Learn more about this year’s players and dancers below!
Jeannette Bogado, Violin
Jeannette Bogado is a Paraguayan violinist who was awarded a scholarship by the Irish Chamber Orchestra to study in the Master’s degree in Classical String Performance at the Irish World Academy, which she completed in May 2024. In Paraguay, she played in the National Symphony, Asunción City Symphony Orchestra and in chamber music concerts. She also played in concerts in Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela. Since arriving in Ireland, she has worked with the Luminosa String Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Irish Baroque Orchestra, where she got a place as an Irish Baroque Orchestra Apprentice for the period 2023-2024.
Cillian Ó Cathasaigh, Violin
Cillian Ó Cathasaigh from Cork is a violin student of Katherine Hunka, currently studying for his BMus degree in MTU Cork School of Music. Cillian was leader of the Cork Youth Orchestra from 2021-2023, most notably leading for their 2023 tour of Italy. Cillian is a member of Geoffrey Spratt’s Haydn Symphony Series Orchestra since 2021 and is Principal 2nd Violin in both the MTU CSM Symphony Orchestra and the Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra. Having led the Pernambuco and Siciliana quartets, with which he had masterclasses and performed in the Órtus Chamber Music Festival, he is now a member of an oboe quartet in MTU CSM, who are recent prizewinners at Feis Ceoil. Cillian was also awarded the most distinguished student in Senior Cycle Strings for his Grade 8 violin in MTU CSM and received the Nina Dalby sight reading award for his grade 8 piano in 2021.
Archie Connolly, Violin
Archie has been studying violin since the age of five, most recently under the guidance of Katherine Hunka, leader of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. He is a former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, and currently plays with Trinity College Orchestra, the Irish Doctors’ Orchestra, and Limerick Philharmonic Orchestra. He has participated in soloist competitions including Feis Ceoil and is a multiple prize-winner in Feile Luimni. Archie also plays traditional Irish music and enjoys exploring the diverse music of different world cultures. He is studying medicine in Trinity College Dublin, and in his free time enjoys traveling and hiking.
Aisling Donnelly, Violin
Aisling is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from Cork. Having started violin lessons at age 4 and piano lessons at age eight, she grew up with a strong classical foundation in both instruments. She first began learning the violin through the Suzuki method with Francis German, and was later admitted to the Cork School of Music where she completed all her grade exams under the tutelage of Eithne Willis and Ruxandra Petcu-Colan. She also had the privilege of traveling to France for a year from 2014-2015 to study under distinguished violinist Constantine Serban at the Conservatoire Régionale de Nantes. Aisling has partook in many orchestral projects during the years like the Cork Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Youth Orchestra.
Kevin Meehan, Violin
Violinist Kevin Meehan has studied baroque violin for the past four years as part of his Bachelors in Violin Performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He has found a true passion for Early Music, as well as contemporary music. He has travelled extensively to perform such music – England, Croatia and around Ireland. He has performed in festivals such as Varaždin Baroque Evenings in Croatia, West Cork Chamber Music Festival and Birr Festival of Music. Kevin firmly believes in historically informed performance, performing music as true to style as possible with period instruments and research, to bring to life the music of composers from long ago.
Claire Christine O’Sullivan, Violin
Claire Christine O’Sullivan is a violinist currently completing an MA under the tutelage of Katherine Hunka at MTU Cork School of Music. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she had the opportunity to work with many reputable musicians including Henning Kraggerud, Henk Guittart, Pavel Fischer and Donald Grant. Claire studied with Cornelia Zanidache and Ruxandra Petcu-Colan prior to pursuing music at third level, where she was a multiple prize winner at Feis Maitiu and was inspired to continue her studies from experiences with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the Wiener Jeunesse Orchester. In 2019 she was awarded the Wolfson Foundation Grant through the Royal Northern College of Music to buy a violin made by Youenn Bothorel.
