This year we decided to reflect further at the work being done and now to create a reward for students that seemed to have ambition for higher musical goals. Creating a competitive stream to add on to our assessment meant that student could if selected enter the competition to win a bursary, but also to make us more aware of where we needed to be developing pathways for such students.

That year our first winner of this award was Oisin Kerans. He has since gone on to gain a professional Diploma in Violin. But another little musician dazzled on the occasion as well and succeeded in convincing the judges (Dr Patrick Zuk and Dr Seamus De Barra) that we needed a junior category, specially to reflect and reward his ability. That student was Amar Debiasi who remained with the school until 2018 but now studies in Dublin. He went on to win competitions all over the country and depending on how his own passions drive him, he could be anything he wishes in music.

Our French friends had decided that a second visit was needed to build upon the first and the return came this summer with another week of workshops and concerts.