The Cork International Choral Festival, which took place last week from 26 to 30 April, has announced the winners of this year’s competitions.

The Fleischmann International Trophy was won by the Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School Chamber Choir from Finland, conducted by Joanna Vehanen. Second prize went to the Eller Girls Choir from Estonia, conducted by Kulli Lokko, and third prize went to the Glasis Chamber Choir from Slovenia, conducted by Ernest Kokot.

Dublin Youth Choir conducted by Lynsey O’Callaghan won Ireland’s Choir of the Year. Second place went to MTU Glór Choral Society in Cork, conducted by Robbie Pender, and third place went to the UCC Singers conducted by Ben Jacobs.

The Dublin Youth Choir also won the Heinrich Schütz Perpetual Trophy, first prize in the National Competition for Youth Choirs, first prize in the National Competition for Church Music, and Trofaí Cuimhneacháin Philib Uí Laoghaire, a special award for the performance of a choral work in Irish.

The Dynamics choir from Wicklow, conducted by Jennifer Lee, won first prize in the National Competition for Chamber Choirs and first prize in the National Competition for Light, Jazz and Popular Music.

Cuore from Dublin, conducted by Amy Ryan, won the Perpetual Trophy for the Performance of Irish Contemporary Choral Music for their performance of Alleluia, Christus Resuuexit by Colin Mawby. The Seán Ó Riada Trophy was awarded to composer Daragh Black Hynes for his work Behind This Light. It was performed in the festival by Chamber Choir Ireland.

The IBEC Workplace Choir of the Year was won by Scrubs from Cork University Hospital. The Ursuline Singers from Thurles, conducted by Joan Butler, won School Choir of the Festival.

For full details of all prizes, see below. For more, visit www.corkchoral.ie.

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Cork International Choral Festival 2022 – Competition Results 

Fleischmann International Trophy Competition Prize Winners

1st Prize
Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School Chamber Choir (Finland)
Conductor: Joanna Vehanen

2nd Prize
Eller Girls Choir (Estonia)
Conductor: Kulli Lokko

3rd Prize
Glasis Chamber Choir (Slovenia)
Conductor: Ernest Kokot

Lady Dorothy Mayer Memorial Trophy

Donated by Chris Mahon
Special Award for the performance of a piece in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition.

Awarded to:
Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School Chamber Choir (Finland)
Conductor: Jonna Vehmanen
For the performance of Go down, Moses (Trad., arr. Jan Hellberg)

Schuman/Europe Trophy
In memory of Moira Pyne (1916–2009)
Special Award for the performance of a piece by a living European Composer in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition.

Awarded to:
Eller Girls’ Choir (Estonia)
Conductor: Külli Lokko
For the performance of High Flight by Eriks Ešenvalds

Heinrich Schütz Perpetual Trophy
In memory of Hans Waldemar Rosen
Special Award for the performance of a choral work by Heinrich Schütz in the National or International Competitions.

Awarded to:
Dublin Youth Choir (Ireland)
Conductor: Lynsey O’Callaghan
For the performance of Gib unsern Fürsten

The McCurtain and McSwiney Memorial Trophy
Donated by the Cork Council of Trade Unions
Special Award, decided by the members of the International Jury, to a conductor in the International Competition for the performance of an imaginative and artistic programme. The recipient of this Trophy also receives a special award, kindly donated by Musica International, which offers them full access to the Musica International website and their virtual choral library.  Musica International is a major project of the International Federation for Choral Music.

Awarded to:
Conductor: Ernest Kokot
Choir: Glasis Chamber Choir (Slovenia)

PEACE Trophy
Donated by the P.E.A.C.E Movement Cork
Awarded to the choir that best embraces the spirit of the Festival, and fulfils the intentions of the trophy’s benefactors, the P.E.A.C.E. Movement, Cork.

Awarded to:
Ole Bull Chamber Choir (Norway)
Conductor: Jon Flydal Blichfeldt

Ireland’s Choir of the Year
and Recipient of The Victor Leeson Perpetual Trophy
Donated by The Guinness Choir in memory of its founder Victor Leeson

1st Prize
Dublin Youth Choir (Dublin)
Conductor: Lynsey Callaghan

2nd Prize
MTU Glór Choral Society (Cork)
Conductor: Robbie Pender

3rd Prize
UCC Singers (Cork)
Conductor: Ben Jacobs

IBEC Workplace Choir of the Year (In person)

1st Place
Scrubs (Cork University Hospital)
Conductor: Patrick D’Alton

IBEC Workplace Choir of the Year (Video/Virtual)

