More on CPC cellist

The Diary recently covered the success of CPC student Alexander Brychta in reaching the finals in the 2015 Fr Frank Maher Classical Music Awards sponsored by Top Security, Ireland’s largest classical music competition for secondary schools. Here's some more information on the story.

Seven finalists from Kildare, Dublin, Kerry, Louth and Meath competed at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin on Thursday 12 November to win the top prize of €3,000 to further their fledgling musical career.
Alexander, from Kilmead and a sixth year student at CPC, plays the cello and performed two pieces on the night. They were ‘Polonaise de Concert. Opus 14’ by composer David Popper and ‘Le Cygne’ by composer Camille Saint-Saens.

Alexander was the only finalist from Kildare at the event and he received a €250 bursary. The top €3,000 prize was won by pianist Eoin Fleming from St MacDara’s Community College in Templeogue, Dublin.

The Awards were created in 2001 by Top Security chairman Emmet O’Rafferty to honour the memory of the late priest, who was a music teacher at his old school, Castleknock College. Their aim is to showcase outstanding young musical talent in Ireland and are open to sixth year post-primary students of strings, woodwind, brass and piano. The €3,000 top prize must be used to attend a recognised place of tuition, a course of study in Ireland or abroad or on a purchase necessary for the development of their talent.

The judging panel were Dr Gerard Gillen, emeritus professor of music at NUI Maynooth, Dr Kerry Houston, head of academic studies at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and renowned concert pianist Veronica McSwiney.

The other finalists were Clodagh Curran (17) High School, Rathgar, Dublin; Caoiṁe Glavin (18) Presentation Secondary, Tralee, Co Kerry; Aleksandra Malinowska (18) Scoil Mhuire, Trim, Co Meath; Patrick Moriarty, 18, Rockbrook Park, Edmondstown, Rathfarnham, Dublin; and Juliette Morrison (18) St. Vincents Secondary School, Dundalk, Co Louth.