Local performance for Clarecastle tenor

SS Peter and Paul’s Church in Clarecastle will be offering a very special musical evening on Friday when 24-year old local tenor, Dean Power will perform alongside a host of other musical talents.

The Clarecastle man’s reputation is growing rapidly and he will be showcasing his talent at a concert in his home village to raise funds for specialist voice training in Europe over the coming year.
Dean will be joined by the outstanding young mezzo soprano, Naomi O’Connell from North Clare along with the ever-popular, young Fanore tenor, Peter O’Donohue.
All three singers are former voice students of Lisdoonvarna-based Archie Simpson, director of the Lismorahaun Singers. Wicklow man Ross Scanlon, the third of the Ireland’s Young Tenors trio featuring Dean and Peter, will also be performing. In addition, the concert is likely to feature some very special guests from music academies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Dean studied at the Music Conservatory at the Dublin Institute of Technology, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor in Music (Performance). He recently achieved a first-class honours masters degree in the same field at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He was also awarded the Briscoe Cup, awarded from time to time to outstanding students of the academy. His name will now be engraved on the wall of the Royal Irish Academy alongside other former students such as Naomi and pianist Brenda Hurley, who have gone on to highly successful careers in the world of opera and music.
Aside from his studies, Dean has had an amazing year. In January, he won the Anthony Kearns prize for best male singer in the prestigious Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition and also won the Handel Prize for the best Handel aria in the competition, taking third place overall. His hard work has brought him to the stage of the Carnegie Hall in New York last Easter.
It was during the Veronica Dunne competition that he came to the attention of one of the judges, who was so impressed by Dean’s performances that he arranged for him to be auditioned for a the Opernstudio in the Munich Opera House. Dean has been accepted and he will start his apprenticeship at one of Europe’s foremost opera houses in September.
“I can’t believe it’s really happening,” Dean said.
“The experience I’ll gain will be invaluable to me. Being based in Munich will also give me an opportunity to travel to specialist voice teachers in Europe. Every singer needs a teacher – and not just any teacher. It can take a while to find the teacher you’re going to ‘click’ with. That’s why I need this extra money; to find the right teacher and to work with them to take my career to the next stage. I’ve always got tremendous support from the people of Clare, who have been so good and welcoming to me every time I come back home to sing,” he concluded.
Tickets for Friday night’s concert are available from several retail outlets in Clarecastle including the Post Office, Clarecastle Pharmacy, Ward’s Shop, Doab’s Butchers and Power’s Pub and are also available by calling 087 4159217.