Six young musicians to be mentored ahead of live performances
The musicians are the recipients of the NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award.
Six young musicians from Northern Ireland are the recipients of an arts award which will see them receive mentorship from BBC presenters ahead of live performances.
The recipients of the NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award include three classical awardees – harpist Rosie Murphy, soprano Zoe Jackson and violinist and composer Samuel Kane – as well as traditional folk music uilleann piper Maeve O’Donnell, contemporary singer-songwriter Becky McNeice and jazz awardee Timothy Boomer.
The award is supported by The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and BBC Northern Ireland.
The biennial scheme aims to showcase and support the development of young musicians from Northern Ireland by providing funding awards, worth up to £5,000 each to artists who are ready to enter the professional world.
The financial award enables recipients to develop their musical aspirations by spending time learning from a professional musician, mentor, teacher or composer either in Northern Ireland or abroad.
Each recipient will also benefit from professional engagements arranged by BBC Northern Ireland for a broadcast chamber music, solo recital or concerto performance, including with the Ulster Orchestra where appropriate.
Four presenters from Radio Ulster and Foyle will help prepare the young musicians for the performances with the Ulster Orchestra for live broadcast.
John Toal, a classical pianist and presenter of Classical Connections, will mentor the three classical awardees.
Folk Club presenter Neil Martin will mentor Maeve O’Donnell, who will be given the opportunity to perform at Belfast Tradfest.
Jazz musician Scott Flanigan will mentor Timothy Boomer, who will perform at Scott’s Jazz Club, and Stephen McCauley will mentor Becky McNeice, who will perform at Stendhal Festival.
Ciaran Scullion, head of music and opera at Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: “We want to provide meaningful opportunities for our most exceptional young artists to develop their musical careers and the NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award offers a valuable opportunity to do that.
“Awardees can develop their skills, learn from the best in their genre and receive professional performance experience with the BBC.
“All of the previous awardees have gone on to have successful, professional musical careers and we wish the current cohort of awardees every success as they embark upon this opportunity.”
Paul McClean, executive editor music, arts and events, BBC Northern Ireland, said: “Nurturing new talent is something we are extremely passionate about and we are delighted to be involved in finding new classical, alternative, jazz and traditional artists.
“Being able to have our listeners engage in these young musicians’ journey will be incredible to watch as they grow and develop with some help from our mentors.”
Previous recipients of the Young Musicians’ Platform Award include acclaimed classical pianist Michael McHale, soprano Laura Sheerin, harpist Richard Allen, violinist Michael Trainor, folk artists Jack Warnock, Conor Mallon and Niall Hanna, singer-songwriter Roisin Donald/Roe, and jazz musicians Ed Dunlop and Katherine Timoney, among others.
