Choral director shares the joy of Irish music
Canice Gleeson is sharing his love of traditional Irish melodies with the city, writes Liana Cafolla
Since he was a child, music has held an irresistible attraction for Canice Gleeson, founder and director of the Celtic Connections Chamber Choir and the International Concert Orchestra of Hong Kong.
"One of my earliest memories is of trying to reach the keys on my grandparents' piano," he says of his childhood in Kilkenny, Ireland. "It was like a magnet. Music is in my bones and I knew from an early age that it was the one thing that made me happy."
He started piano lessons at age six, and at eight started to study the guitar. "My parents bought me a full-sized guitar, and I was so small the guitar was the same size as me."
Irish music and dance comes from the soul. It is inclusive, inviting and down to earth
Besides these two instruments, Gleeson, who's also music director at the German Swiss International School and vice-chairman of the International Schools Choral Music Society, plays the clarinet and tin whistle, and enjoys singing. His parents recognised his musical ability and with their support, music soon took up all his spare time. "I was just into music," he says. "I was determined that that was what I wanted to do."
He took lessons, joined choirs and orchestras, and played at music festivals. His best memories are of the shared joys of the process of music creation, where he felt a sense of belonging and camaraderie with fellow musicians gained through long hours of practice, fine-tuning and repetition, culminating in the thrill of performing together.
Gleeson has seamlessly entwined the threads of his performing and teaching experience. "Teaching music and choral and orchestral directing are what I love to do. I will always be a teacher; it's who I am. I'm fortunate I get to do both."
His formative experiences have filtered into his teaching methods, he says. "I push performance big-time at school, based on my own experiences. A lot of students now don't have the opportunities I had. I put a huge amount of time into choirs, orchestras, performances and festivals, and collaboration with other schools. The rehearsal process connects everybody," he says.
After completing a bachelor's degree in music and a postgraduate diploma in education from University College Cork, he did his master's degree at Newcastle University in Britain, and attended summer schools in conducting at New York University and the Juilliard School.