Cross-Border orchestra makes cash plea to cover White House bill

A cross-community and cross-Border youth orchestra set up as part of the peace process has appealed for help in paying the bill for them to get to the White House.

The members of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland are delighted to be honoured with the invitation to play for President Obama and his guests but say they need help to cover the costs of approximately €2,000 a head.

They will also get to meet the president.

The invitation came last week and the short notice meant the orchestra had not budgeted for it.

Founding director of the orchestra Sharon Tracey-Dunne believes that a performance at the launch of centenary celebrations in January played a role in securing the invite.

“Some of the American guests in the audience at the launch in the Convention Centre contacted the White House and said it was an amazing event,” she said.

She also said the Minister for Arts Heather Humphries wrote a letter of endorsement to the White House.

Reacting to the invitation, the Minister on Monday said: “I am absolutely thrilled that the orchestra will now be performing for the Obamas.”

Exciting and daunting

She said it is, “a unique organisation and its young musicians are incredibly talent and committed. While they have already graced some of the world’s most famous concert venues, I am sure the prospect of performing in the White House is both extremely exciting and daunting. I have absolutely no doubt that they will do Ireland proud.”

The 13 musicians, made up of violinists and pipers including violin soloist Patricia Treacy, will play for an hour-and-half in total.

They are all in the late teens or early twenties and come from both sides of the Border.

Patricia will play at the vice-President’s breakfast on Tuesday and she will be joined in the afternoon by the supporting strings and pipes for an hour-long special arrangement at the White House St Patrick’s Reception.

600 people are invited to the reception and a specific programme of Irish music has been arranged for it.

Ms Tracey-Dunne confirmed that as the invitation came as a surprise, “no budget was prepared” and the musicians are paying their own way.

To help towards the cost donations are being accepted and can be made at www.cboi.ie