Currently a student at the Royal Academy of Music, jazz percussionist Edward Dunlop is one of the five just-announced Arts Council of Northern Ireland and BBC-backed Northern Ireland Young Musicians’ Platform award winners.

Designed to support young Northern Ireland-based musicians extending for the first time beyond classical music to include jazz and traditional Irish music, Belfast percussionist Dunlop, formerly a trumpeter with the Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra, is a winner along with the soprano Sinéad O’Kelly, cellist David Sloan, mezzo soprano Dawn Burns, and Uilleann piper Conor Mallon.

Dunlop has already been active on the burgeoning Belfast jazz scene appearing with such leading lights as Scott Flanigan, Meilana Gillard, and Linley Hamilton, the trumpeter and BBC jazz presenter who will mentor Dunlop as part of the scheme. Each award winner will receive £5,000 and two professional radio broadcast engagements as part of the prize.

Reacting to news of the award Edward Dunlop says: “Exposure is key for anyone wanting to make it in the music scene, and this award will be a huge asset in helping me put my name out there and my playing to as many people as possible.”

Edward Dunlop, above left, with Linley Hamilton

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