The National Concert Hall Announces Winners for its Three Bursary Awards for 2025    

• Young Musician Award for String Players: Sam Monedero Egan (Violin ), Elizabeth Troup (Cello), and Scarlett Xu (Violin) 
• Bernadette Greevy Bursary Winner: Deirdre Arratoon, Mezzo-soprano (award €5,000 and performance in the Kevin Barry Recital Room) 
• Jerome Hynes Young Composer Award: Aoife Kavanagh (€2,500 and new commission to be performed in the National Concert Hall)        

The National Concert Hall is delighted to announce the winners of three of its 2025 bursaries. The Young Musician Award for String Players went to violinists Sam Monedero Egan and Scarlett Xu and cellist Elizabeth Troup, mezzo-soprano Deirdre Arratoon is the overall winner of the NCH Bernadette Greevy Bursary Award for 2025 and composer Aoife Kavanagh has been awarded the Jerome Hynes Young Composer Award for 2025.      

Robert Read, CEO of the National Concert Hall said: 

The National Concert Hall is delighted to announce this year’s bursary winners and once again support and showcase Ireland’s wealth of musical talent. We are very proud to provide invaluable funding and performance opportunities for these young artists to help them build a future in their chosen fields.    

As the leading voice in Ireland for the development of music and its appreciation, bolstering the careers of artists is central to the role of the National Concert Hall. I would like to congratulate this year’s winners and wish them every success in the future.    

Our thanks to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for their ongoing support of the NCH and our initiatives.   

    

NCH YOUNG MUSICIAN AWARD FOR STRING PLAYERS 2025 – SAM MONEDERO EGAN, ELIZABETH TROUP, and SCARLETT XU  

The NCH Young Musician Award For String Players of €10,000 will be shared between violinists Sam Monedero Egan and Scarlett Xu and cellist Elizabeth Troup.  Sam’s winning performance included Bach’s Partita No. 3 BWV 1006 and Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Scarlett played Milstein’s Paganiniana and Schnittke’s Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 IV and Elizabeth played Fauré’s Après un Rêve, Op. 7 and Davidov’s At the Fountain.  

The adjudicators were Joe Csibi, Head of Orchestra and Choirs at NCH, David Daly, Principle Double Bass at Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Ioana Petcu-Colan, Leader at Ulster Orchestra.  

Sam Monedero has been playing the violin since he was 6 years old, having recently joined the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he is on their Young Artist Programme, to study with Lynda O’Connor. He won the 2025 RIAM John Pollard Award and was a finalist in the Dublin Philharmonic Society Junior Solo Competition. He is passionate about ensemble music and the leader of both Dublin Youth Orchestra Symphony Orchestra and RIAM Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of Ulster Youth Orchestra.    

Scarlett Xu began her violin studies at the age of six with David O’Doherty at TU Dublin Conservatoire. She has been leader of the TU Dublin Sinfonia for the last three years and is also a member of TU Dublin Philharmonic and NYOI. She is leader of The High School Orchestra and co-leader of the Dublin Youth Orchestra Symphony Orchestra.  Scarlett has earned numerous awards at Feis Ceoil and other competitions across Ireland.   

Elizabeth Troup is a 17-year-old cello student of Dr Annette Cleary at the RIAM. She is on the RIAM Young Artist Programme and was selected for the Eversheds Accelerated Academy Programme. In addition to national prizes for cello and chamber music at Feis Ceoil, Elizabeth won the RIAM Junior Solo Competition (2022) and the cello bursary (Stephen Vernon award) in the John Pollard competition (2023).  

Previous winners of the Award include Julieanne Forrest, Claire O’Connor, Fiachra De hÓra, Callum Owens, Kevin Jannson, Sarah Brazil and Adam Joyce.   

 

NCH BERNADETTE GREEVY BURSARY AWARD 2025 – DEIRDRE ARRATOON     

The prize of €5,000 and a concert in the Kevin Barry Recital Room has been awarded to Irish mezzo-soprano Deirdre Arratoon for a stunning performance which included Mahler’s Ging heut morgen übers Feld and Handel’s Quando Mai, Spietata Sorte and was adjudicated by Joe Csibi, Head of Orchestra and Choirs at NCH, Diego Fasciati, Executive Director at Irish National Opera and Naomi Louisa O’Connell, mezzo-soprano. 

Deirdre Arratoon is a rising Irish mezzo-soprano based in the UK. She began her vocal training privately in Ireland before earning a scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Following her studies, Deirdre joined the Glyndebourne Opera chorus for the 2017 Festival and Tour. Since then, she has built a diverse operatic career with companies across the UK and Ireland. Recent highlights include performing the title role in Bizet's Carmen with Opera South-East and touring nationally with Opera Collective Ireland in Jonathan Dove's Flight.    

