Ciara Murphy Will Make Conducting Debut at Irish Youth Orchestras Festival

When 26 year old Ciara Murphy steps on to the stage of the National Concert Hall on Saturday, February 7th, to conduct the UCD Symphony Orchestra, it will not be her first time taking part in the IAYO Festival.

“I participated in the 16th IAYO Festival as a 10-year old cellist with Sligo Academy of Music, so it’s very special to be returning as a conductor. I’m very grateful to IAYO for the role it played in my musical development and for the opportunities it continues to create for young musicians across the country. Making my National Concert Hall conducting debut in this context is a privilege, and I’m especially thankful to UCD Symphony Orchestra and Dr Ciarán Crilly for the opportunity to be involved this year” says Ciara.

A Sligo native, she began her musical journey at the age of six at the Sligo Academy of Music, studying cello, piano, voice, and music theory. She now holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama. She is Chair of the European Choral Associations Youth Committee and is one of seven young people selected, from across Europe, for a three year term. Her debut conducting at the IAYO Festival kicks off a very exciting year for Ciara which includes being back at the NCH in April to conduct.  

This is the 30th Festival of Youth Orchestras presented by The Irish Association of Youth Orchestras and it takes place on Saturday, 7th February, at the National Concert Hall. It marks three decades of celebrating Ireland’s vibrant youth-orchestra community, and their talented members, with a great variety of music played by young people for young people. This landmark festival will showcase hundreds of young musicians from across the country in two uplifting concerts at 1pm and 7.30pm.

The programme features Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, Symphonic Suite from The Fellowship of the Ring, selections from Man of Steel by Hans Zimmer, traditional Irish music, original compositions from Irish composers such as Martin Power, Katharina Baker, Vincent Kennedy and much more.

Highlights include:

• A landmark collaboration and live premiere: The Atlantic Tri-Orchestra – created through an IAYO Collaboration Grant in 2024 that brought together young musicians from Donegal Youth Orchestra, Mayo Youth Orchestra and Coole Music Youth Orchestra for shared rehearsals, sectional work and performances – will give the first-ever live performance of Hope Springs Eternal by Vincent Kennedy.

  Commissioned by IAYO during the Covid-19 pandemic and originally assembled from remote recordings submitted by 250 young musicians, the piece was first premiered on YouTube as part of the online Youth Orchestra Day of Celebration in a documentary presented by Seán Rocks. Its long-awaited live debut at the Festival marks a major celebratory moment for IAYO and for the young players who helped bring the piece to life. 

• A return of IAYO ensembles: ConCorda Chamber Orchestra and the Esker Festival Orchestra, both funded and run by IAYO, will return to the festival to mark the special 30th anniversary celebration. An ensemble from ConCorda last performed at the festival in 2015, while the Esker Festival Orchestra - created, directed and conducted by Peter Joyce – will invite previous members of the orchestra from the past 12 years to return to perform for the festival.
• A celebration of Irish traditional music: Ceolfhoireann Traidisiúnta Mhúscraí – Bláth na hÓige make their Festival debut, performing a newly composed piece by Martin Power. Their participation reflects IAYO’s expanded membership criteria, now welcoming traditional music ensembles.

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