The Trench Award
Now, in its eleventh year, the purpose of The Trench Award, which includes a number of bursaries, is to assist singers and musicians from the Midlands/Mid-West region to develop their professional careers through further study at a University/Music College/accredited music establishment, in Ireland or abroad, undertaking classical music studies in pursuit of a career in professional performance.
The Trench Award 2024
Sunday 5 May
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre
Accompanist | Dearbhla Brosnan
Following our callout for applications, we invite six finalists to perform a 15-minute programme at the Trench Award Gala Concert during Birr Festival of Music. The winners are selected by a prestigious panel and also take part in a series of masterclasses during their time at our Festival here in Birr.
In previous years, Fergus Sheil, David Brophy, Sandra Oman, Bruno Caproni and Julian Evans have all been adjudicators.
2024 FINALISTS
LAURA AHERNE
SOPRANO
Laura is a Masters student at the Royal College of Music and a graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She is the Joseph Clover Scholar at RCM, and in 2023 was awarded the Brackaville Bursary for Vocal Students by Irish Heritage.
She has performed in venues and festivals
across Ireland and the UK including the Wigmore Hall, the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, and the Irish Embassy in London.
JOHANNA DIETZ
PIANO
Johanna was accepted as a part-time student into the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2016. Here, she was awarded a scholarship and earned a place in the Young Scholars programme in 2020.
Ever since then, through more experiences and performance opportunities, her love for music grew and led her to study at the RIAM full-time.
She is now in her third year of the BMus Performance degree and has placed in multiple competitions, performed in masterclasses and taken part in numerous concerts.
EVA KAVANAGH
SOPRANO
Eva is currently studying vocal performance on the BMus at RIAM, under the tutelage of Kathleen Tynan and Dearbhla Collins. She was awarded the Most Promising Performer at the 2023 RIAM Irene Sandford Award for Singers.
Upon earning a scholarship in 2023 for the Daniel Ferro Program in Tuscany, Italy, Eva attended masterclasses with industry luminaries like Ira Siff (Metropolitan Opera, New York) and Mark Watson.
Other performance highlights include the Feis Ceoil Prizewinners Concert at the National Concert Hall 2023 and the role of Sadie Dowling in the world premiere of Stephen McNeff's Spirits Unsurrendered for RIAM Opera.
JAYDEN LAMCELLARI
CELLO
Jayden is an Albanian/Irish Cellist currently studying with Professor Christoph Richter at the Royal Academy of Music after being awarded a full scholarship.
He has performed as a soloist in some of the world's major concert halls including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Centre, Musikverein Vienna, Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall.
Jayden is the winner of five international competitions and was awarded 1st Prize at the Piatti Cello Competition at the Royal Academy of Music. More recently, he was a finalist at the Delius Award as well as the Irish Heritage Award in London where he went on to win the Homan Potterton Award.
ERINN LENNON
TRUMPET
Erinn is currently in the final year of her Bachelor in Music degree at TU Dublin, studying Trumpet Performance.
She began her trumpet studies with Music Generation Carlow and in 2019, she was selected to be one of two people from Ireland to attend the International Music Camp in North Dakota for two weeks as part of their Wind Band Programme.
She has performed at the National Concert Hall with Carlow Youth Orchestra and at Carlow Cathedral in the Easter Vigil broadcast on RTÉ Radio.
ROSIE MURPHY
HARP
Rosie is a harpist and composer currently studying classical music and sonology in The Hague Royal Conservatory. She has also received a diploma of higher music from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London.
She has performed recitals of her own music in Arás an Uachtarain, No. 10 Downing Street, The Lyric Theatre Belfast, The London Irish Centre and the Sonic Arts Research Centre.
She is an awardee of the 2022 Music Capital Scheme and is the Featured Young Artist for The Hard Rain Soloist ensemble for 2023/2024.
THE AWARDS
THE TRENCH AWARD
The Trench Award is our top bursary, named in honour of Julia & Patrick Trench.
Winners
2023 Julieanne Forrest | Violin
2022 Martina Rosaria O'Connell | Flute
2021 Aoibhin Keogh Daly | Cello
2020 Ben Gannon | Oboe
2019 Aidan Chan | Piano
2018 Philip Keegan | Tenor
2017 Richard Thomas | Violin
2016 Sarah Brady | Soprano
2015 Carolyn Holt | Mezzo Soprano
2014 Heather Fogarty | Mezzo Soprano
BIRR LIONS CLUB BURSARY
This award is named in recognition of Birr Lions Club's ongoing support of Birr Festival of Music. They have generously supported numerous community, education and cultural organisations in Birr since establishment in 1974.
Winners
2023 Deirdre Higgins | Soprano
2022 Aimee Banks | Soprano
2021 Maria Matthews | Soprano
2020 Jessica Hackett | Soprano
2019 Leah Redmond | Soprano
2018 Ben Gannon | Oboe
2017 Kevin Neville | Baritone
2016 Rachel Goode | Soprano
THE AUDREY CHISHOLM AWARD
In memory of the late Audrey Chisholm, concert pianist and hugely popular teacher for many years at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. Audrey grew up on Oxmantown Mall, Birr. Her father, William, was head forrester at Birr Castle, her mother, Ciss, taught piano and gave Audrey her first lesson.
Awarded to an instrumentalist and funded from Audrey's estate by her brother Danvers and curated by Linda O'Shea Farren.
Winners
2023 Adam Buttimer | Tuba
2022 JJ McNamara | Piano
2021 David Vesey | Piano
2020 Peter Regan | Piano
CANTO AL SERCHIO AWARD
Awarded to a singer in the Trench Award, this is a residency at the Summer Opera Academy in Tuscany of renowned baritone Bruno Caproni and pianist Julian Evans.
The recipient joins a small group of international singers for vocal coaching, Italian lessons and performance opportunities, visiting Puccini's birthplace in nearby Lucca and generally immersing themselves in Italian culture.
Winners
2023 Caroline Behan | Soprano
2023 Anna-Helena McLachlan | Mezzo Soprano
2022 Niamh St John | Soprano
2021 David Kennedy | Tenor
2020 Sarah Luttrell | Mezzo Soprano
2019 Dylan Rooney | Baritone
2018 Philip Keegan | Tenor
10TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD
2023 marked 10 years of The Trench Award and in recognition of this major anniversary, this bursary was awarded to mezzo-soprano, Heather Sammon.
MUSICAL FUTURES
A bursary awarded to a Midlands student entering full-time music studies in the classical field.
Winners
2022 Catherine Cotter | Cello
2020 Aoibhin Keogh Daly | Cello
2019 David Kennedy | Tenor
2018 Dylan Rooney | Baritone
2017 Mollie Wrafter | Violin
Maureen de Forge & Catherine Cotter