"I think it’s a fantastic location": says Longford-based classical musician

Dr Benjamin Errington is a Longford-based musician who recently played with the Ulster Orchestra in Waterfront Hall, Belfast, for a night of ‘Spectacular Soundtracks’ on October 11. On October 25, he played with the Dublin County Choir in Carmelite Church, Dublin, playing tunes by Elgar and Massenet.

Benjamin started playing violin and viola at the age of 8. When he was 16, he went to Chetham’s School of Music, one of the most famous music schools in the world, in Manchester, UK.

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“That was when my specialist classical training really took off. Then I studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. That was the BMus degree, bachelor’s degree. A first-class. Then I went to the Mozarteum University in Austria on a full scholarship, where I learnt German and did a post-grad in viola. I feel very lucky that I got such a great musical and academic education.”

Upon being asked who were some of his most inspirational mentors, he named his first violin teacher being the Clare fiddler, Brendan Mulkere, as well as others:

“He was based in London and had a class where he taught fiddle and other instruments. That was the Irish connection there as well. So, I had a lot of mentor figures over the years, but he was the earliest. I also consider Thomas Riebl an important musical mentor. He is a world-renowned musician and teacher who’s now based in Manchester.”

Living in Longford town, despite the county not being a classical music hub, Benjamin has found the location of great convenience to his professional life as an academic and musician. He also works as a lecturer in Trinity College Dublin, having achieved a PhD in Cultural Studies in 2024, and also works as a teacher in the Mullingar Music Academy. Benjamin’s playing can be viewed online by typing into Google: “Celtic Viola & Fiddle”. He has also participated in the Camlin Keys Festival, which he and others are hoping to do in 2026. This year, the festival’s concert took place in St John's Church, Longford.

“I think it’s a fantastic location in many ways. I see it as an opportunity to get to know different parts of the country. The majority of freelancers working with a main orchestra are in Dublin where the RTE and National Symphony Orchestras are based. There are those who are happy to travel.”

Although more regional orchestras would be nice, Benjamin pointed out that, unlike Germany that funds the arts, Ireland focuses its funding on sports and other avenues to bring cultural development, rather than classical music. The financial costs mean that more orchestras are not currently feasible. He recollects the near merging of the RTÉ and National Symphony Orchestra five years ago, which could have led to job losses.

Benjamin thinks that Longford town could benefit from having its own music school again, with someone who is passionate and dedicated for the task.

“It’s difficult to make much profit from it so it might need to start as a passion project, and with community support, it could turn into something really valuable.”

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Able to be called into playing for prominent orchestras because of his enriching CV, the love for both the academic and performance are what drive Benjamin. His interests are leading him to looking into publishing some research further down the line.

“That’s another possible goal, so I can perhaps get a professorship with more hours. At least, I’m looking to have some academic publications, which I’m working on at the moment. Having finished the PhD just a year ago, I have an itch to continue on that path.”