Dublin Student Wins 2026 Frank Maher Classical Music Awards

Violinist Iona Wu (18), a sixth-year student at Wesley College in Ballinteer, Dublin, has won the €5,000 top prize at the 2026 TopSec Frank Maher Classical Music Awards, Ireland’s largest classical music competition for secondary schools, which celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year.

Iona was one of six finalists at the competition night on Friday 23rd October 2026 in the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. Lyric FM presenter Marty Whelan was master of ceremonies for an evening of outstanding teen talent, at which she performed two pieces – Nocturne by composer Lil Boulanger and Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor by composer Max Bruch.

Tenor trombonist Yannick Daly-Trillaud (18) from Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Cork came second and violinist Kitty Sabry (18) from Seamount College in Galway came third.

To mark the 25^th anniversary of the Awards inception and as part of their prizes, Iona, Yannick and Kitty will also attend weeklong masterclasses in Europe in Summer 2027.

Commenting on her win, Iona Wu said “I am delighted to have won and can’t wait to attend the masterclass next summer. I chose the Nocturne by Lil Boulanger because it’s one of my favourite pieces of all time and the Bruch Concerto is so much fun to play. I plan to put my prize winnings towards a new bow and my registration fees for the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland.”

The Awards were created in 2001 by Top Security chairman Emmet O’Rafferty to honour the memory of his late teacher, Fr Frank Maher, who taught music at Castleknock College in Dublin.

Emmet O’Rafferty said ““It was a great pleasure to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the TopSec Frank Maher Classical Music Awards and to experience the extraordinary standard of young musical talent coming through Irish schools.

 Violinist Iona Wu from Wesley College in Dublin gave a wonderful performance on the night and is a very deserving winner. I hope the prize, along with the opportunity for all three top competitors to attend masterclasses in Europe next summer, will help them develop their talent and broaden their musical horizons.

 My congratulations to all our finalists who took part in the competition night and over the past 25 years, it has been hugely rewarding to see how the Awards have helped young musicians pursue their ambitions. I look forward to seeing what the next generation will achieve,” O’Rafferty continued.

 The Awards’ aim is to showcase exceptional young musical talent in Irish schools and are open to sixth year post-primary students of strings, woodwind, brass and piano. The €5,000 top prize must be used to attend a recognised place of tuition, a course of study in Ireland or abroad or on a purchase necessary for the development of their talent.

Last year’s winner, cellist Adam Joyce from Castleknock Community College in Dublin, gave a guest performance on the night. Previous winners have used the prize to further their studies at prestigious institutions that include the Juilliard School, New York, MUK Vienna, Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin, Hochschule für Musik und Theater (HfMT) Hamburg and the Royal College of Music in the UK.

In addition to the forthcoming masterclasses next year, the two runners up Yannick Daly Trillaud and Kitty Sabry each received a €300 bursary, as did the other three finalists, who were Oluwalonimi Adegbola from Coláiste ĺde agus Iosef, Limerick (piano); Aran Cahalan from Wilson’s Hospital School, Westmeath (Flute) and Ruby Creighton-Kowalsky from Newpark Comprehensive School, Dublin (Violin).

The judging panel was Dr Gerard Gillen, emeritus professor of music at NUI Maynooth, international classical pianist Veronica McSwiney and international violist Wolfgang Klos, professor of viola at the University of Music and the Performing Arts, Vienna.

Dr Gillen said, “It was a very close competition, we had three very strong contenders for the win on the night, but Iona Wu won for her technical prowess, her ability to communicate her musicianship, a wide expressive range, combined with that elusive ability to connect with the audience.”