Approximately one hundred students travelled to Waterford last Tuesday, November 9, to take part in a new initiative as part of the Waterford International Music Festival. The Festival is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year and the committee introduced several innovative ideas, one of which was this High School competition. Six schools presented a thirty minute abridged version of its show and the competition took place over two nights. The participating schools were: Dungarvan – Godspell, Good Counsel, New Ross – Les Misérables, De La Salle, Waterford- Oliver, Carnew –Bryan Superstar, Gorey CS – West Side Story and Ursuline, Thurles – The Sound of Music.

Adjudicator, Tony Finnegan, commented on the high level of talent that was on view amongst the six schools. He made several nominations in six categories: Alison Burns who played Maria was nominated as best female performer, Fiona O’Sullivan, captain Von Trapp, was nominated as Best “Male” performer and the group also received two nominations: Best Choral Presentation and Best Movement. These awards however went to other groups with Gorey’s West Side Story picking up three of them. However when it came to the final award of the evening, Best Overall presentation, there was great delight amongst the Ursuline girls when they were declared the winners and were presented with a beautiful Louise Kennedy Tipperary Crystal Trophy.