Katie Sheehan, Violin
Katie Sheehan recently completed the Bachelor of Music degree at MTU Cork School of Music, studying violin with Gregory Ellis. She has performed with various ensembles such as CSM Symphony Orchestra, Esker Festival Orchestra, Haydn Series Orchestra, CSM Jazz Band string section and Cork Youth Orchestra. She performed in Spain with the Cork ETB Youth orchestra and has since played in the National Concert Hall, Cork Opera House, the Everyman Theatre, Glór Ennis, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin and Cork City Hall. She recently began playing traditional Irish music, performing with innovative ensemble Bruach in Crawford Art Gallery as part of the Music at Midday series. This year, she received a masterclass as part of the Ortús Chamber Music Festival with Mairéad Hickey. As well as performing, Katie enjoys working as an instrumental teacher and orchestra tutor with Cork ETB School of Music. Last year she participated in the IAYO Orchestral Conducting Workshops, which led to her occasional deputy work conducting the Cork Light Orchestra.
Yan Shpak, Violin
Yan Shpak, a violinist from Ukraine, decided to relocate to Ireland to further his studies, work, and share his musical knowledge. He is passionate about music’s ability to connect people deeply and shares this passion with others. Yan started his professional studies at R. Glier Municipal Academy of Music in Kyiv, and his musical journey has taken him to stages across Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Ireland. Currently pursuing his Bachelor’s degree at the Royal Irish Academy under the guidance of Elaine Clark and Joanne Quigley, Yan remains an active soloist and ensemble performer, playing on the stages of different venues such as the National Concert Hall, Galway Cathedral, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, The White Recital Hall and Vernon Studio, and many others. He has honed his craft through participation in ChamberFest and Esker Festival Orchestra and multiple student concerts at the Royal Academy of Music.
Sidney Uzik, Violin
Sidney began her studies in violin at the young age of five. She’s originally from Slovakia and moved to Cork in 2010. Shortly after she started doing grade exams in Cork School of Music. Sidney is currently in her final year of college in the Bachelor of Music degree MTU Cork School of Music, specialising in violin performance with Elizabeth Charleson. She’s a member of the CSM Symphony Orchestra and was co-leader of the Cork Youth Orchestra (CYO) from 2018 -2020, having previously toured Italy with them. She enjoys taking part in many project orchestras and ensembles both within and outside the Cork School of Music including Cologne Orchestra and Cork Concert Orchestra and has completed a baroque string course with Marja Gaynor and Aoife Nic Athlaoich. With her last chamber group, they had the great opportunity to perform the first movement of Brahms Clarinet Quintet for the Ortús Festival in Cork School of Music.
Alex Felle, Viola
Alex is currently in the Masters of Early Music programme in the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, studying double bass with Margaret Urquhart. He has however held a love for the viola for a long time and played casually for a few years. In the year before leaving for the Netherlands he began studying viola more seriously, taking lessons with Simon Aspell and baroque lessons with Aliye Cornish Moore. He now continues on his viola playing journey.
Remi Ludick, Viola
Remi is a violist, orchestral musician, and teacher based in Cape Town. They obtained their Bmus (2021) and BmusHons (2022) with distinction in viola performance at Stellenbosch University under the tutelage of Petrus Coetzee. As an active orchestral musician, Remi is an ad hoc member of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Cape Town Baroque Orchestra. Remi enjoys exploring historically informed performance practice, where they have performed as a member of the Confidencen Youth Baroque Ensemble in Sweden, and the Festival du Perigord Noir Baroque Academy in France. While a student at Stellenbosch University, Remi had the privilege of regularly interacting and performing new music through their involvement with KOMPOS, of which a highlight was the premiering of Poesis by A. Feder. Remi has a keen interest and passion for indigenous African music, where they were a member of the Stellenbosch University Conquering Spirits Ensemble in 2020.
Katherine Veeckman, Viola
Katherine Veeckman is a viola player from Cork city. Currently under the tutelage of Simon Aspell in MTU Cork School of Music, she has spent time studying in the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp under Leo de Neve. She is currently teaching and performing between Cork and Dublin while undertaking her MA.
Núria Vizcaino Estrada, Cello
Núria studied classical cello in Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona, and moved to Ireland to complete her MA in this instrument. She has always been inclined towards baroque music, in particular for Bach, building her piano skills through his music. She has also had experience in World music, learning about how different cultures experience music and making connections with all of them, to broaden her knowledge and have a more personal and informed way of performing. Currently, she is part of a variety of performances mostly including playing in ensemble, which she considers the most beautiful way of living and sharing music.
