Arts Council supports young musical talent |
21/12/2006
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is giving three of Northern Ireland’s most promising young musicians a boost–up in their careers through its Young Artist Platform Scheme. The award, offered in collaboration with BBC NI, is for talented young singers and musicians who are ready to enter the professional world as artists.
Catherine Coulter, Ciaran McCabe and Michael McHale will each receive £5,000 and two professional broadcast performances with the BBC.
Robert Collins, Music officer at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland , congratulated the three award winners, “The Young Musician Platform Scheme supports our policy of nurturing young musicians at the beginning of their artistic careers. We are confident that the chosen artists will benefit tremendously from the award and we look forward to following their future successes.”
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Catherine Coulter is a flautist from East Belfast, who is currently completing a Masters degree at the Royal College of Music in London. She will use her award to study with several of the world’s greatest flautists such as Jacques Zoon, Jaime Martin and Vicens Pratz. She said, “To study with musicians of this caliber will hugely enhance my skills as a flautist and musician and will help build up musical contacts in other parts of Europe.”
 Ciaran McCabe |
Ciaran McCabe is a violinist from Newtownabbey and a postgraduate student at the Royal College of Music in London. The award will enable him to travel to New York to study with internationally-renowned Korean violinist, Chee-Yun. Ciaran said, “The award will help me to broaden my repertoire. Having lessons with such an inspirational artist as Chee-Yun will offer a different perspective on my playing, something which I feel is vital for my development as a performer.’’
 Michael McHale |
Michael McHale is a pianist from Belfast and he will use the award to pay for private tuition from top international pianists including Pascal Devoyon in Geneva and Boris Berman at Yale School of Music, CT, USA. Michael is delighted at winning the award, “Not only will getting a series of classes with these teachers be inspiring and rewarding, but forming links with established artists abroad will help me to develop my performing career beyond the UK and Ireland.”
