Kickstart Your Project: Comprehensive Planning Skills (for Musicians and Music Educators)
Translate your big ideas into actionable plans.
Description
This module equips musicians and music educators with the tools to effectively prepare for any type of project, whether it's a teaching workshop, a series of lessons, a festival, an album recording, or a website launch. Participants will use a comprehensive framework to envision, design, and plan their projects, ensuring they are grounded in clear objectives, strategic thinking, and actionable steps. By focusing on thoughtful preparation, the module helps participants transform ambitious ideas into practical plans, setting the stage for successful execution. Whether creating a curriculum, organizing an event, or launching a creative initiative, this module offers the skills and insights needed to deliver projects with purpose, clarity, and confidence.
Who is this course aimed at?
This course is designed for musicians and music educators who want to bring their creative visions to life with clarity and purpose. Whether you’re an educator planning workshops or lessons, a performer organising events, or an artist embarking on a new creative project, this course offers the tools and guidance to turn your ideas into actionable plans. It’s ideal for anyone looking to enhance their project management skills and deliver impactful, well-structured initiatives in the music world.
As part of the registration process: (required in the registration form)
- Please supply a brief biog of yourself (ca. 20 words)
- Please supply a brief description of your desired course outcome (ca. 20 words)
The course runs from April 6th, 2025 to May 30th, 2025.
It includes 3 days of online workshops: (ZOOM-Link for online participation will be sent prior to the start of the course)
- Sunday April 6th 10am-1pm and 2-5pm
- Sunday April 27th 10am-1pm and 2-5pm
- Sunday May 18th 10am-1pm and 2-5pm
Participants will complete a final project submission (project plan and reflection), for a graded assessment, applying the concepts and strategies learned throughout the course.
Submission: May 30th
Results: ca. June 15th
Learning Outcomes
This module equips musicians and music educators with the skills to plan projects intentionally and thoroughly, ensuring they are set up for success before moving into the delivery phase. Participants will develop skills to allow them to systematically plan, design, and prepare impactful projects that enhance creativity, learning, and engagement.
Prerequisites
Course Participants' Age: 18+
PC or Laptop with webcam and good internet connectivity.
Tutors
Dr. Liz Doherty is a traditional musician and educator from Co. Donegal. She is founder and Director of I Teach Trad, a new platform specialising in professional development and training for traditional music teachers (iteachtrad.com)
She has over 25 years of experience as a traditional music educator, holding lecturing posts at UCC (1994-2001) and at Ulster University (2007-2020). During this time she played a pioneering role in developing traditional music as a viable discipline in higher education nationally and internationally. She was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship from Advance HE in 2019 and was voted ‘Inspirational Teacher of the Year’ in 2017.
Liz graduated from UCC with a BMus (1991) and from the University of Limerick with a PhD (1996), the topic of which was the fiddle music of Cape Breton Island, Canada. Her publications include The Cape Breton Fiddle Companion (2015), Crosbhealach an Cheoil/The Crossroads Conference (1996, 2013, with Fintan Vallely et al), and the website, safetrad.com, which helps traditional musicians prevent performance-related injuries. As a fiddle player she has toured and/or recorded with bands such as Fiddlesticks, Nomos, Bumblebees, String Sisters and Riverdance-The Show. She has also performed with Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and the RTÉ National Symphony and Concert Orchestras and is featured on over 20 CDs, including her two solo recordings, Last Orders and Quare Imagination.
Liz has previously worked with The Arts Council, where she established the Deis scheme, and is currently a member of Culture Ireland’s Expert Advisory Committee. She has directed festivals and events including NAFCo 2012, and more recently, has been music producer on programmes such as Fleadh (TG4), FleadhFest 2021 (Power Pictures) and Samhlú (Fibín Media), winner of the Prix circom Award, 2021.