The Cork International Choral Festival came to a climactic penultimate close with its Awards Ceremony at 5.45pm, Sunday 4th May 2025 in Cork City Hall. Following a hugely successful Festival, the Jury results were finally announced for all sections of the Festival’s varied and prestigious categories. International and national choirs from near and far waited nervously for the announcements. The following are the results for all categories:
Photography by Darragh Kane
Fleischmann International Trophy Competition Prize Winners
1st Prize
Choir: Chamber Choir of the Collegium Musicum Berlin, GERMANY
Conductor: Donka Miteva
93.17%
2nd Prize
Choir: Kammerkoret NOVA, NORWAY
Conductor: Julia Selina Blank
92.33%
3rd Prize
Choir: Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir, SWEDEN
Conductor: Maria Goundorina
92.17%
International Awards
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:
Choir: McMaster University Choir - Mixed Chorus, Canada
Conductor: Prof. Melanie Tellez
For the performance of: Rauði riddarinn - Hreiðar Ingi Þorsteinsson
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:
Choir: Coro Sinfonía, SPAIN
Conductor: Selena Cancino
For the performance of: Verde mar - Bernadet Kühne
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:
Choir: Junges Consortium Berlin [GERMANY]
Conductor: Vinzenz Weissenburger
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: Maria Goundorina
From: Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir [SWEDEN]
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:
Choir: Mount Royal Kantorei, Canada
Conductor: John Morgan
Ireland’s Choir of the Year
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
Choir: UCC Singers [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Ben Jacob
88%
2nd Prize
Choir: MTU Glór Choral Society [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Dylan Tierney
82.56%
3rd Prize
Choir: Alma Choir [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Grace Bergin
82.44%
IBEC Workplace Choir of the Year
1st Place
Choir: The Musgrave Workplace Choir [MUSGRAVE, CORK]
Conductor: Saoirse Daly
86.17%
2nd Place
Choir: City Hall Singers [CORK CITY COUNCIL, CORK]
Conductor: Lorna Moore
85.33%
3rd Place
Choir: Liberty IT Choir [LIBERTY IT, ANTRIM]
Conductor: Donal McCrisken
84.83%
National Adult Competitions
National Competition for Chamber Choirs
1st Prize
Choir: Dynamics Vocal Ensemble [CO. WICKLOW]
Conductor: Jennifer Lee
88.33%
2nd Prize
Choir: Calliope [CORK]
Conductor: Sam Guisinger
85.33%
National Competition for Equal Voice Choirs
1st Prize
Choir: Realta Chamber Choir [CO. MEATH]
Conductor: Claire Grogan
90.83%
2nd Prize
Choir: The Wilcollane Singers [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Anne Dunphy
87.67%
3rd Prize
Choir: Inver Singers [CO. WICKLOW]
Conductor: Frank Kelly
84.67%
National Competition for Mixed Voice Choirs
1st Prize
Choir: Trinity College Singers [CO. DUBLIN]
Conductor: Donncha McDonagh
88.40%
2nd Prize
Choir: Millicent Singers [CO. KILDARE]
Conductor: Alan Kelly
86.00%
3rd Prize
Choir: Lumina [CO. WATERFORD]
Conductor: Niall Crowley
83.70%
National Competition for Youth Choirs
1st Prize
Choir: SETU Youth Choirs [CO. WATERFORD]
Conductor: Niall Crowley
86%
National Competition for Light, Jazz and Popular Music
1st Prize
Choir: Belle Harmonics [CO. DUBLIN]
Conductor: Sharon Heron
90.67%
2nd Prize
Choir: The Wilcollane Singers [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Anne Dunphy
89.50%
National Competition for Church Music
1st Prize
Choir: UCC Singers, CO. CORK
Conductor: Ben Jacobs
89.50%
2nd Prize
Choir: Realta Chamber Choir CO. MEATH
Conductor: Claire Grogan
87.00%
Special Awards – National Adult and Youth Competitions
Irish Federation of Musicians & Associated Professions Trophy
Special Award for the performance of a choral work in Irish.
Awarded to:
Choir: Ashton School Choir
Conductor: Mary G. O'Brien
For the performance of: Óre; sé do bheatha ‘bhalile
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:
Choir: Realta Chamber Choir
Conductor: Claire Grogan
For the performance of: Cast a Cold Eye by Micheal Holohan in the Equal Voices Competition
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: Trinity College Singers
Conductor: Donncha McDonagh
For the performance of: Tykus tykus by Vaclovas Augustinas in the Mixed Voices competition
Seán Ó Riada Composition Competition
The Seán Ó Riada Trophy
Awarded to Composer, Donnchadh Mac Aodha, for his work Babel
National Competitions for Schools
National Competition for Schools: (Primary School Choirs)
1st Prize
Choir: Cór Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh Cailíní [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Maeve-Ann O'Brien
91%
2nd Prize
Choir: Cratloe National School [CO. CLARE]
Conductor: Bernadette Kennedy
90%
National Competition for Schools: (Equal Voice Post-Primary School Choirs)
1st Prize
Choir: Regina Mundi College Chamber Choir [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Gráinne O'Neill
93%
2nd Prize
Choir: Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles. [CO. TIPPERARY]
Conductor: Joan Butler
92.50%
National Competition for Schools: (Mixed Voice Post-Primary School Choirs)
1st Prize
Choir: Glanmire Community College [CO. CORK]
Conductor: Ann Mannix
93.50%
2nd Prize
Choir: St Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School Choir [CO. DUBLIN]
Conductor: Judith Lyons
92.50%
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:
School: Glanmire Community Choir, CORK
Conductor: Ann Mannix
The Sing Ireland Trophy
Special Award for the performance of a piece in the National Competitions for Schools.
For the performance of: Anthem from Chess, in the National Competition for Schools: Section 2: Post Primary Equal Voice
Choir: De La Salle College Senior Choir
Conductor: Ben Hanlon
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:
Lorna Ní Bhroin
Conductor of Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, LIMERICK
The Cork International Choral Festival is supported by the Arts Council, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council, with the Irish Examiner, The Echo and Cork’s 96FM as media partners.
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