News

2009-06-30 - PJT Sponsors music exchange between Africa & Ireland with Junction Festival

PJT Insurance sponsors exciting youth music Exchange between Africa and Ireland.

PJT Ireland’s leading entertainments industry insurance company is sponsoring an exciting musical journey for five young traditional Irish musicians who go by the name of Goitse. The musicians are currently studying at the Academy of World Music and Dance in the University of Limerick and describe the bands music as “mixing modern rhythms with traditional melodies”.

In July the quintet will be one of the bands in residence at Clonmel Junction Festival where they will have the opportunity to rehearse and perform with Les Espoirs de Coronthie a seven piece band from Guinea in west Africa, that will be performing in the festival on July 7th. Having spent the week working together the two bands will perform together at the Festival Finale on July 12th.

In their home country Guinea, Les Espoirs de Coronthie are a phenomenon. With music based on native instruments and sounds, these artists create an original groove with glorious vocal harmonies form the three singers.

In August the five members of Goitse will travel to the Music Crossroads InterRegional Finals in Zambia where they will perform with bands from Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Sweden.

After the festival the Irish contingent will travel on to Lilongwe in Malawi where they will spend two weeks teaching music to the young musicians at the Music Crossroads centre.

The exchange has been made possible with the help of the PJT sponsorship, and grants from Culture Ireland and Irish Aid. It is supported by Clonmel Junction Festival and Music Crossroads. It is hoped that the experience will infuse these dedicated and talented young Irish musicians with fresh ideas and inspiration for their burgeoning careers.

For more information see: www.junctionfestival.com

Traditional Irish Music Band Gotise - Academy of World Music & Dance University of Limerick

Les Espoirs de Coronthie - Guinea West Africa