Let’s not forget our President, Gordon Ledbetter, who was master of ceremonies. He shared some fascinating anecdotes and insights related to John McCormack which added greatly to the evening. Gordon is a two time biographer of John McCormack and a talk he delivered at the RIAM a few years ago is well worth checking out. Here.
We also wish to thank our Society members who sponsored the three Bursaries.
Kevin Dwan
Marie O’Halloran
Eamon Duffy
L-r Niall Kinsella, Eva Kavanagh, Emma Power, Donncha McDonagh and Seán Tester
John McCormack was born on this day in 1884. His lyric tenor voice, characterised by warmth, purity, and impeccable diction was combined with a technical precision and emotional expressiveness that made him one of the most compelling artists of the 20th century.
John’s English language recording of Handel’s ‘Care selve’ from Atalanta (‘Come my Beloved’) showcases these qualities, qualities that would see him being widely regarded as one the 20th century’s finest exponents of the composer’s music.
Seán Tester – Recipient of the BVOF | RIAM John Pollard Bursary
A tenor from Drogheda, Co. Louth, Seán studied Drama, Dance and Singing at the Drogheda School of Performing Arts and has a strong background in choral singing as a dedicated member of St. Peter’s Male Voice Choir, Drogheda.
In recent years, Seán’s vocal interest turned to opera and classical singing which led to his completion of the Recital Artist Diploma at RIAM. In the world of opera, Seán has been engaged by the Irish National Opera Chorus for INO’s productions of Rossini’s ‘Guillaume Tell’, Gounod’s ‘Faust’ and Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’.
Seán has also made his tenor soloist debut in Handel’s ‘Messiah’. Seán immensely enjoyed his time as a participant in “Celebrating the Voice” with international star mezzo-sopranos Tara Erraught and Angela Brower. 2023 saw Seán as a recipient of the BVOF|RIAM John Pollard Bursary; seeing him continue his studies with principal voice teacher Owen Gilhooly-Miles and coach Dearbhla Collins on the Masters in Music Performance (Vocal Studies) at RIAM.
More recently, Seán made his tenor soloist debut in Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’, Beethoven’s ‘Choral Fantasia’, D’Astorga’s ‘Stabat Mater’ and Haydn’s ‘Die sieben letzten Worte des Erlösers am Kreuz’. Seán made his international role debut in Switzerland where he performed the role of “Rodolphe” in a production of Rossini’s ‘Guillaume Tell’ at Nouvel Opèra Fribourg/Neue Oper Freiburg. Seán made his North American singing debut representing RIAM performing at the 33rd Ireland Funds Emerald Isle Ball in The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida.
Join us at the Whyte Recital Hall on Saturday the 15th June to see Seán Tester perform along with our bursary award recipients. FREE ADMISSION.
Pianist and conductor Niall Kinsella has established himself as one of Ireland’s most exciting, versatile and sought-after musicians. He has been described as “a meticulous collaborator” (BBC Music Magazine) and “a first-class calling card as a knowledgeable and profound song accompanist” (Merker, Austria). He has performed as a song-accompanist extensively across Europe, in Austria, France, Spain, Hungary, Czech-Republic, Italy and United Kingdom, in venues such as Wiener Musikverein, Wiener Konzerthaus, Mozarthaus Wien, The Liszt Academy, Budapest, St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, and National Concert Hall, Dublin.
As a conductor, he was appointed as RTÉ Conductor-in-Training 2014-15 and has conducted several major choral works including Handel Messiah, Mozart C Minor Mass, Haydn Stabat Mater, Duruflé Reqiuem, Orff Carmina Burana. Niall made his debut conducting the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in September 2023 in a sold-out concert of Rodgers & Hammerstein, which was also broadcast on RTÉ lyric fm.
Niall’s debut CD John F. Larchet: Complete Songs & Airs was released internationally on Champs Hill Records (UK) in 2020 and was described as “a long overdue recording given John F. Larchet’s remarkable contribution to musical life in Ireland” (John Bowman, RTÉ Radio One) and that “it is hard to imagine [Larchet’s] complete vocal output being given a better representation than it receives here” (Journal of Music). His second CD, Schubert’s Women, for Austrian label Gramola Klassik was released in 2021, with critics praising the “polished music-making of fine repertoire” (BBC Music Magazine) and remarking that “Kinsella’s perspective is so fresh and fruitful” (The Whole Note, Canada). Niall is Artistic Director of Irish Songmakers, and has also curated a recital series at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London.
Niall studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, furthering his postgraduate studies in lieder accompaniment and chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, with Professor Barbara Moser. He completed his studies in Lieder accompaniment at the Franz-Schubert-Institut, in Baden-be-Wien, Austria, and at the International Summer Academy of the Mozarteum University, Salzburg.
Join us at the Whyte Recital Hall on Saturday the 15th June to see Niall Kinsella perform piano accompaniment for our other bursary award recipients and guest singer. FREE ADMISSION.
Donncha McDonagh is a baritone and choral conductor from Dublin. He began full-time studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2023 with Dr Imelda Drumm, having grown up singing in Piccolo Lasso children’s choir under Dr Ite O’Donovan.
Donncha has sung with ensembles including Sestina in Belfast and the Charles Wood Singers in Armagh, and sings regularly with the cathedral choirs at Christ Church and St. Patrick’s in Dublin. He was a member of the inaugural Chamber Choir Ireland Studio in 2023-24 and will be a member of the Sixteen’s young artists programme, Genesis Sixteen, in 2024-25. In March 2024 Donncha was awarded the John McCormack Cup and the James Cuthbert Cup at the Feis Ceoil.
