The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin, under the artistic direction of Desmond Earley, is Ireland’s leading collegiate choral ensemble. With a large repertoire ranging from art to popular music, and stretching from the medieval to the contemporary in style, this choir gives many concerts throughout the academic year, both in Ireland and abroad. The choir also regularly broadcasts on Irish television and radio. Since its formation in 1999, the group frequently performs with orchestras, including the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Earley Musicke Ensemble and the European Union Chamber Orchestra, and on the university campus with the UCD Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Choir. In touring Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom and the United States of America the group has brought UCD and its music to an international audience.

In December 2015 the UCD Choral Scholars released their debut international recording on Signum Records. The disc, entitled Invisible Stars, is an enchanting collection of traditional and contemporary choral music from Ireland and Scotland and features arrangements and new compositions by some of Ireland’s most celebrated composers for choir, including Michael McGlynn, Brendan Graham, Bill Whelan and the group’s artistic director, Desmond Earley. The Scholars are the first collegiate Irish choir to release on the label. Invisible Stars is available on Amazon and iTunes.

Applications are now being accepted through the UCD online system at SIS Web for places in UCD Choral Scholars 2017-2018. Current and incoming UCD students of all academic disciplines can apply through the recruitment page on the website listed below. The closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm on Thursday 7th September 2017. Audition candidates are expected to sing a solo song (art-song, aria, Irish song etc) with piano accompaniment (provided), and are asked to prepare their line from a set choral piece (sent by email upon successful application). Successful applicants invited for audition will be contacted directly with an audition slot for either Thursday 14th or Friday 15th September 2017.