Sophie Ní Mhaoláin, Cello
Sophie is studying in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, entering her final year of her bachelor degree in September. She has recently completed an Erasmus exchange in Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium with Professor. Henrik Brendstrup. Sophie is very passionate about early music and is currently on the apprentice scheme with the Irish Baroque Orchestra. She has participated in the IYBO previously and will attend Cambridge Early Music Baroque Summer School for her second year this July. A love for chamber music has led her to perform in baroque chamber ensembles through the IBO apprentice scheme and RIAM in London and Surrey. Sophie has also co-founded a baroque ensemble in Denmark and has explored new ways of playing early music including combining jazz and baroque pieces.
Alina Obreja, Cello
Alina Obreja began her musical journey through piano in Chisinau, Moldova. She completed a diploma in music before moving to Ireland. Shortly afterwards, Alina picked up the cello with Sonja Cadogan in Portlaoise. Currently she completed her third year of the Bachelor of Music Degree in MTU Cork School of Music, specialising in performance under the tutelage of Christopher Marwood. Over the years, Alina developed a passion for chamber music, performing with various third-level quartets and other ensembles, as well as took part in various educational chamber music festivals, such as Sligo Festival of Chamber Music and ConCorda Chamber Music for Strings. She received personal masterclasses from cellists such as Adrian Mantu, Sinéad O’Halloran and Ella van Poucke; as well as chamber masterclasses from the members of the Marmen Quartet. Recently, Alina took up introductory lessons in baroque cello with Aoife Nic Athlaoich, opening up a new area of interest.
Emily Heagney, Double Bass
Emily’s double bass studies commenced with Martine Barry at Limerick School of Music (LSOM) when she was eleven. She is currently under the tutelage of Adam Scheck. Emily was a member of all LSOM orchestras as a student, and was principal double bass in LSOM Senior Orchestra from 2018 – 2023. Emily is a current member of a number of orchestras, including the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the Ulster Youth Orchestra. In 2020, she played with the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras Festival Orchestra. In 2023, she joined Limerick Philharmonic Orchestra and she also featured at Limerick Opera Festival, performing in Marian Ingoldsby’s Lily’s Labyrinth. In September 2023, Emily was the recipient of Limerick School of Music Overall Contribution to School Life award in recognition of her musical achievements and her dedication to the LSOM Orchestras and productions over her years studying at Limerick School of Music.
Clodagh Sweeney, Flute and Recorder
Clodagh Sweeney is a recorder student of Elizabeth Jones and a flute/piccolo student of Sabine Ducrot at MTU Cork School of Music. She is an enthusiastic scholarship student and has won multiple awards at both Feis Maitiú and Feis Ceoil in both flute and recorder and was most recently awarded highest placed woodwind in the MTU CSM Senior Recital 2024. Clodagh has participated in the Cork Youth Orchestra (CYO), Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. In July 2023, she toured Italy with CYO representing Ireland in the Festival Orchestre Giovanili under conductor Tomás McCarthy, with open air concerts in Montecatini, Volterra and Florence. An avid chamber musician, she performs regularly, enjoys many recitals with the Gaofar Quintet and the Chamber Recorder Ensemble at CSM. One of the highlights so far has been her performance as concerto soloist on recorder under director James Taylor on harpsichord with Madrigal ’75 chamber ensemble, performing repertoire from the 14th century to contemporary chamber works.
Sinéad Walsh, Flute
Sinéad Walsh is quickly developing a diverse career as a flautist and young industry leader. She is currently a postgraduate scholar at the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying under Michael Cox, and is gratefully supported by the Academy, Help Musicians and the Flax Trust. She previously received a first class honours degree from the Royal Northern College of Music and was awarded the Sir John Manduell award upon graduation, the college’s top prize, for exceptional contribution and outstanding potential. Whilst at the RNCM, Sinéad was the elected Students’ Union President and is the current Chair of the Conservatoires UK Student Network. In 2023, she was awarded the ‘Young Musician of the Year’ at the Clandeboye Festival. Sinéad is an experienced solo, orchestral and chamber musician performing regularly across the UK and Ireland, having performed with the Philharmonia, Ulster Orchestra and Halle Orchestra. Sinéad is also an enthusiastic teacher and is a tutor at the Oxford Flute Summer School, and previously taught at Chethams School of Music.
