We are delighted to announce our 10th annual Chamber Music on Valentia Festival. With concerts, immersive based experiences, and music workshops, there is something for everyone and we look forward to welcoming you to the island.
17th August 2023
7.30pm | Church of St. John the Baptist, Knightstown
Our opening concert of the 2023 Festival presents two of the most dynamic works in the chamber music repertoire by Brahms, from the late intimacy of his Clarinet Trio to the youthful confidence of his Piano Quintet. We also feature Irish female composers; Ina Boyle’s remarkable story telling and a further work from Tionscadal na nAmhrán Ealaíne Gaeilge with Ailís Ní Ríain’s setting of arresting texts by Aifric Mac Aodha.
PROGRAMME
Ina Boyle: Songs for soprano and piano
Johannes Brahms: Clarinet Trio, Op. 114
Ailís Ní Ríain: Sop Préacháin
Johannes Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34
Featuring | Micheal Collins clarinet Megan O’Neill soprano (Young Artist) Darragh Morgan violin Maighréad McCrann violin Fiona Winning viola Tim Gill cello Mary Dullea piano
9.30pm | Church of St. John the Baptist, Knightstown
Fidelio Trio Pop Archive
Join us for a late-night performance of these remarkable reflections on some great tunes and originals, performed by Fidelio Trio
PROGRAMME
Re-imaginings of music by: Bill Evans, Joe Zawinul, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cocteau Twins, Miles Davis and originals by Chick Corea and Darius Brubeck.
Featuring | Darragh Morgan violin Tim Gill cello Mary Dullea piano
18th August 2023
7.00pm | Glanleam House
Reception and Chamber Music Concert: Schubert, Stravinsky and Stories
A colourful programme in one of our unique chamber music venues, taking themes of stories from the natural world, inspired by places and people, culminating in Schubert’s effervescent ‘Trout Quintet’ and including this year’s Ernest J. Moeran focus.
PROGRAMME
Franz: Schubert: Shepherd on the Rock, D965
Ernest J Moeran: Pieces for solo piano
Igor Stravinsky: Soldiers Tale
Franz Schubert: Trout Quintet, D667
Featuring | Micheal Collins clarinet Megan O’Neill soprano (Young Artist) Darragh Morgan violin Maighréad McCrann violin Fiona Winning viola Tim Gill cello Ronan Dunne double bass Mary Dullea piano
19th August 2023
11.00am | The Lighthouse, Cromwell Point
Family Concert
A highlight every year in the stunning location of one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland, this is a location unlike any other to experience an interactive morning of music and fun.
From 1.30pm | Across the island
Musical Map
A cornerstone of our programme is an afternoon of short, pop-up, free entry events around the island, this year including a focus on the harp, this year’s commissioned site-specific installation and two films of remarkable string music by Persian composer Farokhzad Layegh filmed at ancient Soltaniyeh Dome in Iran and ‘Behind the Strings’ a remarkable documentary about the legendary Shanghai String Quartet.
7.00pm | Church of Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
PRELUDE
Join us for this FREE Prelude performance by musicians from the newly launched Music Generation Kerry Young Wind Ensemble.
7.30pm | Church of Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Bach to Folk
Celebrating our 10th anniversary year with the first of two instalments over two years of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti composed whilst he was Kapellmeister in Köthen, this year particularly featuring our string players with flute and harpsichord. Also on the programme is music by Ignatius Sancho, the first African we know of to vote in a British election and the first published Black British composer. Balancing the baroque energy is folk music from Denmark in these perfectly formed arrangements by the Danish String Quartet, and the Turkish swirling energy of Erberk Eryilmaz. To complement this is the Estonian, Arvo Pärt’s hypnotic and reflective ‘Summa’.
This concert is dedicated to the memory of our dear friend and festival supporter Peter MacNamara who recently tragically passed away. Peter was a beacon of enthusiasm to the festival and we know he would have loved this programme of Bach Brandenburg Concerti.
EVENT PROGRAMME
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Ignatius Sancho: selected works
Nordic Folk music arrangements (Danish String Quartet, Last Leaf)
Arvo Pärt: Summa
Erberk Eryilmaz: Bolulu Ama Rasim
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 6
Featuring | Darragh Morgan violin Maighréad McCrann violin Fiona Winning viola Rose Redgrave viola Seth Parker Woods cello Tim Gill cello Ronan Dunne double bass Catríona Ryan Flute David Adams harpsichord Lily Kettle violin (Young Artist) Kevin O’Loughlin viola (Young Artist) Alona Kliuchka cello (Young Artist)
9.30pm | Church of Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Late Night Solos
Joining us from the west coast of USA is cellist Seth Parker Woods in a typically mesmerising and enterprising programme of music for solo cello. Hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink,” GRAMMY-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods has established his reputation as a versatile artist and innovator across multiple genres. His projects delve deep into our cultural fabric, reimagining traditional works and commissioning new ones to propel classical music into the future, inspiring The New York Times to write, “Woods is an artist rooted in classical music, but whose cello is a vehicle that takes him, and his concertgoers, on wide-ranging journeys.”
20th August 2023
1.00pm | Church of St Dorarca and St Teresa, Chapeltown
The hauntingly beautiful sound world of flute, viola and harp is truly unique and some gems of the chamber music repertoire have been written for this ensemble. This concert by principal players of National Symphony Orchestra and RTÉ Concert Orchestra joined by Fews Ensemble violist, presents probably the best-known work for the ensemble and a rare performance of French composer Albert Roussel’s sumptuous ‘Serenade’.
EVENT PROGRAMME
Claude Debussy: Trio for flute, viola and harp
TorūTakemitsu: And Then I Knew ‘Twas Wind (flute, viola, harp)
Albert Roussel: Serenade, Op. 30 for flute, harp & string trio
Featuring | Catríona Ryan Flute Rose Redgrave viola Geraldine O’Doherty harp Darragh Morgan violin Seth Parker Woods cello Robert Houlihan conductor
7.30pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Promising to be a very memorable and unique concert, this inspired pairing of twice Grammy nominated vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird with renowned pianist and composer/arranger Cormac McCarthy, coming together to explore Iarla’s rich and varied repertoire with exciting new transcendent interpretations. Joined by two of this year’s Festival international artists on strings (Darragh Morgan, Irish violinist and Seth Parker Woods, American cellist), this is the perfect finale to our 10th Festival programme, combining multiple strands of music and life.
This concert is dedicated to the memory of our friend and Valentia Island resident, Brian Morgan, who sadly passed away shortly after last year’s Festival, Brian and his wife Jackie have been supporters of the Festival from the start, opening up their wonderful home Atlantic Villa, and later Poly Royale, for events and receptions. Working in so many capacities in the Valentia community, Brian actively built connections for the Festival and loved what it brought to Valentia. We are indebted to him and know he would have revelled in tonight’s concert.
Featuring | Iarla Ó Lionáird voice Cormac McCarthy keyboard Darragh Morgan violin Seth Parker Woods cello
