Kevin O’Carroll

Dr Kevin O’Carroll is a freelance musician based in Waterford.  He has been conducting choirs in the south-east of Ireland for over forty-five years. He studied choral conducting in the USA with Dr John Dickson, securing a Master of Music degree in the process.  He earned his PhD in 2018, where he researched the impact of modern music notation on the performance practice of Renaissance polyphony.  Through this research, he devised the Phrased Notation System – a modified notation system that seeks to minimise the impact of modern notation on the performance practice of Renaissance polyphony, while at the same time promoting known best-practice for that genre.

Kevin has provided lectures for St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra (DCU), the University of Limerick NUI Maynooth and St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth.  In addition, he has provided lectures and workshops for Sing Ireland.  He has adjudicated at most Irish choral competitions, including Cork International Choral Festival and Feis Ceoil, Dublin and provides choral workshops both nationally and internationally. 

Kevin has conducted groups from many countries including Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Australia, Taiwan and the USA.  Equally at home in front of orchestra, choir or musical theatre groups, he has been guest conductor for musical societies in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  April 2012 saw an interesting departure for him, working as conducting consultant on the film Loving Miss Hatto for the BBC.  He was an examiner with the Royal Irish Academy of Music for fourteen years.

In July 2012 his adaptations of the collected Mass settings of Fintan O’Carroll were published by Veritas Publications.  2012 also saw the publication of his book – Choral Conducting – A Handbook for Irish Choir Trainers and Conductors. This publication has been used at several universities and colleges including the Royal Academy of Music, London.