We are delighted to announce our 13th 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.
Thursday, 13th August 2026
Valse & Film
7.30pm – 9.00pm | Church of St. John the Baptist, Knightstown
The opening concert takes inspiration from the genre of the ‘valse’ and some of the most striking music for film by composers from Schubert to Philip Glass, Michael Nyman to Wojciech Kilar, weaving dance with the evocations of these pieces.
PROGRAMME
Neil Martin: Sliabh Luachra Polkas
Michael Nyman: In Re Don Giovanni
Jocelyn Pook: The Wife
Samuel Barber: String Quartet, Op. 11; Mvt. 2 Molto adagio, ‘Adagio for Strings’
Michael Nyman: Yellow Beach for piano trio
Michael Nyman: Music from The Piano
Franz Schubert: Piano Trio in E flat major D929, Andante con moto (as featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 film, Barry Lyndon)
Wojciech Kilar: Waltz from the film, The Leper
Danish Quartet arr. Selection from Woodworks
Philip Glass: String Quartet No. 3 ‘Mishima’
Featuring | Darragh Morgan violin Gaby Lester violin Sarah Jane-Bradley viola Hannah Roberts cello Adrian Mantu cello Mary Dullea piano
Late Night Session: Women of Europe
9.30pm – 10.30pm | Church of St. John the Baptist, Knightstown
To celebrate Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2026, we present a programme of principally solo works for strings and clarinet by EU women composers featuring older voices to highlight the resilience and determination of these European women, and contemporary composers reflecting on their heritages and countries. Our Dutch clarinettist Maria will present solo works (indeed her 2024 album release She/Her featured 12 works by female composers from across the globe).
PROGRAMME
Josefine Weinlich: Sirenen Lieder, Op. 13 AUSTRIA
Maddalena Lombardini: Duetto VI for two violins ITALY
Andrea Casarrubios: SEVEN for solo cello SPAIN
Kaija Saariaho: Nocturne for solo violin FINLAND
Dobrinka Tabakova: Pirin for solo viola BULGARIA
Violeta Dinescu: Für Uli for solo violin ROMANIA
As part of this Women of Europe programme we welcome Festival Artist, clarinettist Maria du Toit from The Netherlands, to further expand this programme of music by women composers.
Grace Oforka: Olorun mi NIGERIA
Libby Larsen: Dancing Solo AMERICA
I. With Shadows
IV. Flat Out
Featuring | Maria du Toit clarinet Darragh Morgan violin Thomas Kemp violin/viola Sarah Jane-Bradley viola Adrian Mantu cello
Friday, 14th August 2026
Across the Ocean
7.30pm – 9.00pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Threading together some remarkable music from America on this other side of the Atlantic and marking Kerry’s twinning with Czechia this year with two core chamber music works by Antonín Dvořák in his ‘American’ string quartet and Piano Quintet Op. 81.
PROGRAMME
Antonín Dvorák: String Quartet in F major, Op. 96 ‘American’
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Trio K 498 for clarinet, viola and piano, ‘Kegelstatt’
John McDonald: Tom for violin, cello and piano
Trio after Lines from Poems by Tom Morgan [1943-2024], Op. 732 (2024/2026) for violin, cello, and piano (World premiere)
Antonín Dvorák: Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81
Featuring | Maria du Toit clarinet Darragh Morgan violin Gaby Lester violin Thomas Kemp violin/viola Sarah Jane-Bradley viola Hannah Roberts cello Adrian Mantu cello Mary Dullea piano
Saturday, 15th August 2026
Family Concert at the Lighthouse
11.00am – 11.45am | The Lighthouse, Cromwell Point
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. Book early to join this popular event with a selection of our 2026 Festival Artists.
Musical Map
2.00pm – 5.00pm | Across the island
A cornerstone of our programme is an afternoon of short, pop-up, free entry events around the island. For 2026, we have three events but more in situ as we are delighted to be hosting West Cork Gamelan to celebrate their 10th anniversary year in a performance and a workshop. And a special session called ‘From Top to Bottom’ with Festival Artist, clarintettist Maria du Toit.
Celebration of Kerry
6.00pm – 7.00pm | Church of Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Join us for this special FREE concert featuring performances from our workshops, Music Generation and calls for participation. This concert will feature an exciting performance from the Music Generation Kerry and ICO Youth Orchestra collaboration.
No booking required.
The Swiss Piano Trio
7.30pm – 9.00pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Founded in 1998, the Swiss Piano Trio has gained since a remarkable reputation as an ensemble of outstanding balance and technical perfection whose interpretations electrify with emotional power and their rich and colourful sound. It is therefore not surprising that the US-magazine Fanfare described the Swiss Piano Trio as “one of the very top piano trio ensembles on today’s stage“.
PROGRAMME
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 1 No.3
Ludwig van Beethoven: Allegretto, WoO 39
Frank Martin: Trio sur des mélodies populaires irlandaises
Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101
Featuring | Angela Golubeva violin Franz Ortner cello Martin Lucas Staub piano
Late Night Session: Trees and Tales
9.30pm – 10.30pm | Church of Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
An immersive experience exploring nature’s sounds and inspirational titles with music from early 20th century to the present day, from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite to Dvorak’s Silent Woods to Nick Roth’s tree of heaven inspired ‘Ailanthus’.
PROGRAMME
Nick Roth: Ailanthus for violin and cello
Seán Ó Dálaigh: An Féileacáin for violin (World Premiere)
Antonin Dvorák: Silent Woods for cello and piano
Nathan James Dearden: o dan y ddaear [under the earth] for piano trio (Irish Premiere)
Amy Rooney: Shorelines for solo piano (World premiere)
Murrough Connolly: From a Railway Carriage for solo piano (World premiere)
Maurice Ravel: Ma Mére l’Oye (Mother Goose) Suite for piano trio arr. Benjamin Martin
Featuring | Darragh Morgan violin Adrian Mantu cello Mary Dullea piano
Sunday, 16th August 2026
Lunchtime Concert: Moeran & Mozart
1.00pm – 2.00pm | Church of St. Dorarca and St. Teresa, Chapeltown
Take a midday break with a chamber music treat. We celebrate the lyrical warmth of Mozart with his Clarinet Quintet alongside the folk-infused vitality of our Festival Patron composer, Ernest J. Moeran.
PROGRAMME to include
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A major, K 581
Ernest J Moeran: String Quartet No 1 in A minor, Rondo: Allegro Vivace
Featuring | Maria du Toit clarinet Darragh Morgan violin Gaby Lester violin Thomas Kemp viola Sarah Jane-Bradley viola Hannah Roberts cello Adrian Mantu cello
Festival Finale: ‘The Irish Mozart’
7.30pm – 8.45pm | Church of Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
Irish composer John Field earned the title ‘The Irish Mozart’ and this finale concert celebrates works for piano and strings, a rare performance of Irish composer Joan Trimble’s In Glenade and bookended by those ever-fresh works for string orchestra, Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite and Grieg’s Holberg Suite.
PROGRAMME
Gustav Holst: St Paul’s Suite
Joan Trimble: In Glenade
John Field: Rondo for piano & strings in A-flat, H. 18
John Field: Nocturne in G major for piano & strings (from Piano Concerto No. 7)
Edvard Grieg: Holberg Suite
Featuring | Darragh Morgan violin Gaby Lester violin Thomas Kemp violin Sarah Jane-Bradley viola David Kenny viola Hannah Roberts cello Adrian Mantu cello Ben Burnley double bass Mary Dullea piano Cillian Ó Cathasaigh violin YOUNG ARTIST Kate O’Shea violin YOUNG ARTIST
