Gerard McConnell

employment history

self-employed musician/teacher since 1980.
part-timer at the Cork School of Music until 2000, teaching piano⁶, keyboard skills (transposition, improvisation, harmony, sight-reading, etc.) and music technology (MIDI sequencing, use of recording equipment, etc.).
From 95 - 01 co-Supervisor for the Togher Music Project / Study Group¹.
work in classical ensembles, jazz, rock, country, and R&B bands.
piano accompanist in music exams and competitions.
musical director for a dozen theatre productions and variety shows.
composed the piano arrangements for the Mary Black Songbook⁹.
runner-up in the 1979 RTE Young Composer of the Future competition⁷.
composed music for choirs, miscellaneous ensembles, corporate videos, & some independent TV productions⁸.

education

1979 B.Mus at UCC
1981 Dip CSM ²
2001 Honours BSc with the OU³
2004 Honours MSc in multimedia technology⁴ UCC

the music applets, lessons ...

The triad and interval training applets, and the first species counterpoint applet are provided for free. If there are a few requests the complete set of two-part counterpoint applets could appear on the site. The applets require the Java 1.4 runtime environment (plug-in); Java 1.2 versions of the interval and triad applets for older systems here, though I don't know how long that site will continue to be available. If you want those applets and can't get them let me know.

I continue to teach piano and guitar, and I am accepting students for the 07-08 school year. Lessons are 20-45 minutes long depending on the student's age/experience , and cost €25.
In general, I travel to you; however because UCC is so close I teach college students at a room on the Western Road.
If you need written arrangements or orchestrations for any type of ensemble, or if you need music transcribed from tape/cd please contact me.
I am available for musical projects including recording and accompaniment.
You can link to my audio examples here.
I also tune pianos.
Thanks for visiting :-)

Gerard McConnell MSc., BSc., BMus, Dip. CSM

gfmcc@eircom.net

1. a Community Employment Scheme funded by FÁS; the scheme recruited twenty-five participants annually to attend music classes. I taught music theory, sight reading/aural training/choir, sound engineering⁵, piano, basic guitar, composition/songwriting, MIDI sequencing, and elementary computer classes (Microsoft Office & basic HTML). My administrative tasks included maintaining the computers (partitioning and formatting the drives, installing software, soundcards, etc.), editing and arranging distribution of a monthly community newspaper we published, entering the participants for music exams (Associated Board and Trinity College), developing and correcting homework, maintaining participant records relating to training and attendance, reviewing our budget, directing & participating in the recording studio's scheduling, operation & maintenance, and purchasing musical instruments & recording equipment.
2. The Cork School of Music teaching diploma has been discontinued. The CSM now offers degree courses.
3. The relevant Open University courses I've completed are:

Code	Description
M206	Introduction to OO development using Smalltalk
MT262	Introduction to C++
M301	Java, UML, concurrency, project management
M358	Relational database theory & SQL
T396	Intro to artificial intelligence programming

4. The Counterpoint Tutor and its associated applets and documentation comprised my multimedia MSc project.
5. Equipment in the recording studio included an ADAT, an Allen & Heath 20:8:2 mixing desk, Tascam DAT machine, patchbay, condensor & dynamic microphones, compressors, reverb & FX units, and Pentium 2 computer equipped with Echo Darla soundcard & running Cubase VST. When the need arose I brought in my own equipment, which included Atari STFM running C-Lab Notator, Emu E6400 sampler and MPS+ keyboard, and Yamaha DX7 synth.
6. "classical" piano grades 1-8 & jazz piano.
7. nobody won that year (?!)
8. Some examples on audio page. Also library music example with my daughter Holly playing violin.KPM387 tracks 22 & 48.
9. Authored and compiled by Declan Sinnott.

page updated March 5, 2007