Feis Ceoil
Encyclopedia
Feis Ceoil is an annual Irish
cultural festival of music and dance. It was first organized in 1897 by Dr. Annie Patterson and Edward Martyn
. It consisted of competitions for performance and composition and was supported by all musicians of the day, both national and classical. Since then the Feis has undergone many changes to accommodate the development of music in Ireland.
Feis Ceoil has since expanded to more than 170 competitions in all instruments, including voice, and covering all ages from 8 years upwards. Famous competitors over the festival's history include tenor John McCormack, author James Joyce
(as a singer), Irish Tenor
Finbar Wright
, broadcaster Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin
and violinist Cora Venus Lunny
.
In 2006 the Royal Irish Academy of Music Percussion Ensemble were awarded first prize in the Chamber Music Competition, becoming the first percussion ensemble in the Feis's history to enter and win.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
cultural festival of music and dance. It was first organized in 1897 by Dr. Annie Patterson and Edward Martyn
Edward Martyn
Edward Martyn was an Irish political and cultural activist and playwright.-Early life:Martyn was the eldest son of John Martyn of Tullira and Annie Mary Josephine Smyth of Masonbrook, Loughrea, both in County Galway. He succeeded his father upon John's death in 1860...
. It consisted of competitions for performance and composition and was supported by all musicians of the day, both national and classical. Since then the Feis has undergone many changes to accommodate the development of music in Ireland.
Feis Ceoil has since expanded to more than 170 competitions in all instruments, including voice, and covering all ages from 8 years upwards. Famous competitors over the festival's history include tenor John McCormack, author James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
(as a singer), Irish Tenor
Irish Tenors
The Irish Tenors is the PBS musical singing trio from Ireland started in 1998 by a group of television producers for a of PBS special The Irish Tenors. They have since recorded 5 PBS specials and 7 albums...
Finbar Wright
Finbar Wright
Edward Finbar Wright , known popularly as Finbar Wright, is a popular music singer, songwriter, poet from County Cork, Ireland....
, broadcaster Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin
Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin
Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin is a journalist, author and broadcaster and former Gaelic footballer and hurler with Dublin and Eoghan Ruadh. He grew up in Fairview, County Dublin where he attended a Gaelscoil...
and violinist Cora Venus Lunny
Cora Venus Lunny
Cora Venus Lunny is an Irish violinist. Her father is the musician Dónal Lunny and she is the niece of Manus Lunny.Established as one of Ireland's leading classical musicians since her teens, Cora Venus Lunny is active as a soloist, chamber musician, interpreter of contemporary classical ...
.
In 2006 the Royal Irish Academy of Music Percussion Ensemble were awarded first prize in the Chamber Music Competition, becoming the first percussion ensemble in the Feis's history to enter and win.