FOUR talented young musicians have been awarded the Young Musicians’ Platform Award by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and BBC Northern Ireland. The winners are classical musicians, pianist Seán Morgan-Rooney, from Newry, baritone Aaron O’Hare, from Warrenpoint, and Lisburn harpist Richard Allen, with the folk award being presented to Niall Hanna, a singer and guitarist from Dungannon.
The biennial awards aim to showcase and support the development of young musicians from the north by providing individual funding awards of £5,000. This enables recipients to spend time learning from a master musician, mentor, teacher or composer either in Northern Ireland or abroad. Recipients also get two professional radio broadcast engagements in 2017, including one with the Ulster Orchestra.
On January 15 John Toal will present a live edition of BBC Radio Ulster’s Classical Connections from the Ulster Hall, featuring the 2016 classical Young Musicians' Platform Award winners, with the Ulster Orchestra, conducted by David Brophy. For tickets visit www.ulsterorchestra.com
