SEAMIE BRISCOE
PROFILES THE RISING STAR THAT IS DROGHEDA’S
since then with her singing at Christmas Masses in The Holy Family Church being her most cherished time of the year. She is also involved with the Holy Family Choir and uses her musical prowess to arrange and conduct with them.
Amie Dyer, at ten years of age, had now aroused the admiration and attention of the public and requests came in to sing at funeral and wedding services. At this stage she set her sights on a classical music career and her ambition was to eventually enter the Royal Irish Music Academy. Her determination to achieve this ambition meant she successfully completed her secondary education at St Oliver’s College without doing a transition year and also received great encouragement from her college music mentor Ms McCormack.
Amie recollects with pride; “I had auditioned for the part of Cossette in the musical, “Les Miserablé” and was awaiting the outcome of my audition when I received two wonderful messages at the same time. One was the success of my audition for the part in “Les Miserablé” and the second was my acceptance into the Royal Irish Music Academy”.
She entered the Royal Irish Music Academy at the young age of 17 taking the access course, which is an introductory year for younger students. Amie is now in her third year, two of these in intense musical studies at which she is excelling.
Amie gives great credit to her initial music teachers, Helene (Hutchison) Murray and Fiona Mullanny, who coached her to Feis Ceol success where she won 2nd place at her first attempt and went one better achieving 1st place the second time she entered.
Another proud achievement for Amie was her invitation to sing in Arás An Uchtaráin for President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina last year. She says; “This invitation really surprised me and it was an occasion, along with my family, we’ll never forget. When I had finished my piece the President and his wife Sabina immediately came up to me and gave me a big embrace saying they were delighted with my performance”.
For the past three years the young Drogheda Soprano has been the featured soloist with the Drogheda Male Voice Choir and says; “Their Musical Director, David Leddy, has been a wonderful help to me since I was nine years old. He has been my accompanist as well as giving me great support and encouragement. I also love the men in the choir who are so nice and have made me so welcome from the start. I’m looking forward to our Christmas Concert in the TLT on Friday 8th December”.
Amie says; “My Mam and Dad as well as my whole family have been enormously supportive of everything I’ve done and achieved so far. I also have great friends and I’d like to thank them all especially my teachers, particularly, Mr Lynch who was my first headmaster in St Pauls. Without their help and support I wouldn’t have gotten this far”.
Having already endeared herself as a firm favourite with her audiences and is constantly requested to sing at various celebrations and functions, Amie Dyer, is well and truly keeping the traditions of top class classical singing to the fore in Drogheda.
Her ambition is to complete her musical studies and develop her musical academia and voice to operatic standards. Behind her quiet demeanour and lovely manner is a determined resolve which suggests she will succeed.