The second annual RAAP | RTÉ Radio Breakthrough Bursary Gala Concert will be broadcast live on Thursday 20 September 2012 at 8.30pm.
The concert, which will see the winners of the 2012 RAAP | RTÉ Radio Breakthrough Bursary revealed live on air, will be presented by John Creedon, live from RTÉ’s Studio 1.
From hundreds of entries from musicians of all genres, a winner will be chosen in each of the four categories: Pop, Rock & Dance; Country & Roots; Traditional Irish & Folk; and Classical Solo & Jazz. In addition, nine runner-up prizes will be awarded.
The concert will feature live performances from the winning musicians as well as the runners up, resulting in a fantastic showcase of some of the country’s finest rock, pop, folk, classical, trad, jazz, alt, country and roots musicians.
Now in its second year, the Breakthrough Bursary is an annual music performance competition set up by Recorded Artists Actors Performers (RAAP) and RTÉ Radio to support the country’s emerging musicians through the combined support of bursary prize money and guaranteed air play on national radio.
The competition was officially launched on Thursday 7 June by official supporters Christy Moore and Ryan Sheridan along with judges Fiachna Ó Braonáin of iconic Irish band, Hothouse Flowers and RTÉ 2XM’s Jacqui Carroll at Meeting House Square and the Olympia Theatre in Dublin.
Along with Ryan Sheridan and Christy Moore, other artists who have pledged their support by becoming ‘Official Supporters’ of the RAAP | RTÉ Breakthrough Bursary include Aslan, Fionn Regan and Cathy Davey.
Platinum-selling musician Ryan Sheridan, who was amongst those who officially launched the competition, said of the competition: “We are nation of hidden talent. The RAAP | RTÉ Breakthrough Bursary is a chance to bring that talent out of the rehearsal rooms and into the ears of the nation!”
For more, please visit www.rte.ie/breakthrough or contact Sheena Madden (+353 87 245 8046) in the RTÉ Radio Press Office.