ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Andrew Johnstone (IRE)
Andrew Johnstone is a native of Lancashire in the north-west of England. He studied organ first with the distinguished blind teacher John Robinson and later with Thomas Trotter, organist to the City of Birmingham, and read music at Oxford University Since settling in Dublin in 1989, Andrew has served as assistant organist at St Patrick’s and Christ Church cathedrals and as a lecturer in music at Trinity College. In 2015, he was appointed assistant director of music at St Bartholomew’s, Clyde Road. He has performed throughout Ireland and the UK, as well as in France, Germany, New Zealand and the United States. His recent research has focused on issues of pitch in the performance of Tudor music.
Andrew Dewar (UK)
Andrew Dewar is a multiple prizewinning organist of international distinction, with first prizes from competitions including St Albans, Dublin, Berlin, Wiesbanden and Montreal. He holds positions as Organist of the American Cathedral in Paris, and as Organ Professor at the Royal College of Music, London, and enjoys a busy schedule of concerts, adjudicating and teaching.
Anne-Marie O’Farrell (IRE)
Composer Dr Anne-Marie O’Farrell has a substantial output of commissioned work for orchestra, choir, soloists, chamber groups and young performers to her name. Her works have been performed by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the University of Limerick Orchestra, the Co-Orchestra Dublin, the BBC Singers, Chamber Choir Ireland, the RTÉ ConTempo Quartet and numerous international solo artists. She is the winner of the BBC Baroque Remixed composition competition for her orchestral work, Rann Dó Trí. For three years she was Composer in Residence at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland in association with the Lime Tree Theatre. . She lectures in composition at the TU Dublin Conservatoire and her compositions are featured on examination and competition syllabuses around the world.
Daniel Moult (UK)
Daniel Moult is a renowned organist, recording artist and educator, playing concerts and giving masterclasses all over the globe. As Head of the Organ Department at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire he leads one of the most vibrant and active programmes in the UK. His informed and innovative films have received especial praise. A charismatic and scholarly teacher and animateur, he was educated at Oxford University and the Amsterdam Conservatoire of Music.
David Leigh (IRE)
David is the Organist and Assistant Master of the Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, a post he combines with a flourishing career as a conductor and keyboard player. He is a graduate of Oxford University and a prizewinning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and previously held posts in several UK cathedrals before moving to Dublin in 1997. He has recorded five solo discs, and performs widely as a recitalist – including twice weekly recitals over a six month period in the first lockdown in 2020. He has served as Pipeworks’ Artistic Director since 2018. David has maintained a keen interest in liturgical improvisation throughout his career.
Martin Johnson (IRE)
Martin is the Section Leader Cello of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra and one or Ireland's leading Contemporary music performers. He has given countless World Premieres of works for solo cello, chamber ensemble and Cello Concerti...including a Triple Concerto by Anne-Marie O'Farrell. 2022 brings world premieres of imporyant cello compositions by Shaun Davey and Anselm McDonnell.
Vincent Dubois (FR)
A multiple prizewinning graduate of the Paris Conservatoire, studying with Olivier Latry, Vincent Dubois went on to win numerous prizes in international competitions. Following appointments in Saint Brieuc and Soissons he succeeded Jean Pierre Leguay as one of the three Organistes Titulaires at Notre Dame in 2016. He enjoys a busy international concert career.
Orla Flanagan (IRE)
Orla Flanagan is Assistant Professor of Music at Trinity College, Dublin and has conducted Mornington Singers since 2002. Orla holds an Advanced Diploma from the Kodály Institute, Hungary and a Doctorate of Music in Performance from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Winner of the McCurtain & McSwiney Award at the Cork Choral Festival’s Fleischmann International Trophy Competition on multiple occasions, Orla was also awarded a special prize for interpretation at the 10th International Choral Competition, Maribor, Slovenia.
In addition to her work with Mornington Singers, Orla gives choral workshops, adjudicates at festivals in Ireland and internationally, and has conducted professional ensembles including Milltown Chamber Choir, EnsemBéal and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland.
The Mornington Singers - www.morningtonsingers.org
Mornington Singers was the winner of the 4th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition held in JÅ«rmala, Latvia in September 2019. The choir was named Ireland’s Choir of the Year 2019 at the 65th Cork International Choral Festival.
The choir performs a broad range of choral music and specialises in a cappella repertoire, with a particular focus on music of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Mornington Singers is committed to the promotion of choral music, including the commissioning of new pieces. The choir recently commissioned a major new work from Irish composer John Buckley with the support of the Arts Council, and in 2014 held a successful choral composition competition for Irish composers.
Mornington Singers has established itself as one of Ireland’s leading choral ensembles. In addition to its own concert programmes the choir has sung in live performances of video game music, at Electric Picnic, on film soundtracks and television and in concert with Andrea Bocelli, Lesley Garrett and David Puttnam. Competition performances have included the International Baltic Sea Choir Competition, Arezzo International Choral Competition, the Florilège Vocal de Tours, Maribor International Choral Competition and, closer to home, the international choral festivals of Cork, Derry and Sligo.
Founded in 1997, Mornington Singers takes its name from the first Earl of Mornington, Garret Wellesley, who was the first Professor of Music at Trinity College Dublin.
Justine Cooper (IRE / NZ)
Originally from New Zealand, Justine has been based in Ireland as a freelance dance artist, teacher and choreographer since 2008. Most recently working with JUSTINE DOSWELL, (DYAD, Contrapuntus III, ‘The Thing Is ?’ ) MARY WYCHERLY, (Weathering, 2020, OONA DOHERTY (Lady Magma 2021, 2020, 2019), LIZ ROCHE COMPANY ( Demo's, The Here Trio, Alternatively Terrific and Gentle, Wrongheaded, Bastard Amber, Body and Forgetting, Fast Portraits, Secondary Sources), UNITED FALL (I am Ireland, Girl Song, Tundra, Dogs, Listowel Syndrome ), MARIA NILSSON WALLER (Merry.go.round 2018, 2016,) ANU/COIS CEIM DANCE THEATRE ( These Rooms, Lift Festival 2018, DTF 2016), COIS CEIM DANCE THEATRE ( Body Language, RHA 2017, Agnes, Dance Talking), JUNK ENSEMBLE (Dusk Ahead, Bird with Boy, Sometimes We Break), Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre (company member 1998-200). Justine’s own work 'Folds of the Crane' was presented as part of Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival 2015, Dublin Dance Festival 2016 and What’s Next Festival, Limerick 2018.