Cheers and whoops of joy echoed through the auditorium at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) in Ballsbridge as the winner of the Turner Huggard Memorial Cup choral competition for post-primary school choirs was announced.
Ruaidhrí Ó Dálaigh, conductor of the Belvedere College senior choir, bounded forward to collect the cup for his group, while the choir members slapped each other on the backs in congratulations.
The Belvedere boys, whose competition repertoire included a barbershop quartet, are just some of the nearly 5,000 participants taking part in this year's ESB Feis Ceoil, which runs until Friday, March 27th in Dublin.
Classical musicians from the 32 counties of Ireland, ranging from 7-year-olds to adults, descend upon the RDS over 11-days to compete in more than 180 competitions.
The Feis Ceoil, which first began in 1896, gives young musicians a chance to develop their performance skills and relax in front of an audience, Mr Ó Dálaigh said.
“A performance on stage is worth 20 rehearsals. The experience of singing on stage, you get nervous at the start but the more you do it, the less you care about what the audience thinks.”
Kevin Boushel (18), a member of the Belvedere choir, said rehearsals allow him to chill out and disconnect from the stresses of the Leaving Cert.
“It’s sixth-year so there are some extra-curricular activities you have to give up, but none of us even dreamed of giving up choir. All my involvement in choir and musicals has made me want to make a career out of music.”
Violin competition
As the choral competitions continue in the main hall, Paul Barritt, a professional violinist with the Hallé symphony orchestra in Manchester, is adjudicating the first violin competition of the morning. His feedback to the teenage violinists includes notes on concentrating on bow hold and distribution, watching their intonation and coordinating with the piano accompaniment.
“When you perform you hear the reality of who you actually are,” Mr Barritt said.
“You’re in your own imagination when you’re practicing, but here you bring it out into the open. That’s when it becomes a real opportunity to get opinions about your playing.”
Clíodhna Heenan (16), who comes from Terryglass in Co Tipperary and won first place in the Junior Violin (A) competition, admits she often feels nervous before playing. However, any apprehension quickly disappears once she puts the bow on the string.
“You have to get yourself in the right mindset,” Ms Heenan said, adding that she likes the control she feels when playing the violin.
“I also play piano, it’s tuned and you play the notes, but I feel with the violin it’s completely up to the player to do whatever you want.”
The ESB Feis Ceoil gives soloists the chance to “benchmark” themselves against other musicians, according to chief executive Laura Gilsenan.
“Soloists get a sense of perspective in terms of where they are in relation to other musicians,” Ms Gilsenan said, while orchestras and choirs learn how to be “musical, enthusiastic and committed” at the event.
TUESDAY RESULTS
9.11 Mabel Swainson Pianoforte Award
1st – Iuliu Teodor Radu
2nd – Seán Rooney
VHC – Billy O’Brien
HC – Jonathan Morris
C – Niya Morrissey
7.06 Clyde Twelvetrees Cup
1st – Killian White
VHC – Aoife Burke
HC – Cliona Ni Choileain
HC – Cormac Ó Briain
WEDNESDAY RESULTS
1.14 Turner Huggard Memorial Cup
1st – Belvedere College Senior Choir
2nd – Sacred Heart Tullamore
VHC – Rockford Manor Secondary School
VHC – St Mary’s College, Arklow c/o Mairead McKenna
HC – Scoil Mhuire Trim
1.11 Youth Choir - Two Part
1st – The Penston Vocal Academy Choir
2nd – Westport Children’s Choir
VHC – Mount Anville Junior Choir
8.03 Junior Violin (A)
1st – Clíodhna Heenan
2nd – Daire Connolly
C – Isabel Doyle
C – Lily Kettle
C – Mollie Wrafter
8.07 Junior Violin (E)
1st – Jeremy Campbell Irwin
2nd – Kathryn King
HC – Aimee McAllister
HC – Chloe O’Connor
HC – Samuel de hOra
HC – Sophia Hickey
C – Aoife Collier
C – Ciara Dixon
C – Fearne Morrissey
8.08 Junior Viola (A)
1st – Fiachra de hOra
2nd – Ralph Lee
8.09 Junior Viola (B)
1st – Maria Blake
2nd – Mathilde Lyons
3.03 Plunket Greene Cup
1st – Sarah Brady
2nd – Louise Martyn
VHC – David Howes
VHC – Eimear McCarthy Luddy
HC – Elaine McDaid
HC – Eoin Conway
HC – Sean Boylan
C – Callan Coughlan
C – Glenn Murphy
4.04 Boys Vocal Solo (Treble) (A)
1st – Max O’Neill
2nd – Jack Cunnane
HC – Kevin O’Loughlin
C – Alex Mahon
C – Cuan Durkin
C – Daniel Bisset
1.23 Primary Schools Choirs - Two part
1st – St Brigid’s N.S. Castleknock Choir
2nd – St Brigid’s GNS Killester Choir
VHC – Alexandra College Junior School Choir
HC – Barefield NS Choir
1.21 School Choirs - Unison
1st – Sacred Heart Tullamore
VHC – Mount Anville 1st Yr. Choir
HC – Beech Hill College Monaghan
1.19 Junior Choirs - Unison
1st – Moate Childrens Choir
2nd – WIT Junior Choir
C – The SuperTones Choir
1.16 Alice Yoakley Quirk Cup
1st – Presentation Secondary School Senior Choir Kilkenny
2nd – Wesley College Senior Choir
VHC – Ursuline Singers Thurles
