Dara Pender is from Dublin and holds a Bachelor in Music Education from Trinity College Dublin and a Bachelor of Arts (Music) from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama. She is currently the Year 1 and Junior Band Tutor and Conductor in Artane. Previously she was the Conductor of HFC concert band in Wexford, the deputy conductor of Dublin Orchestral Players Musical Director and Conductor in Portarlington. Dara studied French Horn with Ian Dakin, Fergus O’Carroll and Cormac Ó hAodáin. She has played in many ensembles over the years such as the DIT Symphony Orchestra, DIT Wind Band, RIAM Symphony Orchestra, RIAM Symphonic Wind, Wexford Sinfonia, Greystones Orchestra, Hibernian Orchestra, Dublin Symphony Orchestra, Dublin City Chamber Orchestra, Dublin Concert Band, St James Band and she has played at many Musicals and the Late Late Show band when required. Daras interest for conducting began in college but she didn’t pursue it until later. She completed an advanced wind band conduction workshop in RIAM with Brendan Breslin, with his encouragement and mentorship her passion grew. Dara was chosen as a participant in the London Conducting workshop with John Farrer and Howard Williams. Dara was also chosen as a participant for the Female Conducting Programme in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Here she completed many intensive workshops with Alice Farnham, Course Director, David Brophy, Robert Houlihan and Eímear Noone. Dara had the opportunity to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra.