Dublin Youth Choir’s Summer Sing

The Dublin Youth Choir Summer Sing will return to the Royal Irish Academy again this Summer.

From 30^th June - 4th July 2025, singers aged 9-14 will rehearse from 9 am - 4 pm every day in RIAM's stunning campus on Westland Row.

Led by choir leaders and conductors Brian Murphy, Anne McCambridge, David Callaghan and their team, singers will participate in a range of activities, including physical and vocal warm-ups, musicianship classes, sectionals, full-choir rehearsals, and social activities. Singers will learn a range of joyful repertoire, celebrating the beginning of summer through song!

Summer Sing will culminate in a performance for family and friends in RIAM’s Whyte Recital Hall. Everyone is welcome to be part of DYC’s Summer Sing—there will be no audition and no music experience/training required to fully take part!

The course has been designed by the DYC Music Team in a way that will challenge highly experienced singers, while also welcoming those new to choral singing at the same time!

Boys with changing voices are encouraged to be part of this experience and will be uniquely supported on this course alongside members of DYC’s Cambiata Choir. 

Participants age: 9-14

Everyone is welcome to be part of DYC’s Summer Sing—there will be no audition and no music experience/training required to fully take part!

Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy graduated with a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting in 2021 and is currently in his third year of the Doctor in Music Performance degree at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, specialising in choral conducting and undertaking research on Cambiata voices. He is also undertaking the ITM Alexander Technique Teacher Training Course.

Brian completed his bachelor’s degree in music and history at Maynooth University before undertaking a PGCE in music education at Edge Hill University, England. During his time in Maynooth, Brian served as President of the Music Society and was elected Students’ Union President in 2009, through which he became the chief student representative for the Maynooth students both within the university and nationally.

From 2016 to 2021, Brian was the Musical Director of the Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir. Under his direction, the choir performed at many high-profile events, including President Michael D. Higgin’s garden party, at Áras an Uachtaráin for Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the final of the Pro-14 Rugby Tournament in the Aviva Stadium. Brian conducts Amici Vocal Ensemble in Clontarf.

He is a secondary school teacher and is active as a clarinettist and saxophonist. Brian has sung with numerous choirs and is currently a member of the award-winning choir Mornington Singers. Brian directs Pre-DYC and the Cambiata Choir. He also teaches musicianship to several groups within DYC and "Brave the Stave" - Introduction to Sight Reading Choral Music to members of RIAM's Well Sing Choir.

Anne McCambridge

Anne McCambridge is a choir leader, vocal coach, and music educator, specialising in the Kodály philosophy of music education. Anne inspires confidence within the hearts and minds of people of all ages and abilities through her innovative and inclusive approach to singing.

Anne's musical journey is characterised by her dedication to both excellence and accessibility. A graduate of Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast, she further refined her skills through immersive Kodály programmes at the New England Conservatory, Boston and the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary.

​Throughout her career, Anne has established and supported numerous choirs and initiatives dedicated to enriching people's lives through music. She has founded children's choirs at Queen's University Belfast through their Junior Academy of Music programme, Larne Community Youth Choir, Glenlough Community Choir (between the villages of Carnlough and Glenarm), the 'Pick Me Up Choirs' of Carnlough, Glenarm, Ballygally and Broughshane, which address issues of social isolation and loneliness in rural areas. She also works with asylum seekers through Yallaa and Dumbworld, with Belfast City Council and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust through their Carer's choir, and as Co-director of the award winning Open Arts Community Choir.  In 2022 she helped establish the NI Choral Collective - an organisation which offers invaluable support to 60 choir leaders across Northern Ireland, and with support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland started the annual Larks and Crows Festival of inclusive community singing which welcomes community choirs to gather together and lift each other up in song.

Collaborations with organisations such as All State, Barnardos, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Women's Aid, ArtsCare and the Northern Trust underscore her commitment to leveraging music for social good between the corporate, public and charitable sectors.

In 2014, she helped establish the 'Peter Rosser Composition Award' in collaboration with the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble, giving emerging composers from the island of Ireland the opportunity to be celebrated and further develop their craft.

​Anne's work in broadcast media includes direction of the annual BBC Northern Ireland Children in Need Choir and serving on the selection panel for BBC NI School Soloist of the Year. Her appearances on UTV Life and BBC Radio Ulster have underscored her advocacy for collective singing as a means of connecting communities. In addition, her work as Music Education consultant for CBeebies Pre-School Music Programme 'Yukee' furthered her mission of encouraging high quality accessible music engagement and understanding from an early age.

With over two decades of experience as a vocal coach, Anne has guided countless individuals and groups across diverse musical styles in many educational establishments including the Ulster College of Music, Methodist College Belfast and Belfast Metropolitan College. Anne's commitment to musical equity within society is exemplified through her outreach work with N.I Opera, Early Music Ensemble Sestina, Cork International Choral Festival, Arts and Disability charity Open Arts and Angel Eyes for children who are visually impaired. Through innovative approaches which blend online and in-person elements, she continues to pave the way in making music accessible to all.

David Callaghan

David Callaghan completed a primary degree in music education at Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He has a wide range of performance experience as a pianist, singer, violinist and conductor. David was awarded a music scholarship from Wesley College, Dublin where he directed an award-winning chamber choir and from there, has conducted various choirs. In addition to his role as Director of Trinity Singers during his studies at TCD, David was involved as Musical Director for their Musical Theatre Society’s production of West Side Story and directed chamber music projects at RIAM.

David has sung with many choirs including Irish Youth Chamber Choir, Dublin Youth Chamber Choir, Trinity Singers and the RIAM Chorale. He has sung with Trinity Orchestra in their pop music sets at music festivals around Ireland. As an accompanist, he has performed with an array of choirs and soloists. David is the accompanist for Setanta Choir in Co. Louth and Dublin Youth Choir with whom he also teaches musicianship courses. David spent a term at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary where he studied conducting, pedagogy and performance.

As a passionate music educator, David teaches post-primary music and has tutored lower voices in several choirs including Dublin Youth Choir, Dublin Youth Chamber Choir, Tallaght Choral Society and the RIAM Youth Choir Summer Course. He is a member of the music staff at Mount Argus Parish and is Director of Music at Harold’s Cross Church.

David conducts several Dublin Youth Junior Choirs, teaches musicianship to Junior and Training Choirs, and accompanies all DYC choirs as required.