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TOMAS O'DURCAIN
Tomas O Durcain has over 25 years of playing experience. He graduated from the DIT Bmus (performance) Programme, where he obtained a second class honour with a first in performance after studying with Michael O’Toole, Alan Grundy and John Feeley, and gained his Mmus as a student of Graham Anthony Devine at Trinity College of Music, London, graduating with the prestigious Cleeve Montague award for the highest results achieved by a guitarist.
Tomas has been commended in many competitions in both Ireland and abroad and has had master classes with such respected guitarists as John Mills, Ray Burley, Berta Rojas Robert Brightmore and Eduardo Catamario. He was a silver medalist in the 2010 Classical Guitar Feis Ceoil, and was Highly Commended in the Aileen Gore string competition in the same year.
A keen supporter of new music, Tomas has commissioned several new works for solo guitar by young composers such as Declan Kolakowski, Mike Maclennan, Effy and Litha Efthymiou and Caroline Heslop. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in many countries across the world, including The US, The UK, Canada, The Netherlands, Colombia, Slovenia and most major venues across Ireland.
In addition to his teaching and solo commitments, Tomas is currently a touring member of the Dublin Guitar Quartet, with whom he has worked with a wide variety of musicians, including Grammy winning ensembles such as The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Roomful of Teeth and Conspirare company of voices.. He has also appeared with the group frequently on both television and radio in Ireland as well as the US.
Tomas has recorded several CD’s with the quartet including two CD’s released by the Louth Contemporary Music Society, an album of music for electric guitar quartet, and an album of the complete Philip Glass string quartets arranged for guitar, released on Glass’s own label. With the group he has also been involved in the premiere of several new works by Irish composers such as Simon Cullen, Linda Buckley and Michael Fleming, and new works by American composers Michael Gordon, Nico Muhly and Marc Mellits.
For information on lesson days, venues and fees please click HERE.