Louth Tenor Seán Tester to Record with RTÉ Concert Orchestra

A singer from Louth is set to take centre stage on national radio after being selected by RTÉ lyric fm to record with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra as part of a prestigious talent development initiative.

Tenor Seán Tester from Louth will have the opportunity to rehearse and record in Studio 1 in the RTÉ Radio Centre with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra under conductor Gavin Maloney. RTÉ lyric fm, in association with the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, has selected five young singers to record with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in RTÉ this January. 

Seán, a recipient of the 2023 BVOF|RIAM John Pollard Bursary, has completed a Masters degree in Music Performance (Vocal Studies) at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He performed at Wexford Festival Opera in 2025 and makes his Royal Festival Hall, London debut later this month as tenor soloist in Mozart’s Requiem.

The Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition is a triennial international classical singing competition held in Dublin, Ireland. The competition invites the most talented young singers to compete on this global stage, with a star-studded jury, international press coverage, and exposure to the most influential people in the industry. The competition is led by Artistic Director Dearbhla Collins and chairman Professor Diarmuid Hegarty of Griffith College.
 
The other competition winners are tenor Patrick Hyland from Kildare, tenor Cathal McCabe from Dublin, soprano Deirdre Higgins from Offaly, and baritone Seán Boylan from Meath.
 
The recordings – which will be showcased this spring across RTÉ lyric fm, from Marty in the Morning to Lorcan Murray’s Classic Drive – will include a selection of arias from Puccini, Mozart, Verdi, Gounod, Dvorak, and Charpentier. This is part of RTÉ lyric fm’s commitment to developing and nurturing emerging Irish talent.
 
Sinéad Wylde, Head of RTÉ lyric fm, said: “At RTÉ lyric fm, we have an important commitment to nurture new voices and give singers the opportunity to be heard on lyric fm at this early stage in their operatic careers. We have worked closely with Dearbhla Collins, Artistic Director of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, to identify this new generation of opera singers to introduce them to RTÉ lyric fm listeners all over Ireland. This initiative will also help to develop their careers, providing each singer with a crafted studio broadcast recording which will no doubt lead to many more performance opportunities both in Ireland and internationally.”

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Dearbhla Collins, Artistic Director of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, added: “One tool that young singers are often missing in building their career and developing opportunities is excellent quality recordings, and to have the opportunity to create these with an orchestra of the quality of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is an outstanding opportunity.”
 
Listen out for the singers across RTÉ lyric fm this spring.