Your 2026 Festival

With guest artists from Ireland, Switzerland, the UK, and beyond, this year’s festival features eight concerts over four days, plus the much-loved ‘Musical Map’ on the afternoon of Saturday, 15th August.

Our opening concert on Thursday, 13th August, is specially curated around ‘Valse + Film’, weaving dance and cinema with music from Schubert to Philip Glass, Michael Nyman to Wojciech Kilar. Highlights include Glass’s String Quartet No. 3 ‘Mishima’, Neil Martin’s Sliabh Luachra Polkas, and Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. The evening concludes with a Late Night Solos programme of works by women composers spanning 250 years. The Closing Finale Concert on Sunday, 16th August, ‘The Irish Mozart’ , celebrates John Field alongside Joan Trimble’s In Glenade, Holst’s St Paul’s Suite and Grieg’s Holberg Suite. We’re also thrilled to welcome the Swiss Piano Trio, who perform Beethoven, Frank Martin’s trio on Irish folk melodies, and Brahms on Saturday evening.

We are honoured to welcome the following artists: Darragh Morgan (violin), Gaby Lester (violin), Thomas Kemp (violin/viola), Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola), Hannah Roberts (cello), Adrian Mantu (cello), Ben Burnley (double bass), Maria du Toit (clarinet), Mary Dullea (piano), and the Swiss Piano Trio. This year also features new works by composers Murrough Connolly and Amy Rooney, as our feature composers for 2026.

We are honoured to welcome the following artists: Darragh Morgan (violin), Gaby Lester (violin), Thomas Kemp (violin/viola), Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola), Hannah Roberts (cello), Adrian Mantu (cello), Ben Burnley (double bass), Maria du Toit (clarinet), Mary Dullea (piano), and the Swiss Piano Trio – Martin Lucas Staub (piano), Angela Golubeva (violin), Franz Ortner (cello). This year also features new works by composers Murrough Connolly and Amy Rooney.

As always, we proudly support Young Artists and encourage community engagement through our festival programme – including special performances from Music Generation Kerry and the West Cork Gamelan, who are celebrating their 10th anniversary, plus an informal sharing from ‘A way into composition’ as part of the Musical Map.

All of this takes place across a variety of unique venues on beautiful Valentia Island – from the Church of St John the Baptist to The Lighthouse, Chapeltown, and Knightstown. We look forward to welcoming you this August for our 13th Festival. As ever, a huge thank you to our supporters, venues, volunteers, and audience for making this festival exist in such a magical place.

Details on all events and opportunities are to be found at www.chambermusiconvalentia.com where you can book your tickets online. Additionally you can book tickets by emailing info@chambermusiconvalentia.com, calling +353 (83) 096 5977, or in person from Walsh’s Grocery Store, Market Street, Knightstown (from 1 August 2026).

Mary Dullea Artistic Director