Irish violinist hits the high notes

A young Monaghan violinist has just earned a place in the prestigious Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra for the 2001 season. Dara Daly (22) from Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, is the first Irish violinist to be selected for the orchestra. She will join musicians from 50 countries for a concert tour of Europe this summer under the baton of conductor Sir Neville Marriner.

Daly began her violin studies at the age of six in the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. While still in secondary school, she held a tuition scholarship at the DIT College of Music, winning the "Student of the Year" award in 1996.

Since 1996 she has been studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with violinists Maciej Racowski and Wen Zhou Li. She plays regularly with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Halle Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

Dara Daly, from Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, has become the first Irish violinist to be selected for the prestigious Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra.