Top choirs do battle in Navan competition
THE prestigious Bord na Mona National Choir of the Year Competition was won by New Dublin Voices (Dublin) under conductor Bernie Sherlock at the Navan Choral Festival last weekend. Hundreds of competitiors came to the town for competitions at various venues from last Thursday to Sunday. New Dublin Voices took the first prize of €2,000 and the Tom Foster Memorial Cup, while joint second prize in the choir of the year contest held in St Mary"s Church of Ireland went to Loughside Chamber Choir (Belfast) under conductor Judith Watson and Vocare (Wexford) under conductor Sue Furlong. Results: Primary Schools Competitions: 1, Holy Family Primary School, Derry (conductor Claire Doherty). Comortas Cor Bunscoile i nGaeilge: 1, St Michael"s Boys" Choir, Trim (conductors Padraig Kilbride and Louise Mulcahy). Music Theatre Competition/Primary Schools: 1, St Michael"s Boys" Choir, Trim. Youth/Post Primary Schools Competitions Post-Primary School Junior Choirs: 1, St Dominic"s College, Cabra (conductor Kathryn Moore). Comortas Cor Iar-Bhunscoile/Oganaigh i nGaeilge: 1, St Raphael"s School Choir, Dublin (conductor Orla Barry). Post-Primary School Choirs: 1, Ardscoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe (conductor Caroline Jackson); 2, Scoil Mhuire Choir, Trim (conductor Jane Lynch). Contemporary Youth/Post primary School Choirs: 1, Mayo School of Music Youth Choir (conductor Finola Higgins-Cosgrove). Foreign Language Youth/Post Primary School Choirs: 1, John Scottus Senior School (conductor Fran Dempsey); 2, St Joseph"s Secondary All-School Choir (conductor Aideen O"Sullivan). Youth Choirs Under-18: 1, Wesley College Chamber Ensemble (conductor Aoife Hiney). National Youth Choir of the Year (up to 24 years): 1, St Joseph"s Secondary All-School Choir; 2. Notre Dame Secondary School Senior Choir (conductor Mary O"Rahilly). Piano under-nine: 1, Ailish Madden; 2, Luissa Guinane; 3. Evelyn Holmes. Piano Under-12: 1, Grace Nally; 2, Megan Pottinger; 3, Cathal McGuiness. Piano Under-16: 1. Fionn Nally; 2, Laura Smith; 3. Eoghan McGuiness. Under-18: 1, Dearbhla Collins; 2, Cormac Madden. Solo Singing Under-12: 1, Rachel Conaghan. Under-16: 1, Peter Manning. Under-18: 1, Heather Fogarty. Male Voice Choirs: 1, Baldonnel Male Voice Choir (conductor Margaret Hayes-Mahon). Mixed Voice Choirs: 1, Cantoiri (conductor Ben Barnes). Female Choirs: 1, Loughside Chamber Choir (Conductor Judith Watson). Popular Music Choirs/Chorus: 1, Loughside Chamber Choir; 2, Vocare, Wexford. Comortas Gaeilge Irish Language Competition: 1, The Kill Singers (conductor Emer Hartnett). Contemporary Competition/Living Composer: 1, Vocare. Music Theatre Competition: 1, Eden Chorale (conductor Anne Conaghan). Chamber Choirs: 1, Maynooth Early Music Ensemble (conductor Eoin Conway). Early Music Compeition: 1, New Dublin Voices (conductor Bernie Sherlock).