Dr. Cathal Breslin, Festival Director:

“It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the Walled City Music International Academy, based in the beautiful city of Derry, Northern Ireland. This is a unique and exciting Festival in one of the most stunning parts of the world, offering an immersive and inspiring platform for young pianists!”

Faculty Members – Read More

• Cathal Breslin, Festival Director (Arizona State University)
• Therese Fahy (Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin)
• Svetozar Ivanov (University of South Florida, Tampa)
• Ksenia Nosikova (University of Iowa)
• Chi Wu (Tianjin Conservatory of Music)
• Lirui Xiong (Chengdu Normal University)

Registration – Read More

• Expected arrival date: July 9, 2026
• Departure date: July 18, 2026
• Closing date for entries: Sunday 1 March 2026, 100 GBP to be paid on application.
• Tuition fee 1500 GBP (includes tuition and accommodation for 9 nights) to be paid in full before 31 March 2026.
• Special tuition scholarships available for Irish-based pianists. Please enquire via email.

Visiting Derry – Read More

Located in the stunning north-west of Ireland, the charming city of Derry~Londonderry is renowned as one of the finest walled cities in Europe, full of fascinating history and culture. Find out more about how to get here, where to stay and what to do in our Visiting Derry section!