TradFest Launches Brand-New All-Dublin Community Orchestra

A first-of-its-kind, ensemble open to all instruments, all musical background and from every corner of Dublin — no experience of trad required, just a love of playing!

TradFest, Ireland’s largest trad and folk festival, today announced the launch of the TradFest Community Orchestra — a brand-new, all-Dublin ensemble that will bring together musicians from every corner of the city and county, playing every kind of instrument, in a single, unified sound. Applications open on Friday 4 September for musicians aged 18 and over who want to be part of an exciting new sound.

Building on the legacy of TradFest and its long-standing commitment to nurturing artists, the Community Orchestra is the festival’s most ambitious grassroots project to date. As TradFest has grown to take place right across Dublin — from the city centre out through Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown — an orchestra that belongs to the whole of Dublin is a natural next step. It also marks a new chapter for the festival: a year-round, participatory project that reaches well beyond the January programme.

One orchestra. Every genre. Every instrument.

While TradFest is rooted in trad and folk, the Community Orchestra is being built to be inclusive and open across genres. Fiddle players and pipers are as welcome as electric guitarists, classically trained cellists, brass players, drummers, and everyone in between. This isn’t a traditional orchestra in the classical sense — it’s a new kind of collective, shaped by the musicians who join it and the musical traditions they bring with them.

• Open to all instruments — acoustic, electric, orchestral and beyond
• Open to all genres — trad, folk, classical, pop, rock, jazz, soul, afro beat, electronic and more,
• Open to anyone aged 18+ who lives in, works in, studies in the Dublin region

The TradFest Community Orchestra will be directed by Tom Doorley, founding member of Trad Supergroup, Danú, a celebrated Irish traditional and classical flautist, composer, conductor and educator with extensive orchestral experience. Tom’s rare ability to move fluidly between traditions — honouring classical discipline while embracing the spirit of trad and folk — makes him the natural voice to shape the orchestra’s sound from its very first rehearsal.

For musicians looking for their next creative outlet — whether that’s a college student between gigs, a session player looking to branch out, or someone who hasn’t played with others since school — the Community Orchestra offers a rare chance to be a founding member of something built from scratch. Members will rehearse together in Dublin, collaborate on new arrangements that blend genres and traditions, build a genuine musical community across the city, and ultimately take to the stage as part of TradFest’s programme.

This is an open invitation to be part of the orchestra’s first-ever line-up — to help shape its sound, its identity and its future from day one.

“TradFest has always been about putting music into the hands and ears of as many people as possible. The Community Orchestra takes that a step further. It isn’t about who you are or where you trained — it’s about bringing Dublin’s musicians together to make something none of us could make alone. If you play, this is your invitation.”

— Kieran Hanrahan, Artistic Director, TradFest

“This is a chance to build something new and exciting. I can’t wait to hear what happens when a piper, a cellist and a rock drummer sit in the same room and really start listening to each other — that’s where the magic will come from.”

— Tom Doorley, Musical Director, TradFest Community Orchestra

How to Apply

Musicians aged 18+ who live in, work in, study in, or come from Dublin are invited to apply.

1. Applications open: Friday 4 September
2. Apply online at: TradFest Community Orchestra Online Application Form
3. Applications close: Friday 18 September 5.30pm
4. Questions or access requirements please contact: tickets@tradfest.com

Notes to Editors

About TradFest

TradFest is Ireland’s largest trad and folk festival, held annually across Dublin city and county. Since its inception, TradFest has championed both established and emerging musicians, presenting trad and folk in unexpected venues and formats while nurturing the next generation of talent. Supported by the Arts Council, the festival is committed to widening participation and access to music across Dublin — and the TradFest Community Orchestra is the latest expression of that mission, extending the festival’s reach into a year-round, participatory project for musicians of all backgrounds and genres.

About the Director — Tom Doorley

Tom Doorley, founding member of Trad Supergroup, Danú is a celebrated Irish traditional and classical flautist, composer, conductor and educator, with extensive experience conducting orchestras. He will direct the TradFest Community Orchestra, leading its musical direction and shaping its sound from its first rehearsal through to performance.

Follow TradFest

Instagram @tradfestdublin  •  Facebook @tradfestdublin  •  TikTok @tradfest

TradFest is produced by Traders in the area supporting the cultural quarter with support from The Arts Council, Diageo, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council, Dublin City Council, Culture Ireland, The OPW and RTÉ Supporting the Arts.

Press Information

Sinead O’Doherty (Macdonald)

+353 86 259 1070

sinead@odohertycommunications.com

ENDS