Monday, November 15, 2010
THE screams of joy were almost audible at home in Cork when the girls from Presentation Secondary School in Ballyphehane were announced as winners of the All-Island Choir Competition in Belfast.
They beat schools from Derry, Sligo and Dublin at the final broadcast live from Belfast on RTÉ television last night.
"We are absolutely delighted. The school will be so proud, as will the whole of Cork. Congratulations to all the girls who worked so hard to make tonight such a success," said choir director Anne Dunphy after accepting the trophy from President Mary McAleese.
The school also earned the top prize of £5,000 (almost €5,900) for the success, having won the regional final at the CIT Cork School of Music last month by beating off competition put up by choirs from Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford.
In last night’s final, the Presentation choir impressed the judges with their performance of two contrasting pieces, opening with the plaintive Cill Chais and livening things up with the more upbeat Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
Before the winners were announced, President Mary McAleese said the audience had enjoyed music of poetic quality from the four finalists.
The competition is organised by Co-operation Ireland, in association with RTÉ, and the inaugural event was won last year by Methodist College, Belfast.
Co-operation Ireland chief executive Peter Sheridan said the organisation recognises the importance of promoting tolerance, respect and friendship among young people of different races, faiths and cultures across the island.
The judging panel included Belfast Opera singer and teacher Dr Angela Feeney, Brendan O’Connor, musical director of the Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir in Galway and Dr Geoffrey Spratt, director of Cork School of Music.
"We really admired the choice of music, and then we enjoyed the way they performed the music as well," Mr O’Connor said.
Television viewers and the audience at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast heard a performance by promising teenage Cork cellist Sinead O’Halloran while the judges deliberated.
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