Limerick cellist Aoibhín Keogh Daly celebrates Music Network Instrument Loan Scheme opportunities

Limerick cellist Aoibhín Keogh Daly celebrates Music Network Instrument Loan Scheme opportunities. Photo: Marc O’Sullivan

Limerick cellist Aoibhín Keogh Daly is one of five musicians to celebrate the opportunities provided through the prestigious Music Network three-year instrument loan

Limerick musician Aoibhín Keogh Daly says the Music Network three-year instrument loan has helped her on her musical journey and is creating “so many more opportunities”.

The scheme is a major opportunity to support Aoibhín’s development after being awarded a cello from The Music Network National Musical Instrument Collection.

The O’Neill Cello & Bow by Conor Russell (cello, 2015) and Robert Pierce (bow, 2016) respectively, awarded to Aoibhín Keogh Daly, an Irish cellist and recent graduate from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, studying with Jan Ype Nota and Michel Strauss. Aoibhín became the youngest ever winner of the Trench Bursary in 2021 and has performed at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival.

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Coming from a line of musicians, following the musical footsteps of her grandmother and mother, who were both violinists, Aoibhín switched to cello to be different from the inspiring musicians in her life, saying she switched to cello at the age of seven.

“Getting this cello has just allowed me to have so many more opportunities. I feel so much more comfortable playing in auditions and concerts, because I feel like this cello supports me rather than this kind of a battle when I’m playing,” Aoibhín told Music Network Ireland.

Established in 2008, the Music Capital Scheme is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and managed by Music Network. Since it was established the scheme has made 652 awards to individual musicians and organisations, providing access to instruments for over 59,000 people across the country.

227 performing groups have been able to purchase instruments and expand their memberships, and 258 professional established and emerging musicians have advanced their performance careers with new instruments enabled by the scheme. Even more musicians have been supported in the most recent round, with the introduction of this new award among other enhancements to the scheme.

Speaking about the confidence the instrument brings, the Limerick musician said, “I love the depth of this instrument. I feel like it has a very gutsy sound. I feel like me and this instrument found each other at the right time. It’s so amazing.

“I’ve even had so many people compliment it. People who have known me for years are saying that I just seem like I’m able to be me on stage with it.”

She also highlighted the importance of the scheme for young musicians, particularly given the difficulty of affording high-quality instruments.

She said, “I think it’s so important, this scheme. When I saw it come around, [music] I jumped at the opportunity because it’s so difficult, as we know, to afford to buy our own instruments, especially at this time. There aren’t many loan schemes out there. So, when this popped up, I think it’s so amazing for young musicians. I really think it’s such an amazing opportunity. Um, I’m very grateful for it anyway.”

Aoibhín Keogh Daly is an Irish cellist and recent graduate of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, studying with Jan Ype Nota and Michel Strauss. A former student of Christopher Marwood, she won the Trench Bursary in 2021 and the senior recital bursary at Féile Luimnigh. Aoibhín has performed at the Birr Arts Festival and West Cork Chamber Music Festival with the Aradia Quartet. A former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, she also participated in the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Young programme and its alumni projects in Amsterdam and Brussels.