Sligo Feis Ceoil

SPEECH

Patricia Reynolds L.L.C.M.(T.D.) /A.L.C.M. / A.I.B.S.D.
Patricia hails from Dundalk, where she runs The Reynolds Academy of Performing Arts, known as R.A.P.A., Patricia also teaches drama in four schools during normal school hours covering all aspects of Speech, Drama and Communication skills. She has studied with The London College of Music, attaining a Licentiate Teachers Diploma, and Associate Diploma. Patricia has an Associate Diploma with the Irish Board of Speech & Drama, and examines for them throughout the country. The Irish Board of Speech & Drama Publications have published two books of plays ‘Showcase 1’ and Showcase 2’ written by Patricia. Feis Dhun Dealgain was organised by Patricia and is the only Speech & Drama festival in Co. Louth catering to last year over 1,000 entrants. She enjoys adjudicating at Feiseanna throughout Ireland, including Derry Feis , Arklow Music Festival, Pettigo Feis to name but a few. Patricia has produced and directed many plays and performances.

DRAMA

Eileen Fitzgerald A.I.B.S.D., L.T.C.L. (T.D.)
Eileen is a native of Limerick City but has been living in Ennis Co. Clare for many years. She has a thriving Speech & Drama school in the town, and teaches all aspects of communication skills and drama. Eileen studied with Trinity College, London attaining a Licentiate Teachers Diploma. She has an Associate Diploma with the Irish Board of Speech & Drama. Since 1999 Eileen has been working with the schools completion programme carrying out pioneering work with the students in the field of drama. Funded by NUI Galway, she has facilitated 'Living Scenes'. This is a drama programme where transition year students work with active retired people from their community to bridge the generation gap and help build mutual respect. Eileen has also produced, directed and acted in numerous productions in the Ennis/Limerick area. In 1995 she was appointed an examiner with the Irish Board of Speech & Drama and travels throughout the country examining students. Eileen also examines diploma students with the Board. She has also recently adjudicated at the Derry Feis, Kilmacud Feis, IDAC Feis and Galway Stagefest. This is Eileen's second time to adjudicate at Sligo Feis Ceoil Feis and she is very much looking forward to returning to Sligo.

VOCAL

David Kirby-Ashmore LRAM, DipRAM - Baritone - was awarded a scholarship to study at The Royal Academy of Music. In addition to recitals and concerts in major London venues including The Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Purcell Room, St. John’s Smith Square, and The Royal Albert hall, David’s career has taken him all over the world including Hong Kong, Indonesia and the USA.
He has taken principal rôles throughout the UK from Holland Park to Welsh National Opera via the Edinburgh festival as well as in Europe including Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro) in Austria; Schaunard (La Bohème) and Masetto (Don Giovanni) for Opéra de Nantes; Johnny Johnson for Opéra de Caen and a world tour in the title role of Rigoletto including Singapore and Malaysia. Other rôles include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Dandini (La Cenerentola), Figaro and Bartolo (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Escamillo (Carmen), Onegin and Balstrode (Peter Grimes).
David has appeared as soloist at many of the major British Festivals including Bath, Buxton, Nottingham and Kings Lynn. Other concert venues include The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh and The National Arts Club New York. His repertoire of Oratorio and concert works includes Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew passions, Handel’s Alexander’s Feast and Messiah, Mozart, Brahms and Fauré Requiems, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and The Kingdom, Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony, Britten’s War Requiem and Orff’s Carmina Burana.
Alongside his performing career, David has always maintained a thriving teaching practice from teenagers to professional singers. He has worked for the education departments of Opera 80, D’Oyly Carte Opera, the Royal Opera and English National Opera’s Baylis Programme as well as giving masterclasses and workshops including for The Jakarta Academy of Music and The Hong Kong Cultural Centre. He is currently director of Milton Keynes Youth Choir and Youth Opera.
David was one of the consultants for the Danesborough Chorus’ CD Rom guide for Choral Singers, which is available through the NFMS, being mainly responsible for writing technical and physiological parts of the course. In addition to being an adjudicator for the Festival movement David has been Chairman of his local Festival and advises on repertoire for many festivals. In 2007 he was Vocal and Choral director at European Youth Summer Music.

TRADITIONAL

Marie Walsh comes from a musical family in Clifden, Co.Galway. She has played music since the age of 5 playing Button Accordion, Fiddle, Piano and Whistle. Marie has taken part in Fleadhanna all over the country from an early age winning prizes throughout all the ages. In 2003 she won the Senior All Ireland on Piano Accompaniment and the following year she went on to win the Senior All Ireland Button Accordion title. She released her debut CD "The Red Box" to critical acclaim. Currently, Marie is a full time teacher of Irish Traditional Music having been awarded the TTCT teaching diploma for teaching traditional music, a job which she is in high demand for, all over Connemara and Galway. She also teaches throughout the country at workshops and is a well known face on the Trad Music festival scene. In addition, she is a well known adjudicator at County, Provinicial and All Ireland Fleadhs.

INSTRUMENTAL

Timothy Barratt ARAM,GRSM,RAM,ARCM,LMusTCL studied on a Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, winning many major awards, and completed his studies with Vlado Perlemuter in Paris and Geoffrey Parsons.He has toured and broadcast extensively in the UK and abroad as soloist, accompanist and chamber music player. Whilst still a student he developed a special interest in song accompaniment through playing for Masterclasses at Aldeburgh, subsequently partnering such artists as Dame Felicity Lott, Stephen Varcoe and Robert White. In addition, instrumentalists he has worked with include Jack Brymer, Bradley Creswick and Haaken Hardenberger. Teaching forms a major part of his musical life and he enjoys working with pupils of all ages and levels. He is Head of Keyboard at Dulwich College and a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music where he teaches Piano and lectures in Principles of Education. He frequently directs Masterclasses and teachers’ workshops, most recently in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia and he is a busy Competition and Festival adjudicator.. An Associated Board examiner since 1991, he has been a Trainer of new examiners for many years and was recently appointed Consultant Moderator. Other work for the Associated Board includes co-writing the Board’s Teaching Notes on Piano Exam pieces, presenting Seminars and acting as a mentor on the CT ABRSM Course.