The St Columb’s Hall Concerto Award is a very special part of our annual series at St Columb’s Hall. The Award is a celebration of the ancient cultural legacy of St Columba and his compatriots who, for centuries have travelled from Ireland, across Europe, to inspire people with their art. The Award honours that spirit: identifying exceptional young pianists and sending them out to perform on international stages.

Each winner performs a concerto with Le Foyer des Artistes at the Midsummer Concert, before going on to give recitals at partner venues across Europe — including Juventudes Musicales de Granada in Spain, L'Associazione Forlì Cultura in Italy, and the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest.

2026 Rowel Friers takes the award, confirming his place as one of the most exciting young pianists in Ireland today. He plays Beethoven’s piano concerto No 3

2025 Kwan Yee Lim performed Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 to great acclaim.

2024‍ ‍Ao Deng became the Award's inaugural winner, captivating audiences with a brilliant performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 12.

Each performance is made possible in part through our partnership with Yamaha Music Europe, who transport their flagship CFX Concert Grand Piano from London specifically for the occasion.