SYLVIA O'BRIEN SOPRANO

Recently awarded Doctor of Music from Trinity College Dublin, Dr O’Brien is a member of the vocal faculty of the Royal Irish Academy of Music where she lectures in voice, specialising in vocal technique, French song, chamber and contemporary music. 

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Dr O'Brien has curated the Contemporary Vocal Techniques programme at the Royal Irish Academy of Music which explores the process of learning and performing contemporary vocal music for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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She is regularly invited internationally to present masterclasses and appointed as adjudicator for vocal competitions. Ms O'Brien has been awarded status as Artist-in -Residence on several occasions as well as presenting workshops for composers (see below).

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Dr O'Brien also teaches voice at Dublin City University and privately at Sylvia O'Brien Voice Studio. As a member of the Examiners of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dr O'Brien acts as external examiner for all exam grades and instruments.

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Dr O’Brien is an active member of Society of Musicology in Ireland, presenting lectures on contemporary Irish vocal music and vocal techniques. 

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Selected Presentations, Lecture Recitals, Masterclasses & Publications

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Masterclass 'Performance Practice in 21st Century' 

Sylvia O'Brien (soprano) and William Dowdall (flautist) present a masterclass exploring the challenges of interpretation, style, extended techniques, score reading and performance practice in the 20th and 21st century contemporary landscape. All are welcome.

National Concert Hall, Dublin, Monday 22nd May, 2023, 10:00 -12:00.

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'Ceathruinti Ni Ogain (1973)' by Seoirse Bodley: A Critical Edition', Research Open Day, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, 06 March 2023

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'Externalisation and Objectivity in Vocal Practice of the 20th and 21st Centuries', Performance Research Ireland, National Concert Hall, 25-27 March 2022

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Implications of Collaboration: The Recreative Artist and Autoethnographic Research in Seóirse Bodley's Never to Have Lived is Best (1965), (DmusPerf, Royal Irish Academy of Music 2021)

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'Text and Melody in Seóirse Bodley's The Hiding Places of Love', at Maynooth University, Society for Musicology Ireland, Plenary Conference, 30 June 2019 

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'The Relevance of Collaboration: Elevating the Creative and Recreative Artist', Lecture Recital at The Royal Irish Academy of Music, 28 May 2018

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'Seóirse Bodley: The Architect of Melody', Research Day at The Royal Irish Academy of Music, 12 March 2018

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'Melodic Form in Seóirse Bodley's Vocal Works', Colloquial Series, Bewerung Room, Logic House, Maynooth University, 23 February 2018

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'A Contemporary Voice: An Exploration of Vocal Writing of the 20th and 21st Centuries', Artist in Residence Trinity College Dublin, Masterclass at Boydell Room, Trinity College Dublin, 31 January 2018

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'Melody, text and compositional styles in Brian Boydell’s vocal works with solo voice', Brian Boydell Centenary Conference, Society for Musicology in Ireland, at the Royal Irish Academy of Music & Trinity College Dublin, 23 June 2017

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‘The Bodleian Melody: An Investigation of Melodic Structure in Vocal Works by Seóirse Bodley’ Doctors in Performance, 

Second Festival Conference of Music Performance and Artistic Research, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, 8­-9 September 2016