Watch: Cork Youth Orchestra releases special collaboration for Earth Day

THE Cork Youth Orchestra has partnered with the Embassy of Ireland in Mozambique to release a special video for World Earth Day, which is taking place today.

The video features the orchestra’s new collaboration with Mozambican rapper Dom Júnior.

The original piece was created especially for this year’s World Earth Day as a reminder of how a strong partnership can create a better future.

“I met with Nuala O’Brien, the Irish Ambassador for Mozambique, recently and we wanted to work with young musicians in Mozambique. They have very few resources, they’re a very poor country, and we wanted to support them in any way we could and we landed on this project for Earth Day,” said Tomás McCarthy, director of Cork Youth Orchestra.

“Tom Frost orchestrated it and we recorded it about a month ago and have been editing the track since. 

"We did the video with Chris Hurley and got it up today so we’re delighted. It’s a very different track.” 

The orchestra’s members had also been hoping to plant trees in Cork to celebrate the day, as they did in Tramore Valley Park in 2019, but were unable to meet due to the pandemic.

“We’re hoping to do it again next year. We planted 1,000 trees a few years ago and they are now double the size,” Mr McCarthy said.

“Earth Day comes around every year but the message is simple, as we highlight on this track. The message is that people can make simple changes to help climate change.

“The idea is that we should be aiming for the ideal world and one person can make a change on a daily basis to make the world a better place.” 

Ms O’Brien added: “The Embassy of Ireland in Mozambique is proud to link young people in both countries in drawing attention to climate change and the need to work together in the shared objective of creating a safe, stable future for our people and for the planet on which we depend.” 

The Cork Youth Orchestra is also preparing for a concert in Cork City Hall next month, which will mark their first time back on stage since the onset of the pandemic.

‘Bridging the Gap’ will be performed on May 21 alongside True Tides.

“This is our first concert in two and a half years and we didn’t think we’d be back at City Hall before Christmas because of the vaccination centre,” Mr McCarthy said.

“It will be a great concert. We worked with True Tides in 2019 as well and it was brilliant.

“We run a very professional group. We have very high standards and work with top international artists, including singers from the West End. 

"We really try to give our members the best possible experience in their few years with us.”