'Massive honour' for Maghera singer

A multi-instrumentalist and singer Jack Warnock, picked up the award in the traditional music category and will be mentored by BBC Radio Ulster’s Lynette Fay.

He was one six ‘exceptional’ musicians to have been awarded the Young Musicians Platform Award, supported by National Lottery funding through the Arts Council and the BBC.

The other awardees include classical awardees, opera singer, Andrew Irwin, cellist, Angus McCall and pianist, Justine Gormley; traditional music awardee, Rose Connolly and, singer-songwriter awardee, Roisin Donald (ROE).

The biennial awards which are run by the Arts Council in collaboration with BBC Northern Ireland, aim to showcase and support the development of young musicians from the region by providing individual funding awards of up to £5,000.

This funding enables the recipients to spend a sizeable amount of time learning from a master musician, mentor, teacher or composer either in Northern Ireland or abroad. For the first time, the awards have been extended beyond the classical and folk music arenas reaching out to singer-songwriters in the region.

“For me, receiving the YMPA this year is a massive honour. I know a few past recipients of the award and after seeing how it launched their careers to the next level, being counted among them is phenomenal,“ said Jack.

“I’m currently working on my debut solo album and a handful of other projects, so it couldn’t have come at a better time for me! Particularly with the effect that Covid-19 has had on the Arts sector, schemes like the YMPA are tantamount for young musicians trying to make their way into full-time, professional musicianship.”

Mentor, Lynette Fay said: “Rose and Jack are the successful candidates from a very competitive field. They have very exciting, ambitious ideas about what they want to achieve with their music and how they would like to present it to audiences.

“I’m delighted that BBC Northern Ireland can support them in this way to realise their ambitions. I look forward to working with them as they make the most of this invaluable platform.”

As a solo artist, Jack won the An Ré Nua competition in the lead-up to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, 2013 in Derry and after honing his craft for a few years, was nominated for the prestigious BBC Young Folk Award in 2018.

Later that year he won the Senior Accompaniment Competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

Jack was Artist in Residence for Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, An tAcadamh Ceoil and IMBOLC International Music Festival from 2018-19. He was also named one of Moving On Music’s ‘Emerging Artists’ for 2020, and he is the guitarist and singer with the hot new trad group, ‘TRODA’.

He recently received a SIAP grant from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, through National Lottery, to record his highly anticipated debut solo album, due for release in 2021. Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with many fantastic musicians, playing support for We Banjo 3, Ulaid, Lúnasa and more. Jack has also accompanied musicians such as Liz Doherty, The Vallely Brothers and Troy MacGillivray. He is a graduate of Ulster University, Magee, with a 1st Class Honours in Irish with Music.

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