Lots of exciting projects happening this Spring. The BEAG team (in association with Graffiti Theatre Company) are delivering a beautiful new activity specially commissioned by the Happy Talk project with Cork City Partnership. It features new music by Fiona and the introduction of a new artistic tool, the Lightbox.
Fiona has started a new collaborative project with Caoimhin Vallely which is focusing on new music for early years. It will signal a departure in to new territory which is very exciting. More news on this soon..
Blatha Bana (theatre piece with music score written and performed by Fiona) Graffiti’s first production for Early Years is opening for it’s second run in March with dates in April and May . This show was completely booked out for it’s last run so book early.

Music Generation Cork City , an exciting new music initiative in Cork is hosting a major musical event in Cork City on the afternoon of the 17th of November 2012. A Gala concert which will place children at the very centre of music making.This concert features a performance of the highly acclaimed Ballymun Lullaby. Music Generation has commissioned John O Brien (composer and conductor) to arrange Fiona’s Lullaby compositions for choir and chamber orchestra.Entitled Corcaigh Faoi Shuan the song cycle is a series of new songs inspired by the poetry of the Muscrai Gaeltacht. To preview examples sung by Fiona listen to Seotho Thoil on Soundcloud, featured on this page.

  Graffiti Theatre Company Cork has produced it’s first theatre experience for the youngest. It has been an amazing success. Directed by Emelie Fitzgibbon and Sile Ni Bhroin, stunning set design by Dierdre Dwyer ,music score by Fiona Kelleher and personified by Una Kirwan. A beautiful and enchanting theatre experience for children. The show ran from the 16th of May through to the 26th in Graffiti’s in house theatre space and thrilled young audiences and their parents.

The show ran to full houses for this run and hopefully will return in the future.

Spring is here.

The new year… (no longer so new!) has brought new exciting projects and a busy work schedule with Fiona’s early years work. BEAG, the Early Years project run by Graffiti Theatre Cork with funding support from the HSE and Cork City Council is in full swing with many new developments including exciting solo projects.Fiona will be visiting Bologna Italy to participate in the internationally renowned theatre festival for children hosted by La Baracca.

She will be visiting Shanghai China in March 2012 with support from Cork City Council who are forging great links with the city. She will be performing in a festival,Le Cheile, which celebrates St.Patrick’s Day.

Blatha Bana , a visually stunning and very touching piece of theatre for the very youngest will be premiered in early summer and will feature new music from Fiona especially commissioned for this piece.

Here’s a visual taste of the work with BEAG Early Arts Project designed by the very talented Inge Van Doorslaer

After a busy summer of performances and workshops, new projects are getting underway. Fiona is busy working on music for a play for young audiences and also working on some new recording projects. Her autumn schedule of performances has already begun with a solo performance in Naas on Culture night and a show with Julie Feeney’s band also on Culture Night.

She will give a workshop on Music for Early Years as part of the Early Year Arts Conference in Cork on October 15th,following on her work in early years practice in 2010/2011 with BEAG, an investigative activity based research project supported and led by Graffiti Theatre Company with assistance from Cork City Council and Cork County Council together with the HSE into the importance and place of creative arts in the lives of the youngest in our society. See Early Arts Page.

A special concert in Belfast in a new venue An Droichead is planned for the 15th October. Fiona will perform with Caoimhin Vallely(piano), Christy Leahy(accordion) and Ger Wolfe (voice,guitar).See Performance Page.

July 5th Launch of PLAY festival in The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children
Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has just officially launched PLAY, following an incredible lunchtime performance by Julie Feeney and Fiona Kelleher. Thank you to the musicians for being so amazing, and here’s to the start of the festival on 20 July!

For more info on the great line up see The Ark website