Welcome to Deirdre Masterson official website

DEIRDRE MASTERSON BIOGRAPHY

A native of Ballycanew, Gorey, Co. Wexford, Deirdre started her classical studies at a young age at The Wexford School of Music under the direction of Alan Cutts before completing four years of opera and drama studies in Dublin with Dr. Veronica Dunne and Marjorie Williams where she excelled in all music, singing and drama examinations. Throughout her college years, Deirdre was fortunate to win a scholarship to study with the famous Wagnerian soprano Astrid Varnay in Munich

for a summer before returning home to perform in the prestigious Wexford Opera Festival joining the cast for Leoncavello’s “La Boheme,” and receiving critical acclaim in Wexford’s operatic scenes for her performances of “Adina,” in L’Elisir D’amore, “Pamina,” in Mozart’s Magic Flute, “Musetta,” in Puccini’s La Boheme and “Susanna,” in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. On completion of her studies in Dublin, Deirdre studied languages and composition in Cardiff along with working with vocal technician Gerald Wragg before residing in Manchester and working closely with vocal coach Rosemary Walton from The Royal Northern. In recent years Deirdre has enjoyed working with Bill Schumann in New York, coach to the Metropolitan soloists and Linda Hutchison in London of British Vocal Association, where she is an avid practitioner of accent method and a more holistic approach to singing.
Over the years Deirdre enjoyed winning many competitions in Arklow, Kilcoole and Dublin Feis Ceoil, in French, Lieder, Oratorio, Operetta and Opera categories. She is the proud recipient of the coveted “Junior Rose Bowl,” “Geoghan Cup,” and “Dramatic Cup,” at Dublin’s Feis Ceoil. To this day Deirdre still holds the title of being one of the youngest singers ever to win the over-all senior vocal section – “The Gervase Elwes.” She was a winner of the “ESB and TSB Award,” for three consecutive years and won “The Fitzwilton Award,” for recognising outstanding achievement in ones chosen profession.
Deirdre’s first operatic role was playing the part of the “Spirit,” in Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas,” at the tender age of twelve as part of “The Wexford Opera Festival,”fringe event. However she made her professional operatic debut with “Opera Ireland,” playing the part of “Sandman,” and “Dewfairy,” in “Hansel and Gretel,” at eighteen and has enjoyed many roles with the company over the years. She was invited by “Opera Ireland’s,” director more recently to join the cast for the premiere of “Lismore Music festival,” in the beautiful open air courtyard surroundings of Lismore Castle. Deirdre enjoyed critical acclaim for her performance of “Mercedes,” in Bizet’s “Carmen,” and for her interpretation of french song at a lunchtime recital at this music festival.
Other recent performances include playing “Dido,” in Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas,” for “Opera in the Open.” Deirdre has been nominated for a “Bear Award,” in the category of best female operatic leading lady performance. She delighted audiences this season giving recitals in Kilruddery House, Marlfield House Hotel and Salterbridge House. She is delighted to be returning to “Lyric Opera House,” in The National Concert Hall to perform “Inez,” in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.”
Deirdre will perform her first “Carmen,” next summer in an open air performance in Marlfield House Hotel.
Deirdre is no stranger to television and radio coverage both at home and abroad, having performed on RTE, TV3, FOX NEWS, and local PBS channels in the US.
Radio one held an opinion poll in recent years where Deirdre was recognised as one of the voices of the century. A girl very much proud of her heritage, Deirdre was honoured to be short listed as one of the only two females, with RTE’s news broadcaster Ann Doyle from Wexford, in line to be an ambassador for her county.

Deirdre is a founding member of the classical cross-over act “The Irish Sopranos,” and has enjoyed sell out tours on both sides of the Atlantic, along with chart success with their albums “A Time for Us, and “Believe.” She was delighted to feature on the specially commissioned album “Who fears to speak,” as well as performing on the award winning album “Faith of our Fathers,” Christmas album. She was particularly delighted to record her own album entitled “My Song,” where she incorporated members of her family and the school on this debut solo album.
Deirdre is the proud proprietor and director of a stage school and vocal academy in her home town. The birth of “Ceol Loch Garman,” came about through a series of master classes and workshops Deirdre was asked to create in 1999 in Gorey and the rest as they say is history! Situated in Gorey Business park Deirdre is proud of the calibre of her students and staff alike. All teachers are fully qualified where their experience on the professional national and international stage transfers into the classroom.
Deirdre gets huge satisfaction seeing her students reaching their goals and dreams.
She continues to combine her teaching commitments with her own singing engagements.