Irish Chamber Orchestra provides scholarships for two MA students in Limerick

The Limerick-based, Irish Chamber Orchestra has announced a scholarship fund for talented students on the MA Classical String Performance at University of Limerick. ICO has committed to providing 8k per annum for the next five years. These scholarships, awarded on merit, will assist with student college fees for one year.

This year’s scholarship fund has been awarded to two students, Jeannette Bogado from Paraguay, and Anna Mária Miklós from Hungary. This new ICO fund is in addition to the existing RTÉ Lyric FM scholarship (valued at 8k) which was established in 1999.

Irish Chamber Orchestra’s mission is to change young people lives through music by providing free access to music education and using music as a social leveller to guarantee equity of opportunity for all. ICO believes that diversity enriches and enhances the classical music artform and contributes to its vibrancy and uniqueness.

It also offers opportunities for the next generation of musicians to learn and engage with ICO through its MA Classical Strings Programme, a two-year programme at the University of Limerick, which aims to finesse advanced solo, chamber music and orchestral skills, as well as audition preparation and the development of all-round musicianship.

Since 2015, this programme, led by ICO musicians who rehearse, teach, and perform with the students, provides wonderful opportunities to work with ICO.

“ICO is renowned all over the world for its approach to chamber music-making which lies at the heart of this MA programme. This course is the last step to becoming a professional musician and we support our students in making this transition. We champion the evolution of music from childhood to third level and historically some of our students have become members of ICO while others are provided with teaching opportunities on our successful Sing Out With Strings, and our ICOYO community initiatives, running here in Limerick. Students also have opportunities to perform in chamber ensembles with ICO, and on our Irish Chamber Orchestra Academy Project. ICO has created this fund as an accessible pathway for talented musicians” said Gerard Keenan, ICO CEO.

Irish Chamber Orchestra is resident at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. It is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.