Adjudicators
Kevin O'Carroll
Kevin O’Carroll is Waterford based freelance musician. He began his musical life as a freelance French Horn player and in the 1980’s was a regular deputy with both the RTE Symphony Orchestra (now the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland) and the RTE Concert Orchestra.
Though he worked in a financial institution until 2010, he combined this with a busy musical life, working with choirs and musical societies in addition to continuing to work as a freelance French Horn player. To devote time to other pursuits, Kevin is slowly winding down his regular choral commitments and in 2025 he will retire from a regular, permanent position as choral director of choirs. He does, however, hope to keep his hand in with occasional conducting projects, workshops and adjudications.
Kevin studied conducting with the internationally renowned pedagogue and clinician, Dr. John Dickson at Texas Tech University, USA. These studies also facilitated some time working and performing with much loved choral composer, Eric Whitacre
Recognised as a choral specialist, Kevin is in demand as a teacher and choral consultant for workshops and guest lectures in Ireland and further afield. He has been adjudicator for most of the choral festivals in Ireland, including Irish Choir of the Year, Cork Choral Festival and Feis Ceoil, Dublin. He has provided lectures at several universities in Ireland. He has been Guest Director and Tutor for the Irish Church Music Association Summer School. Kevin has also lectured at the Association of Irish Choirs Conducting Summer School. Over the years, Kevin has worked with groups from many countries including Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Australia, Taiwan and the USA.
In 2012 Kevin’s book Choral Conducting – A handbook for Irish Choir Trainers and Conductors was published; the first Irish book on choral conducting. The book has sold as far away as Australia and the United States. It has been used as a textbook in several third-level institutions, including The Royal Academy of Music in London.
Like everyone else operating in the performing arts, during COVID performances for Kevin were almost non-existent. He was particularly sad to see some special engagements cancelled. These included providing workshops for the Association of British Choral Directors and for the BBC Symphony Chorus. As a personal lockdown project, Kevin began creating conductor’s scores for many of the Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy Operas, something that brought him back to his musical theatre roots.
Kevin holds a PhD Arts Practice from the University of Limerick for his research on the impact of modern music notation on the performance practice of Renaissance polyphony. As part of this research, he transcribed the last complete surviving copy of a 1625 publication of masses by Ludovico Grossi da Viadana.
Kevin also holds a Master of Music (Choral Conducting Performance), a BA (Hons) and Dip ABRSM in choral conducting.
Dr. Imelda Drumm
Dr Imelda Drumm is a Lecturer in voice and vocal pedagogy in the RIAM. Regularly a (Principal Soloist) With Irish National Opera, she teaches classical vocal technique to singers of all ages and abilities, male and female. Imelda has trained singers learning as children, those both in part-time and in full-time study to doctorate level, including students who are post-graduate young professionals.
Imelda studied classical singing with the late Dr Veronica Dunne. She is a graduate of the National Opera Studio, London, having received sponsorship from Glyndebourne Opera who awarded her both the ESSO Touring Opera and Richard Lewis/Jean Shanks Festival Awards.
Although a specialist in opera, Imelda has collaborated with leading Irish composers including John Buckley and Seoirse Bodley. Future performance plans with Irish National Opera include the upcoming season 2025.
Imelda’s doctoral research focuses on hormonal vocal influence and she is a trained mentor working with SingersResound UK, a charatible organisation which assists singers who are experiencing age related or other vocal or career concerns. Imelda enjoys travelling and giving lectures on her research topic; The influence of personal hormones on the elite voice. She also enjoys adjudicating and is looking forward to hearing fabulously young talented singers, at the Interschools Music Festival in 2025.
Dr Imelda Drumm BBS DMusPerf RIAM
How we work
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Arcu urna nulla nisl at quis sem. Fames eget duis eros posuere risus tincidunt. Orci auctor porta tristique eu mauris natoque condimentum tellus. At eu vitae scelerisque scelerisque. Arcu amet eget lectus in pellentesque id nisi. Diam quis metus faucibus id sed. Ut bibendum proin magna vel duis mauris vulputate est. Ipsum viverra dictum in ut massa porttitor cursus mi posuere. Elit pellentesque turpis parturient sed amet enim sed pretium.
Lynda Lee
During her vocal studies with Dr. Veronica Dunne, soprano Lynda Lee was the recipient of many awards and bursaries including from Opera Theatre Company and Ireland’s Friends of the Vocal Arts. She also represented Northern Ireland at The Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. Having made her professional debut in the Opera Theatre Company production of Tamerlano, she had a long association with Handel’s operas and made acclaimed appearances in this repertoire at many international festivals including Halle and Karlsruhe. She was nominated twice in Operwelt, firstly as best newcomer for the title role in Agrippina and as performer of the year for her portrayal of Xerxes.
On the concert platform, Lynda performed in many prestigious venues throughout Europe including the Philharmonie, Berlin, and the Royal Festival Hall, London and, was on contract at the Leipzig Opernhaus where her roles including Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Elisabeth (Tannhauser). Lynda joined the vocal faculty at Dublin’s Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2008 and holds a Masters’ Degree in Music from NUI Cork. She has adjudicated at music festivals throughout Ireland and regularly delivers vocal workshops to choral groups and ensembles