Ceoil and the gang: Feis Ceoil returns for its 128th edition

Laura Gilsenan is CEO of the annual Feis Ceoil which is in full gear for its 128th edition. As Ireland largest classical music competition the Feis is the heart of Ireland's vibrant music tradition in Ireland – and it makes some new additions to its vast programme which promotes music education, performance and development of many emerging music artists.

There is always a mixture of excitement and trepidation at this point in the preparations for the Feis. At three weeks out, we are finalising all the elements that bring the festival together; from general logistics, to training our volunteers, to liaising with adjudicators and answering competitor queries. I must admit there are times when I wake up in the middle of the night wondering whether I have booked the right piano for the right venue, or scheduled an adjudicator to be in two places at the one time?! We are very fortunate to have been working with a number of fantastic Irish companies for many years who always help us ensure that every 't’ is crossed and every ‘i' dotted before the festival begins.

2024 marks the 128th year of Feis Ceoil, so we are fast approaching our next milestone anniversary. As well as looking forward, this presents a good opportunity to look back to evaluate what exactly is the impact of the Feis on Irish musical life? During the Covid years, it became very clear that the focus of having something for young musicians to work towards would have been sorely missed, had we not been able to provide an online alternative. As soon as we were back fully live, numerous competitors, parents and teachers made a point of letting us know of their renewed appreciation of the event!

In terms of new developments, we are introducing two new competitions this year: Choral Conducting and Senior Percussion. There is a very strong tradition of choral singing in Ireland and a corresponding need for talented conductors. Some years ago we introduced Orchestral Conducting to the Feis and since then have been planning to expand into Choral Conducting. Just as we found a wonderful partner in the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for the former, we needed to find a suitable partner for Choral Conducting and I am delighted that Chamber Choir Ireland have come on board with us for this competition. Competitors will have a chance to work with the Choir as part of the competition, and the winner will receive mentoring from a CCI conductor as part of their prize.

I think this is a good example of our commitment to elevating professional standards. Emerging musicians need to have multiple ways of improving their technical and performance prowess, and competition is one such avenue. Our adjudication team is largely comprised of musicians performing and teaching at a very high international level, so the feedback to the competitors consequently has an international focus.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I think it possibly takes a community to raise a musician!

That's all at the very top end of the spectrum but of course there are opportunities for anyone who is interested in improving their skills and perhaps, in the process, learning a little about themselves! Every year we see competitors experiencing the highs and inevitable lows of competition, but we see them coming back year after year, growing not only as musicians but in confidence and resilience.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I think it possibly takes a community to raise a musician! From parents, teachers, coaches, siblings – there is an enormous amount of dedication and sacrifice that goes into fostering talent to its full potential. With almost 130 years' experience, Feis Ceoil is proud to have been part of that development for generations of Irish musicians. Let’s hope there will be many more generations to come!

Feis Ceoil 2024 is open to the public and runs at the RDS Dublin from March 11th – 22nd - find out more here.