Fleming ’20, ’22 Wins 5th Prize at Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona

Pianist Eoín Fleming ’20, ’22 (Bachelor of Music in Performance, Master of Music in Performance) was awarded 5th prize at the 66th Maria Canals International Music Competition in Barcelona, Spain. Fleming currently studies with Distinguished Artist-in-Residence, Chair of Keyboard Division and Professor of Piano John O’Conor, Mus.D.

Fleming is a 23-year-old Irish pianist who began his studies in piano at age 6 in the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) with Colma Brioscú. He then continued studies with Shenandoah Conservatory’s Visiting Instructor of Piano & Music Performance Alexander Bernstein ’16, D.M., and professor Réamonn Keary.

He also was a competitor in the 2017 Suzhou Jinji Lake International Piano Competition and was a semifinalist in the 2018 Dublin International Piano Competition where he received the Charles J. Brennan prize for the furthest Irish pianist in the competition, the McCullough Bursary and prize for the best performance of the Irish commissioned work for the competition. In 2015, he was one of 23 in the world to be selected to compete in the inaugural Junior Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Texas.

Fleming has also been awarded first prize in the Fr. Frank Maher Classical Music Award (for all instruments), the Lucien and Maura Tessier Scholarship for Pianists and the Bank of Ireland Catherine Judge Memorial Award (for all instruments).

In October 2016, Fleming debuted at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall performing Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, op. 73 (‘Emperor’)” with the New York Concerti Sinfonietta. He debuted with Shenandoah University’s Symphony Orchestra performing the first movement of Rachmaninov’s “Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30.” Fleming has given solo recitals in the National Concert Hall of Ireland’s John Field room and the Kevin Barry room multiple times.

By the age of 7, Fleming had performed in the RDS Concert Hall in Ireland at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) High Achievers Awards Concert and the RIAM High Achievers Award Gala concert in Dublin Castle. In 2009 he performed for former President of Ireland Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtarán at a dinner soirée. In the same year he was asked to be the child pianist in the movie “Parked” starring Colm Meaney.

Fleming excelled in his studies of piano in the RIAM, achieving Scholarship with Distinction in every grade. He has won numerous competitions in the RIAM Pianofest and Feis Ceoil; most recently the Anthony Glavin Cup for his performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36.

He has participated in masterclasses given by Alexej Gorlatch, Pavel Nersessian, Martina Filjak, Finghin Collins, Christopher Elton, Robert Kulek, Murray McLachlen and Ronan O’ Hoara. In 2013, Fleming performed Beethoven’s “Ghost” trio in a masterclass presented by Peter Cropper at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. He also performed Mozart’s “Sonata No.17 in C Major for Piano and Violin” with Colma Ní Bhriain.