1st Place
Fidelty Investments
Conductor: Peter Mannion

2nd Place
NTMA Choir
Conductor: Duncan Brickenden

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National Adult Competitions

National Competition for Chamber Choirs

1st Prize
Dynamics
Conductor: Jennifer Lee

National Competition for Female Choirs

1st Prize
Cappella Lyrica (Cork)
Conductor: Maria Judge                

2nd Prize
Kinsale Voices (Cork)
Conductor: Patrick D’Alton

National Competition for Male Voice Choirs

1st Prize
The Polyphonics Chorus
Conductor: Patrick D’Alton         

National Competition for Mixed Voice Choirs

1st Prize
Viva Voce (Cork)
Conductor: Bernadette Kiely

National Competition for Youth Choirs
1st Prize
Dublin Youth Choir
Conductor: Lynsey Callaghan

2nd Prize
SETU Youth Choir (Waterford)
Conductor: Niall Crowley

National Competition for Light, Jazz and Popular Music

1st Prize
Dynamics (Wicklow)
Conductor: Jennifer Lee

2nd Prize
NUIG Alumni Ensemble (Galway)
Conductor: Peter Mannion

National Competition for Church Music

1st Prize
Dublin Youth Choir
Conductor: Lynsey Callaghan

2nd Prize
UCC Singers (Cork)
Conductor: Ben Jacob

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Special Awards – National Adult and Youth Competitions

Trofaí Cuimhneacháin Philib Uí Laoghaire 
Donated by Cór Cois Laoi
Special Award for the performance of a choral work in Irish.

Awarded to:
Dublin Youth Choir (Dublin)
Conductor: Lynsey Callaghan
For the performance of Bagairt na Marbh by Michael Holohan in FITC   

Perpetual Trophy for the Performance of Irish Contemporary Choral Music
Donated by The Contemporary Music Centre
Special Award for the performance of an original choral work by an Irish composer written after 1975 and chosen from the library collection of the Contemporary Music Centre.

Awarded to:
Cuore (Dublin)
Conductor: Amy Ryan
For the performance of Alleluia, Christus Resuuexit by Colin Mawby

The John Mannion Trophy
Donated by the family of John Mannion
Special Award to a Chamber Choir for the performance of a work in the National Competitions.

Awarded to:
Choir: Capella Lyrica
Conductor: Maria Judge
For the performance of The Snow by Edward Elgar

Seán Ó Riada Composition Competition
The Seán Ó Riada Trophy
Awarded to composer Daragh Black Hynes for his work Behind This Light.

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National Competition for Schools

National Competition for Schools: Section 1 (Primary School Choirs)

1st Prize
Cór Scoil Mhuire Junior School (Cork)
Conductor: Maeve-Ann O’Brine

2nd Prize
The Rowan Room Choir, St Michael’s National Choir
Conductor:  Robbie Carroll

National Competition for Schools: Section 2 (Equal Voice Post-Primary School Choirs)

1st Prize
Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles
Conductor: Joan Butler

2nd Prize
De La Salle Senior Choir, Waterford
Conductor: Ben Hanlon

National Competition for Schools: Section 3 (Mixed Voice Post-Primary School Choirs)

1st Prize
St David’s Holy Faith Choir (Wicklow)
Conductor: Emily Aylmer

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Special Awards – National Competitions for Schools

School Choir of the Festival
and the Recipient of The John Cunningham Trophy.
Awarded to the school choir who received the highest overall mark in the National Competitions for Schools.

Awarded to:
Ursuline Singers, Thurles
Conductor: Joan Butler

The Sing Ireland Trophy
Special Award for the performance of a piece in the National Competitions for Schools.

For the performance of The Seal Lullaby by Eric Whitacre in the National Competition for Schools: Section 3: Post-Primary Equal Voice

Awarded to: Cór Scoil Mhuire J.S
Conductor: Maeve-Ann O’Brien

The Irish Federation of Musicians & Associated Professions Trophy
Special Award for the performance of a choral piece in Irish in the National Competitions for Schools.

Awarded to:
The Rowan Room, St Michaels National School
Conductor: Robbie Carrol

The Sing Ireland Bursary for Conductors
Special bursary award to a conductor in the school competitions to attend Sing Ireland’s Annual Summer School.

Awarded to:
Lou Barry
Conductor of Headfort School Choir, Co. Cork

For further information on the Cork International Choral Festival, visit www.corkchoral.ie.