Alice Varley
On her favourite part of the Festival…My favourite part of the day regardless of any year is the 30 minutes after the evening performance. The atmosphere backstage is electric. If...
Category: Festival Ambassadors
Meeting some of our participants from past years including some who played at the very first Festival in 1996. We have doctors, movie makers, financiers and, of course, some very fine musicians to show off.
Brian O’Kane
On playing in the National Concert Hall for the first time…It had a big impact on me and it was a great experience. I remember the nerves and the fear...
Tony Lundon
On playing at the Festival…I remember meeting Mary Robinson (the photo still hangs on the wall at home). I remember watching a soloist with another orchestra and thinking โOh God,...
Vincent Varley
ย On the developments of the Festival…As I deal with each of the orchestras each year I think one of the best changes Iโve seen is the introduction of primary school...
Michelle Fleming
With each concert, you grow in confidence and you grow as a musician. Whatever the amount of practice you have done in preparation, you learn so much more in front...
Eoin Schmidt-Martin
Experiences like performing at the IAYO festival have all helped me become the musician I am today. Eoin Schmidt-Martin makes up one quarter of The Carducci Quartet, one of the...
David Wallace
David Wallace is now a professional composer, here you can read about his early years in youth orchestras and the experiences he credits with helping him get to where he is today.
Ruth O’Leary
On playing at the Festival for the first time….There was huge excitement in our school as it was our first time performing in the National Concert Hall. We were playing...