The Music Team

David Brophy - Music Director

David Brophy is the leading Irish conductor of his generation. His career, while primarily based in Ireland, has taken him to many parts of Europe, Africa, America and Canada. He has studied in Ireland, England and Holland, was appointed apprentice conductor with the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and was subsequently the first person to be appointed assistant conductor with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. In 2007 he became Principal Conductor of the RTE Concert Orchestra.

David has collaborated with many internationally acclaimed soloists including Tasmin Little and Lesley Garrett. He conducted the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in front of over 80,000 people at the spectacular opening ceremony of The Special Olympics World Games in 2003.

Operatic work has led to collaborations with leading companies in Ireland. Having initially conducted numerous tours with Co-Opera including the first ever opera performance in The Faroe Islands with their production of Madama Butterfly, he now works regularly with the Dublin company, Lyric Opera Productions. His keen interest in new opera has led to productions of Ian Wilson's Hamelin and Daron Hagen's Vera of Las Vegas for Opera Theatre Company. Most recent work has included Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire for Opera Ireland.

David's ever-expanding musical interests have seen him work in recent years with artists beyond the field of classical music. Having collaborated closely with Eleanor McEvoy at the 2005 ESB Beo Festival, he has recently worked with other singer/songwriters including Paul Brady, Brian Kennedy and Declan O'Rourke. He has partnered composer Shaun Davey on many projects including numerous performances of his The Brendan Voyage with piper Liam O'Flynn. David has also enjoyed working with other traditional musicians including Seamus Begley, Nollaig Casey, The Chieftains, Rita Connolly, Carlos Nunez and Sharon Shannon.

His interest in contemporary music has seen him work with specialist new-music ensembles including Vox21 and the Crash Ensemble, and he has given world premi:eacute;res of works by Irish composers including Frank Corcoran, Raymond Deane, Fergus Johnston, Philip Martin and Ian Wilson.

David lectures at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and is currently working towards a PhD researching performance practice in eighteenth century orchestral music with a particular reference to the symphonies of Haydn.

He became Music Director of Dun Laoghaire Choral Society in summer 2009.

Fergal Caulfield - Accompanist

Fergal Caulfield studied piano and organ at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and privately with Professor Gerard Gillen, as well as obtaining B.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Trinity College Dublin.

He has been the recipient of a number of prizes and scholarships and is much sought after as an accompanist, working regularly with professional groups in Dublin, including the National Chamber Choir and National Symphony Orchestra.