Cork School of Music cello student Michael Murphy has won the 2019 Frank Maher Classical Music Award. The award is contested amongst the top Leaving Certificate classical music players in the country.
Michael, who has been a student of the school since 2009 under the cello tutelage of Phil Buckley, was declared the winner of the award and the €5,000 cash prize in a final ceremony held in the Royal College of Physicians, Dublin.
Michael performed two pieces of the night, 'Requiebros' by Gaspar Cassado and the third movement from the Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 19, by Rachmaninov.
Michael said that he plans to use the cash prize to, "...go towards the cost of a new bow and pay for masterclasses in the UK, Germany and France."
From all of us here in CSM, congratulations Michael!
Also in the final of the competition, and in receipt of a €300 bursary was CSM student flautist Holly Nagle. Congrats Holly!