Natalia Connolly, Oboe
Natalia Connolly is a nineteen year old oboist from Carlow. She studies under Ruby Ashley and Mathew Manning in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 2023 she completed the Diploma for Music Performance and Teaching and is now in her first year of the Bachelor of Performance. In February of this year, she was a part of the RIAM philharmonic conducted by Mathew Lynch. In the summer of 2022, she performed with the Emili Pujol Orchestra in Cervera, Spain and studied under Eduardo Cabillar.
Becky Corcoran, Oboe
Becky began learning oboe when she was aged nine and thought it was tremendous fun. Eleven years later, in second year at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, under Hugh McKenna and with a scholarship supported by The Waverly Fund, she hasn’t changed her mind. She has been principal oboist of The National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, Esker Festival Orchestra, and The Royal Northern College of Music Chamber Orchestra. As a soloist she has performed in The National Concert Hall, St Ann’s Church and with the TU Dublin Sinfonietta playing Bach’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin. Becky was given the wonderful opportunity to learn baroque oboe for the first time in 2022 with Professor Andreas Helm thanks to a scheme run by the Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra and Irish Association of Youth Orchestras. This is her third year playing with the orchestra.
Eva Crowley, Oboe
Eva Crowley is a second year oboe student at the MTU Cork School of Music. She began learning oboe with Coral O’Sullivan, at the age of fifteen. She has been taking baroque oboe lessons with Andreas Helm since 2022. She is an avid orchestral player, having previously performed with the Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra, the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, the Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra, the Ulster Youth Orchestra, the Cork Concert Orchestra and Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra. She has performed in many venues across Ireland, and has performed internationally in Croatia, Italy and Austria. Eva is a prizewinner in numerous competitions such as Feis Ceoil and Feis Maitiú, both as a soloist and chamber musician. She has won awards in the Advanced Recital and Advanced Concerto competitions in the MTU Cork School of Music. Eva is a keen chamber musician and often plays chamber music with her sisters and a variety of other ensembles. She and her sister performed for President Michael D. Higgins in 2019.
Grace Mercer, Oboe
Javier Fernández, Natural Horn
Javier Alfonzo Fernández Graterol was born in Venezuela, where his musical journey began at the age of eighteen in the renowned El Sistema program. He furthered his education at the Conservatory of Music Mozarteum in Caracas, graduating with distinction in BMus Performance. His passion for the french horn led him to audition for orchestras abroad, eventually securing a position as Sub-Principal French Horn in the INSO Lviv International Symphony Orchestra in Ukraine. He has contributed to various orchestras and music festivals in Ireland, including the Irish National Opera, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
Elías Germán García Hijano, Natural Horn
Born and raised in Malaga where he completed his Horn Performing Bachelor’s. He also studied for a master’s degree in New Composition Technologies at the International University of La Rioja in Spain. He has performed in Spain, France and Ireland with numerous orchestras, such as the Malaga Camerata, and concert bands, receiving awards in national competitions with Banda La Paz and CAMM Wind Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he has professional experience in brass ensemble and chamber music. As a teacher, he has taught horn, music theory and composition, in addition to directing wind band rehearsals at the Juan Jurado Guerrer Music School. Also, his composition “El Coloso” was recorded by Filarmonia de Madrid. Currently, he is pursuing a Professional Mentorship at the Royal Irish Academy of Music alongside a master’s in Musical Heritage from the University of Granada and International University of Andalusia. Concurrently, he is actively involved in various compositional projects spanning instrumental, vocal, and audio-visual music.
Hannah Miller, Natural Horn
Hannah Miller received her Bachelor’s degree from Finland’s Sibelius Academy and completed a master’s programme at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, where she was awarded the William Schuman Prize for outstanding achievement in music and leadership. She took on the role of Associate Principal Horn with the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra in Finland at the age of twenty-one and has since worked with orchestras and ensembles including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the Tapiola Sinfonietta. She is also a member of the Dublin-based contemporary group Kirkos Ensemble. Hannah is currently Principal Horn with the Irish National Opera and joined the Irish Chamber Orchestra in 2023.
Bríain Cott, Natural Trumpet
Bríain Cott is a first year bachelor student in the MTU Cork School of Music, studying trumpet. He began learning trumpet at the age of eight with Alice McCarthy in the Midleton Concert Band, and now studies both baroque and modern trumpet with Darren Moore. Bríain enjoys ensemble playing and has performed with various ensembles, including the Ulster Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the Cork Concert Orchestra, the Cork Philharmonic Winds and the Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra. Internationally he has performed in the United Kingdom, Italy and Austria. He also enjoys singing and is a member of the MTU Glór Choral Society, which won the “Ireland’s Choir of the Year” competition in the Cork Choral Festival.
