John Fitzpatrick awarded an Honorary Masters Degree in Arts John Fitzpatrick, our Festival Director, was recently honoured by University College Cork at its September 7th 2010 Conferring Ceremony by the award of an Honorary Masters Degree in Arts by the President of UCC, Dr. Michael Murphy.· In awarding this degree, UCC wished to acknowledge his long association with the University and to recognise his services to choral music, music education, and to the cultural life of Cork.· It cited, in particular, his work as Director of the Cork International Choral Festival, and of the County Cork School of Music.··· John stated said that he “he was surprised, honoured, and humbled to receive such a public award from UCC”.· He further stated - “It is most appropriate that such a public commendation be made in regards to both the CICF and the CCSM as, without their long commitment to music, the lives of so many people would have been so much the poorer.”· All his friends in the festival organisation were delighted to learn of the honour bestowed on him and wish him continued success.·· In 2007 John Fitzpatrick was honoured by the City of Cork when he was presented with the Cork Person of the Year Award.

The following is the full text of the citation read by Professor Fred Powell, Dean of Social Science and Head of School, College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences

“John Fitzpatrick is an Arts and Music graduate from UCC.  He has made a distinguished contribution to the musical life of Cork. Music is one of the defining artistic forms of our civilization, linking the intellect to the emotions through its own unique language.  Music is also one of the oldest arts of humankind.  It has many forms of expression, none more beautiful than the human voice.  John Fitzpatrick has devoted his adult life to promoting music in Cork, Ireland and Europe.  His achievements are very remarkable based upon a variety of inspirational roles.
John Fitzpatrick is a widely experienced conductor, lecturer, adjudicator, examiner, and tutor.  He has been associated with the prestigious Cork International Choral Festival for many years becoming its Artistic and Festival Director in 1993.  He is also widely regarded as being the driving force behind its continued artistic and organisational development at local, national, and international level over that period, a period which included Cork’s designation as European Capital of Culture in 2005. 
As Director of the County Cork VEC School of Music from 1974 to 2009, John Fitzpatrick was responsible for the strategic development of one of the few county music services in Ireland, providing instrumental music tuition annually to over 3000 students in 35 centres throughout the county.  He is a founder Board Member of both AOIC (The Association of Irish Choirs) and The Music Network, is a Member of the Choral Festival Network and a Music Consultant to Europa Cantat, the European Federation of Youth Choirs.  As well as adjudicating at national level, John Fitzpatrick is a regular adjudicator at international choral festivals.
In 2007 John Fitzpatrick was honoured by the City of Cork when he was presented with the Cork Person of the Year Award.  Today, UCC is privileged to continue his long association with the University by awarding him an honorary Masters Degree of Arts in recognition of his services to choral music, music education, and to the cultural life of Cork.

It is an honour for me, President, to commend John Fitzpatrick to you today and to ask you to confer an Honorary Masters Degree in Arts on this most worthy Irish citizen, recognising his major achievements in the promotion of music and culture.”