NCH participating in their workshop at the NCH. Step four will see a facilitator will visit the schools, to reflect on the learnings and to support the ongoing exploration of music and science in the classroom.    

Complimenting this programme of NCH workshops in June, the Quavers to Quadratics team will continue to offer in-school workshops to students in schools across the country, including selected schools in the Gaeltacht regions for the week of the 6th of June. 

Robert Read, CEO of the National Concert Hall said:        
“The National Concert Hall is committed to ensuring all members of our diverse society have the opportunity to access, engage with and enjoy music in all its forms, as well as ensuring more young people around Ireland have access to music education and participation. The NCH is proud to partner with University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin Schools of Education in delivering the Quavers to Quadratics programme, promoting innovation and exploration in music and science and we gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Science Foundation Ireland and ESB in making the programme possible”.   

Bevin Cody, Corporate Reputation Manager, ESB commented:    
“ESB proudly supports partners that deliver STEAM initiatives for young people, strengthening their curiosity, creativity and pursuit of scientific discovery. We are proud to continue our support of the work of the National Concert Hall’s Learning & Participation team and their Quavers to Quadratics programme, which explores the fascinating relationship between science and music, bringing an original bilingual programme directly into the classroom.”  

The Quavers to Quadratics programme was established in 2015. The vast majority of workshops offered since then have been to children in DEIS schools. Quavers to Quadratics has seen more than 200 undergraduate students lead the programme, with many choosing to become teachers on the basis of their involvement in the programme. The programme has been the subject of several education research projects: it is also a key part of the National Concert Hall’s Learning & Participation programme which seeks to support engagement and enjoyment of music, enhancing understanding of music and music-making, and encouraging personal and societal development through music.    

QUAVERS TO QUADRATICS INFORMATION 

National Concert Hall Quavers to Quadratics Workshops for June 2023:

 ​​​​12th, 14th, 15th, 16th June  

19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd June   

9.45am – 2pm 

National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2  


This is a free but ticketed event for DEIS Schools, early booking is advised. Booking for DEIS Schools available from 10am Monday 27th March. Any remaining spaces will be opened to Non-DEIS schools 12noon, May 18th. All bookings to be made by calling the NCH Booking Line Tel: 01-4170000 or in person at NCH.  

ENDS   

Media Queries to Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. Tel: 087 1775334 or Roisin Dwyer, PR & Publications Executive, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. Tel: 085-7129628