Nathan McDonnell, Natural Trumpet
Heather Nash, Natural Trumpet
Heather Nash is a 23 year old trumpet player from Limerick. Heather is a recent graduate of the Cork School of music, having obtained first class honors in her Bachelor of Music Degree last year. During her degree, she had the privilege of working with three incredible teachers; Vivienne Johnston, Pamela Stainer, and Darren Moore. After completing her degree, she joined the Irish Defence Forces’ School of Music (Óglaigh na hÉireann) as part of the No. 9 Recruit Platoon in October 2023. Since then she has played with both the No 1 Army Band in Dublin and the Band of 2 Brigade in Athlone, where she is currently based. Aside from college and work, Heather has taken part in many ensembles all over the country, such as the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the Ulster Youth Orchestra, and the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, the Irish Youth Choir, Cork Concert Orchestra and some of the Cork School of Music ensembles. Heather has always had an interest in baroque music, mostly in a vocal capacity, being a classical and choral singer, and she is delighted to now get to experience baroque music on the natural trumpet.
Glen Lyons, Timpani
Jack Fusco, Harpsichord
Jack was born in Belfast. Jack has always had an interest in both history and music, having played piano and organ since a young age. His interest in history naturally led him down the path of wanting to discover more about the music of the past. When he was fifteen, he auditioned for harpsichord lessons at the Royal Irish Academy of music. Playing the harpsichord, has granted Jack a range of great performance opportunities, including the opportunity to participate in IYBO for the first time in 2023. Jack’s particular interests are in the music of the French baroque and in the performance of Mozart’s keyboard concerti and while he continues to study at school back in Belfast, he wants to pursue his studies of historical keyboard instruments further at a conservatoire in the future.
Laoise McMullin, Harpsichord
Laoise McMullin is a Galway-born harpsichordist, pianist and composer who recently completed her Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, with a second study in harpsichord. She also completed her Bachelor’s Degree at RIAM, specialising in Piano Performance with Professor Thérèse Fahy. She commenced both harpsichord and composition studies in her final year, under the tuition of Dr David Adams and Jonathan Nangle respectively. Laoise has performed on harpsichord both as a soloist and in various ensembles since 2022, including both a solo performance and performance with Westland Baroque in the Lavinia Fontana Concert in the National Gallery of Ireland, in which her vocal trio Makeda was premiered. Laoise is passionate about historically informed performance, and was selected to travel to Hatchlands Park in Surrey, home of the renowned Cobbe Collection of historic keyboard instruments, to participate in concerts in 2023 and 2024.
Meet the 2024 IYBO Dancers!
Freddie Ní Amhláin
Freddie has performed with Bray School of Dance and Dublin Youth Dance Company (DYDC) at festivals and showcases such as UNANIMOUS in Belfast, the Irish Youth Dance Festival winter gala and Bray School of Dance’s production of Moana. As well as this, they participated in the IYBO Baroque Dance Workshop in December last year. Their long standing love for dance, history and baroque music has inspired them to learn more about the dance and the music.
Felicity Maxwell
Felicity Maxwell is a literary historian and arts communicator who loves to dance. After years of ballet classes, Felicity discovered English country dancing in an unlikely suburb of Ottawa, Canada. During her doctoral studies at the University of Glasgow, she also took up Scottish country dancing. Felicity has co-organised Scottish country dance balls; participated in the Historical Dance Society’s Renaissance Summer School, a seventeenth-century masque and several Regency balls; made a poetry and dance video for the Limerick Early Music Festival; taught dance workshops at the Galway Early Music Festival and played percussion with the Galway Early Music consort.
Emma Nankova
Emma has been doing Irish dancing since the age of five and has continued for over ten years, attending competitions and St. Patrick’s Day parades. Emma’s dance group won second and first place two years in a row in the Dublin GAA Scór competitions in 2014 and 2015. Emma also has four years of competitive Ballroom and Latin dance experience. Emma has a passion for all types of dance, and as a classical musician, is excited to have experience in both aspects of the performance; this time, performing with an orchestra instead of playing in one.
Anna Ricarda Walz
