The 2023 Maura Dowdall Competition saw five exceptional musicians compete for the Maura Dowdall Award of €600 and a coveted performance opportunity with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. The Brian Dunning Memorial Prize, kindly supported by William Dowdall, is awarded to the highest-placed woodwind, brass player or percussionist, and the Colin Staveley Memorial Prize awarded to the highest-placed string performer.
After a tough-fought final performance in the Organ Room of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, our jury of Deborah Kelleher, David Collins and Anthony Long were delighted to announce the winners of the Maura Dowdall.
Shane Quinn was announced as the winner of the Colin Staveley Award after his fantastic performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, winning a prize of €300 kindly donated by the Staveley family.
Rachel Nolan was announced as the winner of the Brian Dunning Memorial Prize, kindly donated by Bill Dowdall, for her performance of Nielsen's Flute Concerto.
Pawel Waleski was crowned the winner of the Maura Dowdall prize of €600, kindly donated by the Dowdall family, after his performance of Chopin's Concerto in F minor, and will have the opportunity to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra in their next season (subject to repertoire suitability and approval).
A massive thank you to all who made it to the performance and thanks to our jury & donors, Deborah Kelleher, Director of RIAM, David Collins, Head of Wind, Brass & Percussion at RIAM & Anthony Long, Manager of the National Symphony Orchestra, Bill Dowdall & the Dowdall family and The Staveley Family.