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Performance diploma for Abigail


A TALENTED Ennis musician has achieved her goal of completing a performance diploma with the London College of Music at her first attempt.
Abigail O’Reilly, 18, began studying music at Maoin Cheoil an Chláir at the age of six, initially choosing to learn piano and subsequently also taking up classical flute, violin and theory of music.
“Her love of music was apparent from the start and she made great progress at each of her instruments as her musicianship progressed,” one of her music teachers Hans Boller, director of Maoin Cheoil an Chláir said.
She took accreditation examinations in piano after her first year and continued progressing through the grades each subsequent year, achieving Grade 8 in piano from the Royal Irish Academy of Music when she was 16 in 2008. At the same sitting, she also achieved Grade 8 for flute. In the autumn of 2008, while studying for her Leaving Certificate, she achieved Grade 6 Theory of Music of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Grade 8 of the Royal Irish Academy of Music for violin. In February 2009, she achieved a gold medal for piano recital awarded by the Royal Irish Academy of Music and immediately began preparing for a performance diploma from the London College of Music, achieving her goal at the first attempt in December 2009.
As Abigail’s love of music grew, it was nurtured by her many teachers at Maoin Cheoil and the musical atmosphere and positive and encouraging ethos of the school. Abigail has many fond memories of the annual Maoin Cheoil concerts and class recitals and has acknowledged the support of all her teachers at Maoin Cheoil especially Rosemary Walshe, the administrative staff and Hans Boller, director.
Abigail’s musical interests also extended to being a member of the successful Coláiste Muire school choir and orchestra. She said she loves all classical music and her favourite is French composer Claude Debussy.
Abigail is now studying medicine at Trinity College Dublin and is a member of the music and orchestral society at the college. “Music has always provided a natural balance to my life and especially now during my intensive studies at Trinity. I feel that all children should be afforded every opportunity to participate in music at any level from an early age and the therapeutic effects of music are understated,” she commented.

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