Deirdre joins a stellar cast of previous winners of the NCH Bernadette Greevy Bursary Award, which includes Deirdre Higgins, Clare Quinn, Kelli-Ann Masterson, Sarah Richmond, Susie Gibbons, Jennifer Davis and Gavan Ring.    

 

JEROME HYNES YOUNG COMPOSER AWARD 2025 – AOIFE KAVANAGH    

Irish composer Aoife Kavanagh is the 2025 Jerome Hynes Young Composer Award recipient. She will receive a prize of €2,500 and will also be commissioned to compose a new work which will be premiered at the NCH. This year’s award was adjudicated by Seán Doherty, Assistant Professor of Music at DCU and composer Emma O’Halloran.    

Aoife Kavanagh is an Irish composer and sound designer active across a variety of music disciplines, including dance, theatre, film and concert music. She has written for singers and instrumentalists all over Ireland, including the Irish Youth Training Choir, bass-baritone Kevin Neville and cellist Adrian Mantu. Aoife was named a winner of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival Young Composers Competition 2025 for her string quartet Every Cloud Passes Over, which was premiered as part of the festival by the Magnolia Quartet. Other recent premiers include Dreamscape for solo piano, which was commissioned by the Embassy of Poland and performed by Tamara Niekludow at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Aoife was one of two composers selected for the Contemporary Music Centre’s Emerging Composer Scheme from 2021-23.   

Previous winners of the competition include Robin Haigh, Harry O’Connor, Anselm McDonnell, Timothy Ethan Doyle, Christopher Moriarty Eoghan Desmond, Amanda Feery and Emma O’Halloran.        

The competition is named in memory of the former Chief Executive of Wexford Festival Opera, former Deputy Chair of the Arts Council and former National Concert Hall Board member Jerome Hynes.      

 

ENDS  

Media Queries: Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 087 1775334 or Roisin Dwyer, PR & Publications Executive, 085-7129628.  

About the National Concert Hall    

The National Concert Hall (NCH) is Ireland’s national cultural institution for music, proudly serving the Irish public since it opened in 1981 through live music performances and significant educational and cultural programmes. Based in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, next door to the picturesque Iveagh Gardens, the NCH is proud home to National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, as well as providing residence for a range of other music organisations including Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Music Network, Crash Ensemble and Music Generation. It is currently planning for a major redevelopment of all facilities as part of the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040. 

 

Fógraíonn an Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta buaiteoirí a thrí sparánachta do 2025  

• Gradam an Cheoltóra Óig do Cheoltóirí Teaghrán: Sam Monedero Egan (Violin), Elizabeth Troup (Violoncheol), agus Scarlett Xu (Violin) 
• Buaiteoir Sparánachta Bernadette Greevy: Deirdre Arratoon, Mezzasoprán (sparánacht €5,000 agus taibhithe sa Seomra Ceolchoirme Kevin Barry) 
• Gradam an Chumadóra Óig Jerome Hynes: Aoife Kavanagh (€2,500 agus coimisiún nua a chur i léiríocht san Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta)       

Tá áthas ar an Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta buaiteoirí a thrí sparánachta do 2025 a fhógairt. Bronnadh Gradam an Cheoltóra Óig do Cheoltóirí Teaghrán ar an mbiolincheoltóir Sam Monedero Egan, ar an mbiolincheoltóir Scarlett Xu agus ar an violoncheoltóir Elizabeth Troup; is í an mezzasoprán Deirdre Arratoon buaiteoir foriomlán Ghradam Sparánachta Bernadette Greevy an Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta do 2025, agus bronnadh Gradam an Chumadóra Óig Jerome Hynes do 2025 ar an gcumadóir Aoife Kavanagh.  

A dúirt Robert Read, Príomfheidhmeannach an Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta:     

Tá áthas orainn buaiteoirí na mbliana seo a fhógairt agus tacaíocht agus ardán a thabhairt arís d’fhlúirse tallaint cheolmhar na hÉireann. Táimid an-bhródúil maoiniú luachmhar agus deiseanna taibhléirithe a sholáthar do na healaíontóirí óga seo chun cabhrú leo todhchaí a thógáil ina réimsí roghnaithe.  

Mar phríomhghuth na hÉireann i bhforbairt agus i mbuíochas na ceoil, is croílár mhisean an Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta é tacaíocht a thabhairt d’fhorbairt gairmeacha na n-ealaíontóirí. Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháil leis na buaiteoirí i mbliana agus gach rath a gheobhaidh siad ina dtodhchaí.  

Gabhaimid buidheachas leis an  Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt as an tacaíocht leanúnach atá á tabhairt acu don Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta agus dár dtionscnaimh.  

