Festival 2023

• Entries for the Newpark Festival 2023 will open on Monday the 21st November.
• All entries are made online through the Newpark Website – please click here.
• All competition requirements are stated below each competition heading, please make sure you read this information clearly.
• Create a new or log in to an existing EPP account.
• Click the first entry on EPP - 1A FEST - NEWPARK FESTIVAL 2023 - ALL COMPETITIONS NO: 1 - 31.
• Choose your competition from the drop-down list.
• Make sure you have completed the entry form with the name and number of the competition you are entering, your instrument and contact details.
• Confirmation of your entry will be sent out following your submission.
• Competition day & times will be sent out in early February.
• The closing date for entries is Friday 20th January 2023.

1. All competitions must be entered online.
2. Entry fees will not be refunded unless a competition is cancelled. 
3. The closing date for entries is Friday 20th January 2023.
4. No entries will be accepted after this date. 
5. Ages shall be reckoned from 1st January 2023. 
6. Where competitors are asked to play one piece, this means one short piece or one movement of a work. 
7. Where there is a large entry for a given class, the competition will be divided into reasonable sizes, each being a separate competition. 
8. Competitions will not be held unless they have two or more entries. 
9. Copies of music to be performed should be provided for the adjudicator before the competition. (Newpark will not be able to print out the music, this must be done in advance).
10. The adjudicator’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into, under any circumstances. 
11. All competitors must supply their own accompanist as an official accompanist will not be available.

Welcome to the Newpark Festival 2023!

I am very excited to work as this year's Festival Director. The Newpark Festival is a fantastic opportunity for musicians to practice their performance skills and get feedback from adjudicators who work as professional soloists and orchestral players in Ireland.

Newpark Festival is where musicians learn from each other and most importantly inspire one another. We will have professional musicians adjudicating each competition and they will provide critical feedback to each performer. We encourage all musicians to take part and recommend liaising with your teacher before applying.

Last year, the festivals Trophies and Cups Winners performed in the Newpark Gala Concert, which was held in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Our vision is to create a platform for Ireland's future performers.

Sign up online and I look forward to meeting all competitors in February!

Sincerely,

Mary Walsh

Festival Director

Mary is a Dublin-based conductor who has completed an MA in Conducting and a BMus degree in the MTU Cork School of Music, Cork.

During her masters, Mary conducted Stravinsky’s Soldier's Tale, Mozart’s Linz Symphony and Barber’s Adagio for Strings.

In 2022, Mary was selected as a finalist in Dublin Feis Ceol Conducting Competition where she conducted the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Earlier in the year Mary was selected to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra in the finale concert of the National Concert Hall Female Conductor Programme.

In 2021, she was selected to take part in the Sorrell Women’s Conducting Programme in the Royal Academy of Music, London under the guidance of Sian Edwards and Alice Farnham.

This year, Mary worked as assistant conductor to conductor Elaine Kelly on the opera production of Horse Ape Bird. A children's opera produced by Irish National Opera, Music Generation Kildare, Music Generation Meath and Solstice Arts Centre. Mary was also assistant conductor to Stephen Barlow on the opera Alice in Wonderland produced by Opera Collective Ireland.

Mary’s professional work lies primarily in conducting. She is currently the conductor of Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir, Wexford Gateway Orchestra and St. Mary's College Junior School Choirs and Newpark Junior Choir.

As a choral singer, Mary sings with New Dublin Voices directed by Bernie Sherlock.