Chamber Music on Valentia

We are delighted to announce our 10th annual Chamber Music on Valentia Festival which runs from 17th to 20th August 2023. With concerts, immersive based experiences and music workshops, there is something for everyone and we look forward to welcoming you to the island. We bring together guest artists from USA, Austria, UK and Ireland.

Our innovative curatorship highlights include: gathering our largest ensemble ever to perform three of Bach’s magnificent Brandenburg Concerti, a programme with the compelling ensemble of flute, viola and harp in Chapeltown, featuring major chamber works by Brahms and Schubert and songs by Irish composers Ina Boyle and Ailís Ní Ríain, and our closing concert features the twice GRAMMY nominated celebrated vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird. Throughout the Festival other highlights and engagement opportunities include masterclasses, an opportunity to perform with Festival Artists, and the now much loved ‘Musical Map’ on Saturday 19th. We have late night concerts of Fidelio Trio’s ‘Pop Archive’ and star American cellist Seth Parker Woods in a solo appearance and feature wonderful musicians Michael Collins (clarinet), Darragh Morgan (violin), Maighréad McCrann (violin), Fiona Winning (viola), Rose Redgrave (viola), Tim Gill (cello), Ronan Dunne (double bass), David Adams (harpsichord), Catríona Ryan (flute), Geraldine O’Doherty (harp) and Cormac McCarthy (keyboards). We are delighted to support four Young Artists and all of this happens within a multitude of unique venues on Valentia Island.

EVENTS

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 Gaeilgewith Ailís Ní Ríain’s setting of arresting texts by Aifric Mac Aodha. Late night concert 9 30pm Fidelio Trio Pop Archive Re-imaginings of music by: Bill Evans, Joe Zawinul, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and originals by Chick Corea and Darius Brubeck Join us for a late-night performance of these remarkable reflections on some great tunes and originals, performed by Fidelio Trio

18th August 2023

7 pm reception, 7 30 concert Glanleam House 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.

19th August 2023

11am 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. Musical Map 2 – 5pm 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 a documentary film, ‘Behind the Strings’ about the legendary Shanghai String Quartet. Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown 7 30 pm 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’. Late Night Solos 9 30pm Seth Parker Woods – Solo Cello 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 pm 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’. Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown 7 30pm 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 10thFestival programme, combining multiple strands of music and life.

PERFORMERS

Mary Dullea – piano Darragh Morgan – violin Tim Gill – cello Seth Parker Woods – cello Mairghéad McCrann – violin Fiona Winning – viola Rose Redgrave – viola Ronan Dunne – double bass Michael Collins – clarinet Catriona Ryan – flute David Adams – harpsichord Geraldine O’ Doherty – harp Iarla Ó Lionáird – voice Cormac McCarthy – keyboards Robert Houlihan – conductor Young Artists Megan O’Neill – soprano Lily Kettle – violin Kevin O’Loughlin – viola Alona Kliuchka – cello For any queries, please phone +353 (83) 096 5977 or email info@chambermusiconvalentia.com