PIANIST RACHEL (17) IMPRESSES JUDGES
RACHEL O’HARA WAS ONE OF SEVEN FINALISTS IN THE FRANK MAHER CLASSICAL MUSIC AWARDS. MARY FOGARTY LEARNED MORE
RACHEL O’HARA (17) from Enniskerry was among the seven finalists at the 2017 Top Security Frank Maher Classical Music Awards at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin, Ireland’s largest competition for secondary schools, with a €5,000 top prize.
A sixth-year student at Holy Child, Killiney, Rachel plays the piano and performed two pieces on the night.
They were ‘Berceuse in D Flat Major, Op.5’ by Frederic Chopin and ‘Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jesus:8 Regard des Hauteur’ by Olivier Messiaen.
The winner was cellist Killian White, a sixth-year student at Wesley College, Ballinteer, Dublin, and he said: ‘I hope to audition for the Conservatoire Nationale de Paris early next year and I will use my prize money to go towards my fees and travel costs if I am successful.’
Along with the other finalists, Rachel received a €250 bursary.
The other competitors were Fiachra de Hora (18), The High School, Rathgar, Dublin ( Viola), Antonia Huang (17), Mount Anville, Goatstown, Dublin (Piano), Martina O’Connell (18), Wesley College, Ballinteer, Dublin (Flute), Zoe Nagle (17), Bruce College, Cork (Cello) and Emily Crowley (17), St. Angela’s College, Cork (piano)
The awards were created in 2001 by Emmet O’Rafferty, chairman of the Top Security Group, to honour the memory of his late teacher Fr Frank Maher, who taught music at Castleknock College, his old school.
Their aim is to showcase outstanding young musical talent in Ireland and are open to sixth year post-primary students of strings, woodwind, brass and piano.
The €5,000 top prize must be used to attend a recognised place of tuition, a course of study in Ireland or abroad or on a purchase necessary for the development of their talent.
Previous winners have gone on to attend some of the world’s most prominent music colleges, which includes Shenandoah University of Virginia, Conserv- atoire Nationale Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, Kronberg Academy in Germany, the Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, Texas, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London to name a few.
Emmet O’Rafferty, chairman of the Top Security Group, said: ‘ Thirty-seven entries were received, all of a very high standard, and Dr Gerard Gillen, chair of the judging panel, had the unenviable task of selecting the final seven to compete at this year’s awards. Killian White, the winner, and our six final- ists join the ever-growing line of incredibly talented young people who have taken part in this competition and I wish all of them the very best in their future careers.’
Aidan Chan, the 2017 winner, returned to perform two pieces by Chopin.
The judging panel was Dr Gerard Gillen (chair), emeritus professor of music at NUI Maynooth, Dr Kerry Houston, head of academic studies at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and internationally acclaimed classical pianist Veronica McSwiney.