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Bursaries

The Irish Heritage Music Bursaries

Irish Heritage is alert to the need to encourage young Irish performers and composers not only with performance opportunities but also with financial support as they transition from college to professional life.

Thanks to the success of the charity’s fund-raising and to the support of generous donors and organisations such as the Ireland Funds, Irish Heritage is currently able to offer four valuable bursaries and a special award.

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Our Bursaries

The Music Bursary for Performance

The Music Bursary for Performance was first awarded in 2015 and already has a distinguished list of recipients. The bursary, worth £5,000, is awarded to a student who is Irish born or first generation, continuing their music education in Britain.

Students are nominated by this country’s leading music conservatoires and colleges to attend auditions held in the Wigmore Hall in London in November. The successful recipient also receives a London debut at an Irish Heritage event.

The recipients of The Music Bursary for Performance are:

2023/2024

Gabriel Francis-Dehqani - Cello

2022/2023

Luke Lally Maguire - Piano

2021/2022

Clara Siegle - Piano

2020/2021

Tiffany Qiu - Piano

2019/2020

Molly Wrafter - Violin

2018/2019

Amy Gillen - Flute

2017/2018

Adam Heron - Piano

2016/2017

Christopher Quaid - Violin

2015/2016

Maire Carroll - Piano and Carolyn Holt - Soprano

The Music Bursary for Composition

The Music Bursary for Composition which was introduced in 2018, is open to young Irish born and first generation Irish composers studying at recognised music conservatoires and other colleges in Ireland and Britain. The recipient of the successful composition receives an award of £3,000 to be used in furthering their artistic and professional development with their new composition receiving its world premiere at an Irish Heritage event in London.

The recipients of The Music Bursary for Composition are:

2022/2023

Harry O'Connor

2021/2022

Michael Hughes

2020/2021

Éire Lavery

2019/2020

Aran O'Grady

2018/2019

Niall Tormey

The Homan Potterton Bursary for String Instruments

This bursary was presented in summer 2021 by Alex Heusen in memory of Homan Potterton, a former Director of the National Gallery of Ireland and supporter of Irish Heritage. The bursary is open to Irish born and first generation students from the island of Ireland undertaking post-graduate degree courses at the leading music conservatoires and colleges in Britain.

The bursary operates in parallel with the charity’s music bursary for performance and is awarded to the musician who performs best at the adjudication day in the Wigmore Hall each November. The recipient receives a cash prize of £3,000 and a performance opportunity at an Irish Heritage event in London.

The recipients of The Homan Potterton Bursary for String Instruments are:

2023/2024

Sacha Bistany - Guitar and Jayden Lamcellari - Cello

2022/2023

Jamie Howe and Sam Kane

2021/2022

Susannah Griffin

The Brackaville Bursary for Vocal Studies

The Brackaville Bursary for Vocal Studies which was launched in 2019, is open to Irish born and first generation students attending recognised music conservatoires and colleges in Britain. It operates in parallel with Irish Heritage’s existing bursary for performance and is awarded to the singer who performs best in the auditions for the latter in the Wigmore Hall in London each November. In addition to a cash award of £2,500 the recipient will receive a performance opportunity at an Irish Heritage event in London.

The recipients of The Brackaville Bursary for Vocal Studies are:

2023/2024

Owen Lucas - Tenor

2022/2023

Laura Aherne - Soprano

2021/2022

David Corr - Baritone

2020/2021

Dominica Williams - Mezzo-soprano

2019/2020

Ellen Mawhinney - Soprano

The Accompanist’s or Special Award

In addition, Irish Heritage presents an Accompanist’s or Special Award (valued at £500) associated with the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival. There are performance opportunities both with Irish Heritage and at Blackwater Valley Opera Festival which takes place annually each summer in Waterford, Ireland. Visit blackwatervalleyopera.ie for more information.

The recipients of The Accompanist’s or Special Award are:

2023/2024

Fiachra de hOra - Viola

2022/2023

Georgina Cassidy

2021/2022

Frasier Hickland

2019/2020

Justine Gormley

2018/2019

Brian Hughes

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