Five young Irish composers received Bill Whelan International Bursaries recently.

Internationally-acclaimed Irish composer Bill Whelan presented the Bursary awards in Dublin recently. The five students are the first recipients of the awards, which have been set up to assist Irish music students studying abroad.

The music bursary will help exceptional Irish students who are furthering their music studies at participating third level institutes in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The recipients are Solfa Carlile (Cork), Robert Allen (Cork), Breifne Holohan (Louth), Benedict Schlepper Connolly (Dublin) and Michael Doherty (Derry).

The Bursary programme will run for five years and it is anticipated that a wide number of students from many different disciplines ranging from film scoring, orchestration, conducting and music composition will be able to avail of the bursary scheme over the coming years.

The bursary scheme is administered with the assistance of the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO).

Speaking at the presentation of bursary awards, Bill Whelan commented, “It is a great honour for me to be in a position to contribute to the Irish Music Industry in such a way as to help emerging composers gain access to some of the foremost music institutions in the world. Education is so vital in developing one's own musical expression, and I have no doubt that there are many young Irish composers ready to seize upon such an opportunity.”

Bill Whelan, best known as composer of Riverdance: The Show, a Grammy award winner for 'Best Musical Show Album', has worked extensively in theatre, television and film. His orchestral works include the specially commissioned pieces, The Seville Suite (1992) and The Spirit Of Mayo (1993). His work in international film includes Lamb, which he co-composed with Van Morrison; his emotive score for the Jim Sheridan/Terry George film Some Mother's Son and the original score for the film version of Brian Friel's award-winning Dancing at Lughnasa which starred Meryl Streep. His production and arranging credits include U2, Van Morrison, Kate Bush, Richard Harris and The Dubliners. He has also served on the IMRO board from 1989 to 1997.

Posted: 3 February 2005