Cork International Choral Festival has announced the appointment of festival coordinator, musician and conductor Peter Stobart as its new Artistic Director. Stobart replaces John Fitzpatrick, who held the position for twenty-six years and has been involved with the festival for fifty years. Stobart, who has been Director of Music with St Fin Barre’s Cathedral in Cork since 2015, will commence his new role in January 2020 and will continue his work with St Fin Barre’s concurrently. 

Stobart is an organ player and choral conductor who studied music at the University of Durham, and later studied choral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has extensive performing experience and has worked with a number of choirs internationally, including Voices of Hangzhou Youth Choir, Southampton University Chamber Choir, and the Hogarth Singers. 

Commenting on his appointment, Stobart said:

I am delighted to have been appointed as Artistic Director of the Cork International Choral Festival. Having been involved in the last four festivals in various ways, I have seen a flourishing and vibrant atmosphere and performance arena which is a credit to the city of Cork. I am extremely fortunate to be taking over from John Fitzpatrick who has served the festival for the last twenty-six years. Consequently, the festival is in a very good shape and whilst this is a blessing for me, the pressure will be on going forward! I look forward to maintaining the city’s life of song for many years into the future.

Fitzpatrick, who has been given the honorary role of President of the Festival by its board of management, will remain as a member of the festival’s board.

For more, visit www.corkchoral.ie.

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Teresa Buczkowska has been appointed to the Arts Council. Buczkowska is currently the  Integration and Anti-racism Coordinator at the Immigrant Council of Ireland and has managed various projects focusing on anti-racism, ranging in nature from training and research to advocacy and campaigning.

Buczkowska will take on a five-year term up to November 2024. 

Commenting on the appointment, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, said:

I am delighted to appoint Teresa, a candidate of such high calibre and congratulate her on her appointment. She will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to her role, not least from her time as Integration Team Coordinator at the Immigrant Council of Ireland. 

For more, visit www.chg.gov.ie or www.artscouncil.ie.

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Music Generation has announced singer and music educator Róisín Egan as Development Officer for Music Generation Sligo.

The role will see Egan developing Music Generation Sligo’s education programme, working with a team of music educators to create opportunities for children and young people to access high-quality music tuition. 

A Sligo native, Egan has been involved with Music Generation in the county since the start, first as a musician educator and for the past six years as Lead Special Educational Needs Tutor. As a member of the team she also co-authored a resource methodology book for postgraduate teachers of children with special educational needs: Con Tutti Music and Autism – a practical method for developing a music programme for children with Autism. She graduated with a BMus Hons Degree specialising in Performance from the DIT Conservatoire of Music in 2007 and has been a vocal teacher for more than ten years. In 2012 she co-established Singskool, an early years music school in Sligo.

Commenting on her new appointment, Egan said:

I am delighted to take up the role as Music Development Officer for Music Generation Sligo. Music Generation Sligo has been a force in Sligo since 2011, adding and contributing to Sligo’s rich musical landscape and bringing performance music education to the four corners of our beautiful county and beyond. I look forward to opening many new doors in Music Generation Sligo and nurturing and expanding the creativity in the programme together with an experienced team of Music Educators. Together, our goal is to bring music performance to the forefront and create opportunities for young people in Sligo.

For more, visit www.musicgenerationsligo.com/

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In other recruitment news, the National Concert Hall and RTÉ are currently seeking new board members. The Arts Council is also seeking a new Director. For more, see  our jobs and opportunities section.

For November appointments, see here.