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.
Apply by emailOur 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:
Gabriel Francis-Dehqani - Cello
Luke Lally Maguire - Piano
Clara Siegle - Piano
Tiffany Qiu - Piano
Molly Wrafter - Violin
Amy Gillen - Flute
Adam Heron - Piano
Christopher Quaid - Violin
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:
Harry O'Connor
Michael Hughes
Éire Lavery
Aran O'Grady
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:
Sacha Bistany - Guitar and Jayden Lamcellari - Cello
Jamie Howe and Sam Kane
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:
Owen Lucas - Tenor
Laura Aherne - Soprano
David Corr - Baritone
Dominica Williams - Mezzo-soprano
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:
Fiachra de hOra - Viola
Georgina Cassidy
Frasier Hickland
Justine Gormley
Brian Hughes
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