Each young musician receives a three-year loan of an exceptional instrument plus a grant of up to €5,000 for a new bow
Music Network Ireland has announced the recipients of its newest Music Capital Scheme Award, a stringed instrument loan scheme that provides exceptional young Irish string players with access to high-quality instruments from the Music Network National Instrument Collection.
Each awardee receives a three-year loan of a fine instrument and, where necessary, a grant of up to €5,000 towards the purchase of a new bow, which they will retain after the loan period comes to an end.
The five inaugural recipients, who were chosen via a series of online interviews and in-person auditions, are as follows:
Aoibhín Keogh Daly, who receives the O’Neill Cello & Bow award, which comprises a 2015 cello by Conor Russell and 2016 bow by Robert Pierce. She recently graduated from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where she studied with Jan Ype Nota and Michel Strauss.
Evan Lawrence, who receives an 1880 violin by Gand & Bernardel Frères. He is currently in his final year at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD), where he studied with Krysia Osostowicz. He performs in the Florens String Quartet under the mentorship of Levon Chilingirian.
Anna Mitchell, who is awarded a 2007 violin by Stephan von Baehr. Dublin-born Mitchell is currently based in London where she plays with the Southbank Sinfonia and she is a founding member of the Millbank Quartet.
Kate O’Shea, who receives a 2024 violin by Alexandre Valois. O’Shea has performed at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, and was a finalist in the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year 2023.
Eve Quigley, who is loaned a 1930 viola by Charles John Wilkinson. She is a recent graduate of the GSMD, where she studied with Matthew Jones, and is a Britten–Pears Young Artist.
Established in 2008, the Music Capital Scheme is supported by Ireland’s Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and managed by Music Network. So far, the scheme has made 652 awards to individual musicians and organisations, providing access to instruments for over 59,000 people across Ireland; this includes 227 performing groups, which have been able to purchase instruments and expand their memberships, and 258 professional musicians who have been able to advance their careers with new instruments enabled by the scheme.
Patrick O’Donovan, Ireland’s Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport said: ‘I’m delighted that we have been able to establish this wonderful new resource, which will support exceptional emerging classical string players at a crucial point in their careers. These new awards announced today are a positive step towards ensuring that our most talented graduates are well equipped to embark on a successful performance career and will benefit future generations of Irish musicians to come.’
Music Network CEO Sharon Rollston commented: ‘We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Department of Culture, Communications & Sport for its ongoing commitment to providing vital funding for musical instruments to both groups and individual musicians working in any genre. This investment is having a transformative effect on Ireland’s musical landscape.’
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