Our History.
Champagne Cork was the 'brain child' of Clare Hunt
In her early years Clare received vocal training from Frank Ryan in Dublin and Elizabeth Downey in Waterford, & won many Awards at Dublin Feis Ceoil.
It was at one of those events that Clare was offered a scholarship to
Covent Garden Opera Company by the late Welsh Tenor, Parry
Jones. However, she declined in favour of marriage to her husband Tom!!
Shortly after, Clare moved to Cork & continued her voice training with Margaret Dillon at the Cork School of Music.
Clare has many musical accomplishments, & she was the founder Director of two Musical Societies, one in Mounthrath, Co.Laois, and the other the Carnew Musical Society in Co. Wicklow - and was guest of honour at their 21st musical production.
Carnew Musical Society is affiliated to A.I.M.S., (Association of Irish Musical Societies) and co-incidentally Clare's first experience of close harmony & barbershop singing was when she and her ladies chorus group competed at the A.I.M.S. Choral Festival in New Ross, Co. Wexford many years ago.
Clare returned to Cork full of enthusiasm for 'close harmony singing', and with support & encouragement from Mark Elmes (then Chairman of IABS) and the quartet 'Black Lace', Clare set up Champagne Cork in September 1995 - (and one of the original members Liz Nolan is still with us!
Clare gave much energy & time to 'Champagne Cork', the barbershop chorus she went on to form, but she has now retired & moved to Dublin.
The chorus continues to develop & sing in harmony! - now under
the dynamic directorship of Ursula Mulvihill.
The chorus continues to develop & sing in harmony! - now under
the dynamic directorship of Ursula Mulvihill.