More than 5,000 classical musicians from all over Ireland will compete at this year’s Electric Ireland Feis Ceoil 2012 which begins today at the RDS Dublin.
The 11-day festival will feature 180 individual classical music competitions.
Tomorrow is Choir Day, when thousands of students compete for the Choir of the Year award. Competitions for piano, strings and wind instruments will be held in the coming days.
The winners of ten senior singing competitions which take place during the Feis will be eligible to compete for the Gervase Elwes Memorial Cup on Friday, March 30th - the last night of the festival. A gala concert, featuring a selection of Feis competitors will be held in the National Concert Hall on the following day.
The first Feis Ceoil was held in 1896 and more than half a million competitors have taken part since. Past competitors include James Joyce and Count John McCormack as well as more contemporary names such as pianist John O'Conor, singer Regina Nathan and comedian Risteard Cooper.
The Feis Ceoil can be followed on facebook.com/electricirelandfeisceoil or on Twitter with the hashtag #thefeis.
More information is available from feisceoil.ie
