Welcome back to the blog! My name is Amy, and I am a 2nd Year Law Student in Trinity College Dublin. My favourite hobby is singing, and choral music has become a major part of my life over the last number of years. I am a member of the Irish Youth Choir and this year I attended the International Choral Conducting Summer School as a Singer.
The International Choral Conducting Summer School is held every August in the University of Limerick and is one of Sing Ireland’s summer programmes. During this course, conductors from all around the country and beyond join together to learn new skills, meet and connect with other musicians and have fun!
The course was led by Artistic Director Dr. Orla Flanagan and conducting tutors from within the national and international conducting spheres attended, to share their expertise and to impart their knowledge on aspiring conductors. Niall Crowley, Amy Ryan, Burak Onur Erdem, Robert Hollingworth, Urša Lah and Maria Goundorina were the wonderful tutors. It was such an honour to work under them, and see each participating conductor improve and grow in confidence under their supervision. The Music Education level, led by Róisín Blunnie, was a new aspect of the course in 2025. This level was designed specifically with primary and post-primary music teachers in mind, and educators from around the country joined in harmony to sing, shared classroom materials, and discussed how to incorporate music into the classroom.
Each day followed a similar structure, the day starting with a full warm up, delivered by a different tutor every day. The conductors then split into their various levels and had tuition classes for the morning, and us singers joined levels 5 and 6 to sing for them. As an aspiring singer, it was such an amazing experience to work with professional musicians, and to learn from them. I felt as though my confidence as a choral singer really flourished by the end of the week, thanks to the atmosphere fostered by Sing Ireland! After a quick break (filled with tea and biscuits, who could resist?) we continued with more conducting sessions, group choral sessions (a particular highlight for me!) and workshops.
In the evenings, the participants were treated to workshops from the tutors and from vocal coach Suzie Vango. From a movie night watching choral short films with Robert Hollingworth, to an inspirational ‘Foundations of Conducting’ seminar, to a vocal workshop with Suzie. I think a stand-out for everyone in the course was the day that Sing Ireland’s Sing for Life group joined us. As part of an international collective to promote Singing with Additional Needs, the singers on the course were able to participate in a workshop with the Sing for Life group and the brilliant Ross Scanlon. It was such a wonderful afternoon, where we met the singers, rehearsed their favourite songs (Firework by Katy Perry was an absolute hit!) and had a dance. It was a truly uplifting day, and it put into perspective why we do what we do; to bring joy into our life through singing. It does not matter who you are, your background or your skill level, singing can be a release from the stresses of everyday life, a way to connect with people and it should be accessible to all!
One thing I loved about this course was the diversity within the group. There were people from all walks of life, and with different musical experiences. There was a massive increase in youth participation this year, and participants ranged from 18 to 78 years of age! It was such a refreshing experience to meet such lovely people, and to reconnect with some of my friends from the Irish Youth Choir. Some of the participants I have known since 2021, when we started in the Irish Youth Choir (14-17 Years). One of my favourite parts of every day was connecting with the singers and participants for lunch and socials in the Pavillion! The week of tuition concluded with a day of performances, where each conductor had the chance to show off their skills! While it was a very long day of singing (nearly 5 hours!), it was so rewarding to see how far the conductors had come, particularly those starting off in Level 2, as for some, it was their first time ever conducting. As usual, it would not be a Sing Ireland course without a big Céilí on the final night. Both participants and musical staff joined together to trod through the Walls of Limerick, and we even had a trad session! The final day culminated with a choral concert; where everyone sang the pieces we had been learning in choral sessions over the days. ‘The Conversion of Saul’ by Z. Randall Stroope is still bouncing around my head, give it a listen!
I have been attending Sing Ireland courses in Limerick since 2021, so I am well-acquainted with the beautiful landscapes of the University of Limerick, but I have to say; the International Choral Conducting Summer School has been one of my favourite courses over the years! With over 90 participants, the enthusiasm was through the roof, and I made connections for life! I would definitely recommend this course to any younger conductors who wish to improve on their skills, but also, to new conductors of any age! The course is so accessible that even if you have never waved your arms in front of people before, you will come out the other side assured in your skills as a conductor.
Thank you for reading my blog, I hope you enjoyed! The Sing Ireland International Choral Conducting Summer School 2026 will be held 1st – 7th August. See you there!