    

GRADAM AN CHEOLTÓRA ÓIG AN HCH DO CHEOLTÓIRÍ TEAGHRÁN 2025 – SAM MONEDERO EGAN, ELIZABETH TROUP agus SCARLETT XU  

Roinnfear Gradam an Cheoltóra Óig do Cheoltóirí Teaghrán an HCH ar luach €10,000 idir an bheirt bhíolincheoltóirí Sam Monedero Egan agus Scarlett Xu agus an violoncheoltóir Elizabeth Troup.  Áiríodh i dtaibhiú buaiteach Sam Partita Uimh. 3 BWV 1006 le Bach agus Concerto do Veidhlín Uimh. 1 i n-G mion le Bruch; sheinn Scarlett Paganiniana le Milstein agus Sonata do Veidhlín agus Pianó Uimh. 1 IV le Schnittke; agus sheinn Elizabeth Après un Rêve, Op. 7 le Fauré agus At the Fountain le Davidov.  

Ba iad na breithiúna Joe Csibi, Ceannaire na Ceolfhoirne agus na gCór san HCH; David Daly, Phríomh-Dhordveidhleadóir Cheolfhoireann Shiansach Bournemouth; agus Ioana Petcu-Colan, Ceannaire Cheolfhoireann Uladh.  

Tá Sam Monedero ag seinm an veidhlín ó bhí sé sé bliana d’aois. Tá sé anois cláraithe i gClár na nEalaíontóirí Óga san Acadamh Ríoga Ceoil in Éirinn, áit a bhfuil sé ag staidéar faoi threoir Lynda O’Connor. Bhain sé Gradam John Pollard 2025 san ARCE amach agus bhí sé ina cheann de na hiomaitheoirí ceannais i gComórtas Sólaistí Sóisearach Chumann Filiméireach Bhaile Átha Cliath. Tá sé an-tugtha don cheol comhcheoltóra agus is é an príomhcheoltóir é i Siansa Ceolfhoireann Óige Bhaile Átha Cliath agus i Siansa Cheolfhoireann an ARCE. Is ball é freisin de Cheolfhoireann Óige Uladh.  

Thosaigh Scarlett Xu ag staidéar an veidhlín sé bliana d’aois faoi threoir David O’Doherty i gConservatoire OÉ Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath. Tá sí ina ceannaire ar an TU Dublin Sinfonia le trí bliana anuas agus is ball í freisin de Philharmonic OÉ Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath agus d’Orchestra Náisiúnta Óige na hÉireann (NYOI). Is í ceannaire Cheolfhoireann The High School í agus comhcheannaire Siansa Cheolfhoireann Óige Bhaile Átha Cliath.  Tá go leor duaiseanna bainte amach ag Scarlett ag an bhFeis Cheoil agus ag comórtais eile ar fud na hÉireann.  

Is mac léinn violoncheoil í Elizabeth Troup, 17 mbliana d’aois, faoi stiúir an Dr Annette Cleary san ARCE. Tá sí cláraithe i gClár na nEalaíontóirí Óga san ARCE agus roghnaíodh í don Chlár Luathaithe Eversheds. Chomh maith le duaiseanna náisiúnta don violoncheol agus don cheol seomra ag an bhFeis Cheoil, bhuaigh Elizabeth Comórtas Sólaíochta Sóisearach an ARCE (2022) agus sparánacht an violoncheoil (Gradam Stephen Vernon) i gcomórtas John Pollard (2023).  

I measc bhuaiteoirí roimhe seo den Ghradam tá Julieanne Forrest, Claire O’Connor, Fiachra De hÓra, Callum Owens, Kevin Jannson, Sarah Brazil agus Adam Joyce.  

 

GRADAM SPARÁNACHTA BERNADETTE GREEVY AN HCH 2025 – DEIRDRE ARRATOON  

Bronnadh duais €5,000 agus ceolchoirm sa Seomra Ceolchoirme Kevin Barry ar an mezzasoprán Éireannach Deirdre Arratoon as léiriú dochreidte a chuimsigh Ging heut morgen übers Feld le Mahler agus Quando Mai, Spietata Sorte le Handel. Bhí Joe Csibi, Ceannaire na Ceolfhoirne agus na gCór san HCH, Diego Fasciati, Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin Opera Náisiúnta na hÉireann, agus Naomi Louisa O’Connell, mezzasoprán, ina mbreithiúna.  

