Since the age of 5, Kirsty has been fully immersed in music and singing, learning to play the recorder, tin whistle, clarinet, saxophone, and piano, and more recently taking up ukelele and djembe. After years of playing and singing in groups such as the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra, Ulster Youth Orchestra, National Wind Ensemble of Ireland and various choirs, Kirsty continued her study with a degree in Music and Psychology at Queens University, Belfast.
A PGCE in primary education from Stranmillis College followed and Kirsty has over twenty years experience in teaching primary school students as a music coordinator, and now Music Education consultant. In the last number of years, Kirsty has established her own freelance music business, working with all ages and stages, focusing on the positive mental and physical health benefits of music making in all its forms.
Kirsty is a Natural Voice Practitioner and member of the Natural Voice Network. She is passionate about enabling and allowing people to find their voice, and enjoy all the health benefits that singing brings. Kirsty’s approach is totally inclusive, and she is a Rhythm to Recovery Facilitator, and a Healing Drum graduate. These programmes enable the use of African drums and percussion work as a non talking therapy. She has completed a course in Body Percussion, and is a member of Soundsense, the community musician network.
Services
Choral Work
Kirsty has been working with choirs for over twenty years. Initially working with children’s choirs in primary schools, Kirsty formed her first adult choir in 2009. Lisburn Harmony Ladies Choir is a community based non auditioning choir, with around 85 women from all walks of life, ages and stages. Performing songs from all genres, and sometimes even choreography, Lisburn Harmony Ladies Choir has gone from strength to strength, winning festivals, raising thousands for charity and entertaining hundreds of people in Lisburn, Northern Ireland and further afield in places such as Scotland and Germany, and is soon to visit Spain to do a three concert tour. Harmony Too is a small chamber choir of 16 voices within Lisburn Harmony, and is a group for more intimate venues. Alongside Lisburn Harmony, Kirsty directs the PwC workplace choir, Lisburn Harmony Earlybirds Choir - a monthly choir for positive mental health, a choir for Home Educated Children and her own church choir.
Kirsty is currently running a project in care homes in Lisburn called Musical Memories, which has enabled the development of eleven choirs run by trained volunteers. Kirsty wrote the programme based on body, breath and vocal exercises, to allow residents in the homes to engage in movement and singing together, The project has been nominated for a Lord Mayor’s Volunteer Project Award in Lisburn.
To have Kirsty set up a workplace choir, or advise on how to run a community choir or organise a workshop, contact her on kirstyorrmusic@gmail.com
RK Productions
With a choreographer, Kirsty goes into large businesses or charities and runs full scale productions taking members of staff through singing and dancing rehearsals to the final performance. It is excellent for team building and charity fundraising. Her most recent productions include “A night at the Musicals,” “Stars in their Eyes," and “Now that’s what I call Music.”
RK Productions also often runs family themed singing and dancing workshops such as Mamma Mia or Disney. These can also be used for fundraising and work particularly well for school PTA events. For more information on these workshops and how they can work for you, please get in touch on kirstyorrmusic@gmail.com
Additional workshops
Kirsty can run or co- facilitate workshops incorporating singing, percussion work, listening and song and music writing. She has just run a very successful series of poetry therapy meets music workshops at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast alongside Shelley Tracey, with more planned for 2020.
She can also run music and well being workshops and frequently speaks to groups about the positive effect of singing on your mental health. Healing Drum Circles are another facet of her work, and can be excellent team building experiences, or provide an outlet for self expression, with no previous musical experience necessary.
Kirsty has worked with…..
Orchardville Society - adults with learning difficulties
PwC - producing the annual PwC show
Wave Trauma Centre
Crescent Arts Centre
The Beeches, Aghalee
To put the wheels in motion for your own well being music workshop, contact Kirsty on kirstyorrmusic@gmail.com
EVENTS CALENDAR
LATEST NEWS
Classes
Mini MusicMakers
Music for preschool, nursery and primary aged children. Mini Musicmakers was begun twelve years ago to provide quality music education for little people. It still does that today. Most recently Mini Musicmakers has run composition workshops for P.3s and fun Christmas workshops for P.1- P.7.
Encore Music
Encore Music is a daytime music teaching business for adults. Student led lessons are offered in piano, clarinet, saxophone and singing for fun.
Drum it Out
As a qualified Rhythm to Recover facilitator, Kirsty loves to be involved in healing drum circles. As a non talking therapy, drumming is fully inclusive, and doesn’t require any previous music or drumming experience, making it ideal for all.
REVIEW
While Kirsty’s talent and ability as a director is clear, she also has passion to bring out the best in people she works with - whether through building their confidence, exposing them to new music, techniques or experiences, or gently encouraging them to step outside their usual safe comfort zone. Kirsty’s training and experience make her an asset to students at any stage of their musical journey and she does it all with patience, professionalism and a great sense of humour. (Lisburn Harmony Ladies Choir member)
REVIEW
A singing course of the highest degree - a premiere experience! I looked forward to Wednesday morning each week, and I will miss it. (Six week singology course participant)
REVIEW
The children all loved their Mini Musicmakers experience. From beat boxing to boomwhackers, they came out buzzing. We will be in touch! (Stranmillis Primary School PTA, Belfast)