Feis Ceoil 2024 – Winners announced: 128 years of giving young classical musicians the opportunity to perform live as Ireland’s newest music talents in the country made their mark as the newest artists in Irish classical music:
The annual Feis Ceoil (‘Festival of Music’) is Ireland’s leading national classical music festival, that platforms many of Ireland’s emerging gifted musicians. This intense competitive live performance setting for judges and audiences alike, aims to find the newest talents from around the country. The 2024 festival ran at the RDS, Wesley House, St Bartholomew’s Church, Clyde Road and at RTE Donnybrook, showcasing the best in classical music in fully live competitions. There were over 190 individual First Prize music awardees won in various categories at this year’s event, where thousands of young classical musicians from the 32 counties of Ireland met to compete in Dublin, at the iconic annual music festival.
The Feis Ceoil is an essential element in the musical infrastructure of the country, and throughout the decades almost every classical Irish musician has competed at the Feis.
Well over half a million musicians have competed at the competition since it began in 1896, with past competitors including James Joyce and Count John McCormack and more recently, pianists John O’Conor and Finghin Collins, singers like Tara Erraught & Celine Byrne and comedian Risteard Cooper.
Laura Gilsenan, CEO of the annual Feis Ceoil Competition and Festival says; ‘Feis 2024 lived up to expectations with an incredible standard of talent on display once again. We were particularly pleased with the new Choral Conducting and Senior Percussion competitions and can envisage them going from strength to strength. We are very lucky to have such a wealth of teaching and coaching talent in this country dedicated to the development of top-level musicians. At Feis Ceoil we are privileged to be able to give them a public platform.’
A number of outstanding winners from Feis Ceoil 2024 have been selected to perform at this Feis Gala Showcase which will round off the 2024 Festival. The concert will feature the winner of the Feis Ceoil Choir of the Year (St Mary’s College Derry), along with orchestras, ensembles and soloists representing a wide variety of styles. Suitable for the whole family. This year’s Feis Ceoil had an incredibly high standard of performances from all their competitors throughout the 12 day festival of music this year – here are a selection of the highlight winners from this year!:
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2024 Highlight winners:
Folens Choir of the Year: St. Mary’s College Derry
Dramatic Cup Winner: Caroline Behan (Soprano)
Morris Grant Piano Bursary Winner: Rowel Friers (piano)
Aileen Gore & RTÉ Lyric FM Award winner: Jayden Lamcellari (Cello)
McCullough Cup and RTÉ Lyric FM Award winner: Ben Gannon (Oboe)
Senior Brass Recital Winner: Adam Buttimer (Tuba)
Post-Primary School Orchestra winner: The High School, Rathgar, Dublin
Gervase Elwes Vocal Recital winner: Eiméar Harper (Soprano)
A selection of the most outstanding competitors from this year’s Feis Ceoil will be showcased at a special Gala Concert in the National Concert Hall (Main stage) on Wednesday 17 April, at 7.30pm. The Gala Concert will be hosted by Laura Gilsenan, CEO of the Feis Ceoil Association and promises to be a triumphant finale to conclude this year’s event. Tickets, from €15.00 on sale from nch.ie !!
https://www.nch.ie/all-events-listing/feis-ceoil-gala-performance/
FURTHER INFO at: https://www.feisceoil.ie
