Summer in Ireland means strange salads, getting the washing out, and festival season. Upon the lawns of country homes and in fields across the country, Ireland comes alive with music in the summer. And where there is a festival, it seems Trinity Orchestra is never far behind. Having already conquered Forbidden Fruit and All Together Now, the orchestra are surely the envy of all those condemned to tap through instagram stories the next few days.
In the hectic week before heading down to Stradbally, Trinity Orchestra PRO Charlotte Ballagh took some time off between rehearsals for EP to chat about the summer so far and why everyone should join Trinity Orchestra.
A field in the middle of nowhere isn’t always the first place you’d imagine an orchestra, neither is a performance of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, a song first associated with an orchestral arrangement. Yet, that is just what makes Trinity Orchestra so special. Student-led, they are pushing the boundaries of what an orchestra can be, and are founded upon deep friendships as well as their shared love of music. Ballagh shares that she’s “always loved that kind of an immersive experience’, that comes with playing among the community she has found, and the friends she has made through the orchestra.
Gracing the stage at All Together Now, Trinity Orchestra performed a vibrant ‘Gaelic Revival’ set, putting contemporary Irish music at the heart of their performance. Ballagh said, “For me as a person who always enjoys listening to trad, not that this was a trad set, but just kind of tapping into that element of your culture is just something that I’ve always really enjoyed.” She also cherished seeing her friends who didn’t grow up with this music learn to love them too.
The versatility of the orchestra is something they do not take for granted. Ballagh praises her fellow musicians, saying, “everybody is immensely talented and everybody has experience of playing, say music from their own culture… a number of people in the orchestra do actually play trad as well or they play a bit of jazz,” among many other styles. As a group, they are able to bring these influences together and “tap into all these different genres and it’s because of how amazing all the people in the orchestra are.”
“It just comes down to the fact that everyone is so kind and talent is just oozing out of their ears”, Ballagh says. She notes that nothing would be possible without the arrangers who put time into making sure they have the best possible pieces to play, and are as invaluable as the performers.
There are so many different reasons to join Trinity Orchestra. For some, it is the thought of getting to EP, and saving €300. For others, a free T Ball ticket is equally enticing, or the chance to spend some time with their friends.. But for Ballagh, “No matter what your incentive is to join the orchestra you will realise at some point that ‘okay I am actually staying here because of how much I enjoy the playing.’”
From starting off not knowing anyone on her first day, she credits the atmosphere of community, founded upon their shared love of music as the secret to their success. She explains, “At the end of the day we just kind of have this message of we enjoy the music, we enjoy each other’s company and we like to go out for the odd pint afterwards.”
It’s a testament to the talent of the orchestra that they return to the festival circuit each year. They have built a reputation for themselves based on the consistent quality of their performance and determination to put on a good show. “Thats a big thing with the festivals,” Ballagh explains, “you need to consistently show a certain level of professionalism.”
Compared to being led by an outside professional, she believes that being student-led actually makes the whole Orchestra work harder for the sake of each other. She shares that, “when the oneness is more on you individually and the person next to you and the person behind you… you kind of keep working and keep pushing.” They give their all for each other, at rehearsals and on stage.
There is quite a difference between the Exam Hall and the stage in Stradbally, but for Ballagh, no matter where they play, “people tend to bring the vibes to any gig” regardless of who their audience is. They have even developed something of a festival fanbase. “The thing that changes, and is kind of the main difference between the semester concerts and the gigs that we end up doing is just the amount of people.”
Yet, you cannot deny the adrenaline of a festival performance. “I especially enjoy the playing with my friends and just the community that is created is so great, but I’d say that the festival season is just a great way to kind of tap into the youth that we have in the orchestra and the energy we like to bring to our performances because that’s seen at tenfold when we’re on the stage at these different festivals.”
With EP just around the corner, Ballagh looks forward to what is ahead and is certain that the orchestra will rise to the occasion. “At the end of the day if someone sees you on the stage playing and you look like you’re enjoying yourself… they’ll enjoy it too. We want to bring the energy and keep the vibes up and I think that’s why people enjoy it at the end of the day.”
No matter what your reason for joining is, Trinity Orchestra looks forward to their start of term auditions during Freshers, excited to see what new talent might come their way. As for their hopes for their future; “‘All we can hope for is people who hear us play once want to hear us play over and over again.”