Donncha has been Conductor of Trinity College Dublin Chapel Choir since 2022, directing the choir at twice weekly services in Trinity Chapel, and on tour in the cathedrals of Monaco, Nice and Antwerp. In May 2024 he conducted the choir in a televised service on RTÉ One. Donncha was recently elected conductor of the Trinity Singers.
Join us at the Whyte Recital Hall on Saturday the 15th June to see Donncha McDonagh perform along with our other bursary award recipients. FREE ADMISSION.
Emma Power is a mezzo-soprano hailing from Waterford. They have recently completed the Masters of Music Performance Program at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, studying with Dr Imelda Drumm and Dr Dearbhla Collins.
Emma received their BMus from MTU Cork in 2014 where they studied with Mary MacSweeney and Alan Cutts. Emma has worked as a soloist and ensemble member with Cork Operatic Society, Cór Cois Abhain, Comhar, Once Off Productions, Tonnta Music, Lassus, RIAM Opera and most recently the NSO.
They are a recipient of the Mezzo Solo cup, The Margaret Burke-Sheridan cup, the Mrs P.J Geoghegan Memorial Cup, The Lieder Prize and the Mahler Prize at the Feis Ceoil. Emma was featured in both the Irish Salon Opera recital and the Wilde in Music recital at the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival recital series in June. Other upcoming performances include a concert performance of William Wallace’s uncovered opera, Lurline, at the NCH this July 26th.
Join us at the Whyte Recital Hall on Saturday the 15th June to see Emma Power perform along with our other bursary award recipients. FREE ADMISSION.
At just 20 years old, Eva Kavanagh has already gained a significant number of achievements. Beginning with accolades like the RIAM High Achiever Award in 2024 and the title of ‘Carlow College of Music Student of the Year 2022’, Eva’s talent has shone brightly from the start of her vocal studies. Eva is currently studying vocal performance on the BMus at RIAM, under the tutelage of Kathleen Tynan and Dearbhla Collins. She was delighted to be awarded the Most Promising Performer at the 2023 RIAM Irene Sandford Award for Singers.
Eva has graced stages across Ireland, from performing as a special guest with The Celtic Tenors in April of 2023 to performing as a soloist at the St. Columbanus Festival in Bangor Abbey, Co. Down. Eva’s prowess as a vocalist has been recognised with wins at prestigious competitions like Feis Ceoil Dublin (Junior Vocal Recital, The Young Cup, Plunkett Greene Cup, Thomas Moore Cup, Marchant Cup), Feis Maitiu, Feis Sligigh, along with notable placements in others. Eva was a finalist in Feis Ceoil’s Gervase Elwes competition this year. Eva was one of the finalists in this year’s Trench Award at the Birr Festival of Music. Eva was awarded the Canto Al Serchio Award.
Upon earning a scholarship in 2023 for the Daniel Ferro Program in Tuscany, Italy, Eva was enabled to have masterclasses with industry luminaries like Ira Siff (Metropolitan Opera, New York) and Mark Watson. Eva has been invited back to study at the Daniel Ferro Vocal Porgram on partial scholarship this summer for their 30th Anniversary.
Other performance highlights include the Feis Ceoil Prizewinners Concert at the National Concert Hall 2023 and the role of Sadie Dowling in the world premier of Stephen McNeff’s Spirits Unsurrendered at Kilmainham Gaol in November 2023 for RIAM Opera.
Join us at the Whyte Recital Hall on Saturday the 15th June to see Eva Kavanagh perform along with our other bursary award recipients. FREE ADMISSION.
Come join us for a night of musical talent at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Witness the next generation of performers showcase their wonderful talents. It’s a night filled with performances of opera, classical repertoire, ballads, beautiful melodies and a guest performer. Don’t miss out on this special event celebrating the legacy of John McCormack!
During last year’s concert 19 year-old Ruby Boland delivered a stunning performance of Vivaldi’s ‘Sposa son disprezzata’. She was accompanied by Dearbhla Brosnan.
On Saturday 11 May, the John McCormack Society’s guest speaker in Buswell’s Hotel at 11.00 a.m. is Jeremy Meehan from Cork. Jeremy, in collaboration with the legendary Ward Marston, was instrumental in delivering the digital restoration and resissuing of John McCormack’s Odeon, Electrical and radio broadcast recordings.
“I’m delighted to be asked to present a programme for the Society. I’ve called my talk ‘A Miscellany of Curiosities’. I’ve tried to pick a wide range of pieces that each have some quirky aspect to them, and I hope there will be something for everyone.”
One piece, that will be familiar to any lover of opera, is the aria “Pour mon âme, quel destin!” from Donizetti’s La Figlia del Reggimento, with its spectacular High Cs, sung here by the tenor Juan Diego Florez.
Our next in-person talk will be held in Buswells Hotel, Dublin, on the 13th of April. It will start at 11am and all are welcome. This talk was planned for November 2023 but had to be postponed so we’re delighted that we’ve been able to reschedule it. It will offer a unique perspective on McCormack and his recording legacy.
David Kelly’s talk ‘John McCormack – Connections and Associations’ will explore the recordings the Irish tenor made of material from Tin Pan Alley and their later associations with some of the biggest crooners that followed, such as Frank Sinatra and Perry Como. It promises to be a fascinating look at this popular song form.
Here’s John McCormack’s recording of Irving Berlin’s ‘All Alone’. The song would go on to be recorded by many artists.
Frank Sinatra recorded ‘All Alone’ in 1962. It is a very different interpretation to the recording made by John McCormack.
John McCormack Society 