Thomas Johnston 's profile

Name: Thomas Johnston

Organisation:

St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra and Music Generation

Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick

Society for Music Education in Ireland

International Council for Traditional Music Ireland

Region: Dublin

Website: http://www.musicgeneration.ie/research/

Member since:09-03-2013

Background

From Co. Monaghan and now based in Dublin, Thomas Johnston’s work with children and young people is concerned with performance, practice, and research in those spaces between Irish traditional music, music education, community music, early years music, online music teaching and learning, and performing arts for children and young people. He is currently Research Fellow for Developing Diversity in Music Education in Ireland, a two-year research partnership between Music Generation and St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra. This research investigates the diversities within Music Generation’s infrastructure (from an individual, local, and national perspective), which support and sustain the potential for the transformative experience of children and young people as they engage in music-making across Music Generation’s programmes. His previous PhD research, carried out at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, conceptualised a theory of educative experience for Irish traditional music in post primary music education in Ireland. Thomas has presented his research at conferences in Ireland, Italy, the UK, Canada, and China. He also holds a BA in Irish Music and Dance and a Specialist Diploma in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship from the University of Limerick. A founding member and Assistant Chair of the Society for Music Education in Ireland, he has also served as Education Officer on the International Council for Traditional Music Ireland (2009-2012). An uilleann pipes and whistle player, Thomas has collaborated widely and toured extensively across Europe, Australia, Canada, the USA, and French Polynesia. He has taught on various music programs at the Irish World Academy (UL), Mary Immaculate College (UL), Marino Institute of Education and St Patrick’s College Drumcondra.

In recent years, Thomas has gained experience as a musician in the area of music for early years - for example, as a workshop facilitator, co-devising, delivering, and evaluating Junior Music Hub, a longitudinal preschool music programme in partnership with Learning Hub Limerick, and delivering Tiny Voices, an early years music pilot in partnership with Common Ground, Early Childhood Ireland, and The Base in Ballyfermot. Other related work includes music workshops at The Ark (‘Tiny Traddies’, ‘Circus Sounds’, and ‘Small Sounds’) and facilitating music workshops for various early childhood care and education providers. He is involved in online teaching and learning at The Online Academy of Irish Music (www.oaim.ie).