The Contemporary Music Centre's trophy at the Cork International Choral Festival has been won by a Dublin choir.

The special award for the best performance of an original choral work by an Irish composer written after 1975 has been awarded to the choir New Dublin Voices, under their conductor Bernie Sherlock. The festival -- Cork's 52nd -- took place from 26-30 April 2006.

The trophy, an elegant modern design in silver and wood, was awarded to the choir for their performance of Rorate Caeli by Rhona Clarke. This was part of their programme in the premier national competition for chamber choirs, where they were first prizewiners.

In fact it was something of a clean sweep for the choir, as they also received the John Mannion Memorial Trophy and the Victor Leeson Perpetual Trophy as National Choir of the Festival.

Posted: 5 May 2006