Dick O’Riordan’s classical notes: Blackwater Valley bursary a real ‘thriller’ for RIAM

The Next Generation Awards bursary will go to one vocal student and one instrumental student annually, who will each receive €20,000 towards their studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music

Peter Whelan, who will conduct the Irish Baroque Orchestra in the opera Orfeo ed Euridice at the Blackwater Valley Festival in Lismore next summer. Picture: Marco Borggreve

It’s very energising to see people describe themselves as ‘’beyond thrilled’’ and that is the current state of play with the chief of one of our leading music academies, following a major funding link-up.

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has come together with the Royal Irish Academy of Music to fund what is described as the largest music bursary of its kind in Ireland.

The Next Generation Awards bursary, which will support the studies of two ...