Ensembles & Choirs
Orchestral Ensembles
Participation in ensembles is an important way of developing musical communication and of learning and practising performance skills. Students in the Orchestral and Vocal Department are assigned to an ensemble, attendance at which is obligatory.
Weekly-Ensemble-Times-2025-2026.pdf
The ensembles are listed here:
- TU Dublin Prelude Strings
- TU Dublin Sinfonietta
- TU Dublin Junior Choir
- TU Dublin Prelude Winds
- TU Dublin Concert Band
- TU Dublin Sinfonia
- TU Dublin Wind Ensemble
- TU Dublin Chamber Orchestra
We also encourage students to take part in smaller chamber music groups.
Performances
The Conservatoire runs regular series of performances open to the public, including ensemble concerts, solo and chamber music recitals, opera and drama productions, and musical evenings, featuring students of all levels.
Students are expected to participate in concerts and other performance opportunities. Details will be posted on notice boards and on the Conservatoire website. Students are required to perform at Conservatoire concerts when called upon to do so.
Videos:
The Concert Band, director Ian Dakin and the Wind Ensemble, Director Conor O'Riordan recently collaborated for these videos:
Vocal Ensembles
Chamber Choir
Conductor: Bernie Sherlock
The Chamber Choir is the premier vocal ensemble of Conservatoire. It performs a diverse repertoire ranging from medieval chant to contemporary music. As well as giving concerts, the choir participates in competitions, twice winning first prize in the national chamber choir competition at the Cork International Choral Festival, alongside other prizes for individual pieces. Under the direction of conductor Bernie Sherlock the choir has won the Feis Ceoil Culwick Cup for chamber choir on nine occasions and released its first CD -- Carols for Christmas.
Bernie Sherlock is an award-winning conductor of adult and children’s choirs. Her choir New Dublin Voices has won numerous prizes in Ireland and all over Europe.
The TU Dublin Chamber Choir meets every Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Recital Hall during the academic year
Opera Ensemble
The Opera Ensemble is one of a number of ensembles run by the Conservatoire. Concerts of opera scenes are staged regularly and these scenes, directed by Colette Mc Gahon and Mairéad Buicke, have been received to great public acclaim. Annual concerts take place each year within the Conservatoire and also in the John Field Room at the NCH. The Opera Ensemble has been the proud winners of the Wilson Cup (now the Veronica Dunne Cup) for opera at the Feis Ceoil almost every year since the class began in 1992.
Choral Society
Conductor: Helen Blackmore
The Choral Society is a choir of over 60 singers and instrumentalists from the Conservatoire who are also joined by staff and students from other Schools and Colleges. Under the direction of Helen Blackmore the Choral Society meets for a weekly rehearsal and perform one major choral work in the first semester every year. Their performances can be heard in Dublin venues as well as making occasional forays further afield.
The TU Dublin Choral Society meets every Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall during the academic year.