{"id":1282,"date":"2026-09-02T11:07:39","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T11:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frankmaherclassicalmusicawards.com\/?page_id=1282"},"modified":"2026-09-02T11:07:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T11:07:39","slug":"press-release-2026","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.frankmaherclassicalmusicawards.com\/index.php\/press-release-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Release 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A Quarter Century of Young Musical Talent: <\/strong>Frank Maher Awards Celebrate 25 Years<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The TopSec \/ Frank Maher Classical Music Awards<\/strong>, the largest classical music competition for secondary school students in Ireland, is celebrating 25 years this October. \u00a0Since it was established in 2001, the Awards have grown from a modest school event in Dublin into a prestigious national competition that has attracted the best and brightest of teen classical music talent.\u00a0 Many winners have gone on to make careers in this field.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Awards offer a \u20ac5,000 <\/strong>top prize, the largest of its kind in the country, designed to further the winner\u2019s music education and development. This year, to celebrate the 25th<\/sup> anniversary, the winner will also receive a fully supported trip to an appropriate Summer music camp in Europe next July 2027.<\/p>\n

The Awards were founded by Emmet O\u2019Rafferty, chair of TopSec Cloud Solutions, a leading provider of cloud-based managed email security solutions in Ireland and abroad. The Awards honour the legacy of his former teacher, Fr. Frank Maher, a pioneer in nurturing musical talent in Irish secondary schools.<\/p>\n

Awards founder Emmet O\u2019Rafferty commented: <\/strong>\u201cIt is remarkable to look back over 25 years and see how the Frank Maher Awards have grown from a small school competition in Dublin into a national platform for some of Ireland\u2019s most talented young classical musicians. What has remained constant is our belief that talented teenagers deserve the opportunity, encouragement and support to develop their musical potential.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u20ac5,000 prize is an important part of that support, but the real value of the Awards goes beyond the prize itself. We want to open doors, give young musicians access to outstanding teachers and experiences, and help them take the next step in their musical journey.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Awards have been supported by some of the biggest names in Irish classical and popular music, including singer, songwriter and composer Phil Coulter, the Oscars conductor Eimear Noone, Grammy nominated conductor Elaine Kelly, international pianist Veronica McSwiney and Lyric FM\u2019s Marty Whelan.<\/p>\n

Irish Grammy nominated conductor Elaine Kelly was at a photocall in Kilkenny Castle to launch the 25th<\/sup> anniversary of the Awards, with violinist Isabel Hayden (17) from Kilkenny College and cellist Emily Dunphy (17) from Heywood Community School, Ballinakill, Laois.<\/p>\n

Elaine Kelly commented: <\/strong>\u201cIreland has an extraordinary depth of musical talent, and we need initiatives like the Frank Maher Awards to identify it, celebrate it and give young people a pathway to develop. After 25 years, the achievements of the alumni speak for themselves, and I am delighted to be part of this milestone celebration.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As part of his prize, the Frank Maher Awards sent the 2025 winner, cellist Adam Joyce from Castleknock Community College in Dublin, to the Musikwerkstatt Cuv\u00e9e (Music Workshop Cuv\u00e9e), an annual classical and chamber music masterclass and workshop held in Leutschach, Austria. Its comprehensive weeklong programme is widely regarded as a valuable training ground for serious classical musicians with intensive daily masterclasses taught by prominent artists.<\/p>\n

The roll call of past winners underlines the Awards\u2019 influence and includes violinists Daimee Ng and Julieanne Forrest, pianists Ai Lin Sun and Kevin Jansson, and cellists Killian White and Sinead O\u2019Halloran. Alumni have gone on to achieve international recognition and study at prestigious institutions such as the Juilliard School New York, MUK Vienna, Barenboim-Said Akademie Berlin, HfMT Hamburg, and the Royal College of Music London, and RIAM in Dublin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am particularly proud that so many of our past winners have gone on to study at leading institutions and establish careers in music. That is a wonderful testament to their talent and dedication, and to the vision of my former teacher, Fr. Frank Maher, whose commitment to nurturing musical talent continues to inspire the Awards today.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAs we celebrate 25 years, our ambition is not simply to look back at what has been achieved, but to ensure that the next generation of young Irish musicians has even greater opportunities to flourish<\/em>.\u201d O\u2019Rafferty continued<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Competition Details<\/strong><\/p>\n