Is mezzasoprán Éireannach í Deirdre Arratoon atá bunaithe sa Ríocht Aontaithe agus atá ag dul i méid ina gairm. Thosaigh sí ar oiliúint ghutha phríobháideach in Éirinn sular bronnadh scoláireacht uirthi chun staidéar iarchéime a dhéanamh sa Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Ina dhiaidh sin, chuaigh Deirdre leis an gcór ag Glyndebourne Opera do Fhéile agus Turas 2017. Ó shin i leith, tá gairm éagsúil cheoldrámaíochta tógtha aici le compántais ar fud na Ríochta Aontaithe agus na hÉireann. I measc buaicphointí le déanaí tá an phríomhpháirt aici i Carmen le Bizet le Opera South-East agus turas náisiúnta le Opera Collective Ireland i Flightle Jonathan Dove.  

Tá Deirdre anois i measc réaltaí na mbuaiteoirí roimhe seo de Ghradam Sparánachta Bernadette Greevy an HCH, ar a bhfuil Deirdre Higgins, Clare Quinn, Kelli-Ann Masterson, Sarah Richmond, Susie Gibbons, Jennifer Davis agus Gavan Ring.  

 

GRADAM AN CHUMADÓRA ÓIG JEROME HYNES 2025 – AOIFE KAVANAGH  

Is í an cumadóir Éireannach Aoife Kavanagh buaiteoir Ghradam an Chumadóra Óig Jerome Hynes 2025. Gheobhaidh sí duais €2,500 agus coimisiún chun saothar nua a chumadh a bheidh le cur i láthair den chéad uair san HCH. Rinne Seán Doherty, Léachtóir Cúnta Ceoil in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus an cumadóir Emma O’Halloran moltóireacht ar an ngradam i mbliana.  

Is cumadóir agus dearthóir fuaime Éireannach í Aoife Kavanagh atá gníomhach i réimsí éagsúla ceoil, lena n-áirítear damhsa, amharclann, scannán agus ceol ceolchoirme. Tá sí tar éis saothair a chumadh do cheoltóirí agus d’amhránaithe ar fud na hÉireann, lena n-áirítear an Cór Oiliúna Óige Éireannach, an baraiton-dord Kevin Neville agus an violoncheoltóir Adrian Mantu. Ainmníodh Aoife mar bhuaiteoir i gComórtas na gCumadóirí Óga ag Féile Cheoil Seomra Iarthar Chorcaí 2025 dá c(h)uartéad teaghrán Every Cloud Passes Over, a cuireadh i láthair den chéad uair ag an bhféile ag an Magnolia Quartet. I measc léirithe den chéad uair eile le déanaí tá Dreamscape don phianó aonair, coimisiúnaithe ag Ambasáid na Polainne agus léirithe ag Tamara Niekludow san Acadamh Ríoga Ceoil in Éirinn. Bhí Aoife ar dhuine den bheirt chumadóirí a roghnaigh an Contemporary Music Centre don Scéim Chumadóirí ag Teacht Chun Cinn idir 2021 agus 2023.  

I measc na mbuaiteoirí roimhe seo den chomórtas tá Robin Haigh, Harry O’Connor, Anselm McDonnell, Timothy Ethan Doyle, Christopher Moriarty, Eoghan Desmond, Amanda Feery agus Emma O’Halloran.        
 

Ainmnítear an comórtas in ómós do Jerome Hynes, iar-Phríomfheidhmeannach Opera Fhéile Loch Garman, iar-Leas-Chathaoirleach an Chomhairle Ealaíon agus iar-bhall den Bhord Halla Ceolchoirme Náisiúnta.  

       
CRÍOCH  

Fiosrúcháin na Meán: Sinead Doyle, Bainisteoir Margaíochta & Caidreamh Poiblí, An Ceoláras Náisiúnta, Cúirt Phort an Iarla, Baile Átha Cliath 2 087 1775334 nó Roisin Dwyer, Feidhmeannach Caidreamh Poiblí & Foilseachán, 085-7129628.  

  

Faoin gCeoláras Náisiúnta:         

Is é an Ceoláras Náisiúnta (CN) institiúid chultúrtha náisiúnta na hÉireann don cheol, a fhreastalaíonn go bródúil ar phobal na hÉireann ó osclaíodh é i 1981 trí thaibhithe ceoil beo agus cláir shuntasacha oideachais agus chultúrtha. Lonnaithe i gcroílár Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus béal dorais le Gairdíní Uíbh Eachach, tá an CN bródúil as ár gCeolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta, chomh maith le háit chónaithe a chur ar fáil do réimse eagraíochtaí ceoil eile lena n-áirítear Cór Aireagail Éireann, Ceolfhoireann Bharócach na hÉireann, Music Network, Crash Ensemble agus Music Generation. Tá sé i gceist faoi láthair athfhorbairt mór á dhéanamh ar na háiseanna go léir mar chuid den Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta agus de Thionscadal Éireann 2040.