Junior RIAM students Simon Carey (clarinet) & Christina Troup (horn) have been announced as winners of the Dr. Marie McCormack bursary for Wind, Brass & Percussion for 2023.
Simon Carey is 18 years old and is from Galway. He has studied clarinet with Fintan Sutton since joining the RIAM in 2021. He has competed in the Feis Ceoil where he won the gold medal in the under 17 clarinet competition, won the McCullough Rosebowl and won the silver medal in the Senior Woodwind competition. He is currently on the RIAM Young Artist Programme. He also enjoys ensemble playing. He is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the RIAM Symphony Orchestra, has played with the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble and is a past member of the Galway Youth Orchestra and Symphonic Waves Youth Orchestra.
Christina Troup is a 10-year-old student of Fergus O’Carroll. She has won first prize at Feis Ceoil for both French horn and piano and was a finalist in the RIAM Junior Solo Competition last year. In April, Christina was selected as principal horn for the National Children’s Concert Band (UK) and is returning again next Spring. She was a junior participant at Dublin Brass Week 2023 and has also enjoyed attending brass summer courses at Wells Cathedral School. At 8, she performed a horn solo on RTE’s The Late Late Toy Show and has since been invited to play again with her sisters for further live broadcasts from RTE.
Dr. Marie McCormack B.Sc., DipHE, Ph.D., is an alumna of University College Dublin, the University of California, San Francisco and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr McCormack worked as an early pioneer in the use of Electron Microscopy to identify cellular carcinogenic and human immunodeficiency virus infections. The competition is generously sponsored by Helen and Christopher McCormack, both former RIAM students, in their mother’s name in recognition of her passion for music and support of young people.
The other 2023 finalists included Iris De Mot Diez (saxophone), Anthony Boyko (trumpet), Margot Troup (trumpet) & Betty O'Shea (flute).
The jury consisted of Ross Lyness (Chair), David Collins (Head of Wind, Brass & Percussion, RIAM) & Silvija Ščerbavičiūtė (Principal Flute RTÉCO).