Waltons New School of Music

2026 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition Finalists Announced!

The twelve school music groups (six primary and six post-primary) selected as Finalists in this year’s Music for Schools Competition were announced today on RTÉ lyric fm.

Our first-round adjudicators were enormously impressed by the high standard of entries this year and the imagination, musicality and effort evident in each of them. And they had their work cut out for them in selecting just twelve groups to perform in the 2026 Finalists Concert, which will take place in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland on Monday, May 18th.

At the Finalists Concert, our 2026 guest adjudicators Aedín Gormley and Paul Noonan, and Competition co-director Aideen Walton, will select three primary and three post-primary groups to win First, Second and Third prizes of €2,000, €1,000 and €500 vouchers (respectively) for musical instruments and equipment for their schools from Waltons Music Ireland. The other Finalist groups will receive €200 vouchers.

In addition to the Finalists, the adjudicators have also singled out groups that were not selected but are of particular merit as Commended, Highly Commended or Very Highly Commended. These schools will receive commendation certificates for all participants in acknowledgement of their achievements.

Lists of this year’s Finalists and commended schools can be viewed on the page below.

2026 Music for Schools Competition Finalists Announced • Waltons New School of Music We are delighted to announce the 2026 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition Finalist schools!

2026 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition Finalists Announcement Tomorrow

The twelve Finalist school music groups (six primary and six post-primary) selected to perform in the 2026 Music for Schools Competition Finalists Concert in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland on May 18th will be announced by Niall Carroll on his Classical Daytime show on RTÉ lyric fm at noon (12 pm) tomorrow (April 15th).

Tune in tomorrow!

Niall Carroll's Classical Daytime - RTÉ lyric fm For the ideal accompaniment to your day, join Niall Carroll for four hours of great music from the heart of the classical repertoire. Producer: Eoin O Kelly | Production Co-Ordinator: Linda McGlynn

We are delighted to announce our 2026 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition Finalists Concert Guest Adjudicators, Aedín Gormley and Paul Noonan.

The Finalists Concert will take place in the National Concert Hall on Monday, 18 May.

2026 Music for Schools Competition Finalists Concert Adjudicators • Waltons New School of Music We are delighted to announce our 2026 Music for Schools Competition Finalists Concert Guest Adjudicators – Aedín Gormley and Paul Noonan.

WALTONS TRAD SUMMER SCHOOL
Monday, 13 July – Saturday, 18 July 2026

We are delighted to announce the inaugural Waltons Trad Summer School, the first Dublin-based Irish music summer school!

Waltons Trad Summer School • Waltons New School of Music With a superb teaching faculty and an exciting programme of events, the Waltons Trad Summer School is the first Dublin-based Irish music summer school.

Our Third Term courses, workshops and ensembles, all starting in April!

Now Enrolling for Third Term Courses, Workshops & Ensembles • Waltons New School of Music The New School is now enrolling for a wide range of acclaimed group courses and ensembles taking place in our Third Term (April – June 2026).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The New School office is now open, and we're looking forward to a busy 2026 at the school.

Our Second Term (January – March) begins on Monday, January 5th, and we are currently accepting enrolments for lessons in our Second Term (12 weeks) and Second – Third Terms (22 weeks), as well as for Second Term group courses, workshops and ensembles. (See our Now Enrolling for Second Term Courses, Workshops & Ensembles news item – link below – for a full list of these.)

Our office is open Friday and Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm this week for enrolments and enquiries. You can get in touch with us by using the Contact Form on our website, by phoning us on (01) 478 1884 or by dropping by the office in person.

We hope your 2026 is full of great music!

Now Enrolling for Second Term Courses, Workshops & Ensembles • Waltons New School of Music We are now enrolling for a number of acclaimed group courses, workshops and ensembles taking place in our 2025-2026 Second Term (January – March 2026).

Ready to take your singing to the next level?

Join Jennifer McMahon and Siobhán Kavagh in their intermediate group courses starting January.

Links in bio to sign up!

Waltons SING YOUR HEART OUT Choir returns January 15th!

Auditions taking place on January 8th at 6:30pm on South Great George’s Street, Dublin

Fees for the second term starting at €168*

Give music for Christmas🎶🎄🎼☃️

Our beginners courses for adults are the perfect way to share your love of music with friends or family in 2026!

Sign up today for our 10 week courses starting in January for just €220 or purchase a gift certificate to surprise someone🎁

Links in bio

2026 WALTONS RTÉ LYRIC FM MUSIC FOR SCHOOLS COMPETITION

Waltons New School of Music and RTÉ lyric fm are delighted to announce the 2026 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition, launched by RTÉ lyric fm on Friday, November 28th, and invite all Irish primary and post-primary schools to participate!

WHAT IT IS

The Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition is a national competition and celebration of music in Irish schools.

Since the Competition was founded in 2011, this nationwide event has been supporting young musicians and music education in Irish schools; celebrating music as a cornerstone of Irish education; and promoting confidence, creativity and collaboration from an early age.

The Competition is open to all primary and post-primary schools, as well as special schools, in the Republic of Ireland, and hundreds of schools from all 26 counties have participated in previous years.

HOW IT WORKS

Music groups formed by the schools work together to produce a piece or song in response to this year’s Competition theme, RHYTHM RULES! Groups can be made up of any combination of instrumentalists and singers that schools choose, and all music genres are welcome. (Past entries have included classical, Irish traditional, jazz, pop, rock, rap and folk.)

Twelve Finalist groups (six primary and six post-primary) will be selected to perform before their peers and a distinguished panel of adjudicators in the National Concert Hall on May 18th. And at the end of the concert, the adjudicators will announce this year’s six winning groups (three primary and three post-primary), which will win awards totalling €7,000 worth of vouchers for musical instruments and equipment from Waltons Music Ireland. The entire concert will be streamed live by RTÉ lyric fm and can be watched from anywhere in Ireland or around the world.

THIS YEAR’S CALENDAR

Entry Deadline: Friday, 20 March 2026 at 5 pm
Announcement of Finalists: Wednesday, 15 April
Finalists Concert: Monday, 18 May



Go to the link below for more information and entry forms.

Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition • Waltons New School of Music The annual Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition is a non-profit national initiative celebrating and supporting music-making in Irish schools.

This Evening’s Friday Casual Concert Postponed

Due to the Status Orange rain warning for Dublin today, we are postponing the Friday Casual Concert that was due to take place this evening to next Friday, 21 November. Stay safe - and dry!