SEPTEMBER - JUNE

LIM

ERIC

K

DU

BLIN

THU

RLES

ENN

IS

TRAL

EE

CO

RK

WAT

ERFO

RD

2018 2019

www.irishchamberorchestra.com

Culture Ireland promotesIrish arts worldwide, creating and supporting opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present and promote their work at strategic international festivals and venues.

Culture Ireland supportsthe Irish Chamber Orchestra’s international touring.

www.cultureireland.ie

Jörg Widmann conducting the Irish Chamber Orchestra in Essen, February 2018

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

In 2018/2019 the Irish Chamber Orchestra takes us on another exciting journey, re-creating old favourites, pushing out the boundaries, and exploring fresh, new music to present you with an unforgettable experience. We will introduce you to some extraordinary soloists who mould and shape our rich and varied scope of activity.

We have an incredible synergy with the multi-talented composer and clarinettist Jörg Widmann (our Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner), his music and his mission. Our upcoming season celebrates great repertoire – from the first to the last concert, we span no less than four centuries of music, and we invite you to come and explore this with us.

Over the coming season, the ICO collaborates with some of the world’s finest international soloists. We look forward to the return of flamboyant conductor, Jean-Christophe Spinosi who delves into the heart of Beethoven’s C Symphonies – his First and Fifth. From the concert hall to the sports stadium, come and see the ICO in a new guise, performing classic hits with some of Ireland’s finest rock bands at one of the country’s iconic music festivals Feile -The Trip to Tipp. We joins forces once more with Chamber Choir Ireland for the Irish premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s Stabat Mater, as part of NEW MUSIC DUBLIN 2018 supported by NCH, RTÉ and The Arts Council.

The mesmeric Thomas  Zehetmair returns to direct from the violin, performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3. We also look forward to a mammoth collaboration with Chamber Choir Ireland for Mendelssohn’s jewel in the crown: his iconic Lobgesang – bringing Widmann’s extraordinary journey with Mendelssohn to a climactic conclusion. The cream of Irish and international soloists feature, including sopranos Genia Kühmeier, Anna Devin and tenor Colin Balzer.

As always, we champion young Irish composers and musicians. Sam Perkin presents another ICO commission, while jazz flautist Michael Buckley tours with the ICO performing a recent concerto, Pipe Dreams by Ronan Guillfoyle; followed by another commission by rising star Sebastian Adams. Our December programme showcases the talents of Irish mezzo soprano Sharon Carty.

Our international profile continues to flourish. In June 2019, the orchestra will tour South America with Jörg Widmann, with a further tour planned to the U.S. There have been glowing reviews of the ICO’s latest CD, our third recording of Mendelssohn’s Symphonies on the Orfeo label.

Our Community Engagement programme really reflects who we are, as we venture beyond the concert hall with a variety of work at the University of Limerick, in schools, hospitals and many other community settings. Our Sing Out With Strings programme clearly demonstrates our innovation, our pride and creativity, as we continue to change lives through music. The ICO creates extraordinary musical experiences that empower individuals through collaboration with a deep-rooted passion for artistic excellence.

The Irish Chamber Orchestra, resident at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, has its own studio on campus at the University of Limerick and is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Additional support from Culture Ireland contributes significantly towards the ICO’s international touring initiatives. I would like to acknowledge the unfailing support of all our Patrons and Friends for their continuing loyalty and support of the greater ICO family.

GERARD KEENANChief Executive Officer

www.irishchamberorchestra.com

WWW.IRISHCHAMBERORCHESTRA.COM

@ICORCHESTRA

IRISHCHAMBERORCHESTRA

/IRISHCHAMBERORCHESTRA

57609 CUBE PKT Folder FIN.indd 1 25/08/2016 10:08

IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRAThe Irish Chamber Orchestra is Ireland’s most dynamic ensemble. Mixing traditional repertoire with new commissions and collaborating with everyone from DJs to dance companies, the ICO pushes the boundaries of what a chamber orchestra can do. These days, you’re as likely to find us at the Electric Picnic as Mozartfest, but wherever we perform, the ICO delivers world-class concerts feted for their energy and style.

Each year, Ireland’s busiest ensemble presents concert seasons in  both Limerick  and  Dublin, embarks on two national tours, and makes a series of prestigious international appearances supported by Culture Ireland. Our Artistic Committee works closely with our Artistic Partners to devise exciting, diverse and innovative programmes, mixing standard repertoire with new work – often specially commissioned – from the best young Irish composers. This versatile approach enables us to appeal to music fans of every stripe while upholding the highest artistic standards.

The driving force behind our recent success is our Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner Jörg Widmann, a composer, conductor and clarinettist whose irrepressible energy and pursuit of excellence has enabled the ICO to expand its horizons, attracting outstanding international performers such as Tabea Zimmermann, Igor Levit and James Galway. The last five years have seen ICO perform at leading concert halls and festivals across Europe and release a series of acclaimed recordings on the prestigious Orfeo label. The ICO recently completed a three-year residency at Heidelberger Frühling and is currently orchestra-in-residence at Kilkenny Arts Festival.

Widmann’s enthusiasm and commitment is matched by the orchestra itself, led by the ebullient Katherine Hunka and comprised of 22 outstanding musicians. The ICO’s special rapport, forged over 20 years of playing – and sometimes singing! – together, creates the unique sound that has captivated audiences all over the world.

The orchestra enjoys outstanding support. The enthusiasm and forward thinking of CEO Gerard Keenan has been instrumental in realising some of the ICO’s most exhilarating collaborations, while the board, chaired by Aibhlín McCann, comprises members whose diverse professional expertise is matched by their determination to realise the orchestra’s vision.

At the heart of this vision is the belief that music is for everyone. That’s why the ICO has implemented an ambitious and far-reaching strategy that aims to take music out of the concert hall and into the local community, inspiring children to try music for themselves, and supporting them on their journey from first lesson to public performance.

Our groundbreaking initiative, Sing Out with Strings (SOWS), offers primary school children in Limerick the chance to learn music for free. Now in its eleventh year, the project has been hailed as a model of social inclusion, offering opportunities for young people, developing key life skills and providing tangible long-term benefits for participants, their families and the wider community.

The success of SOWS has inspired us to set up a youth orchestra, the ICOYO, which provides aspiring musicians aged 12 to 18 with the support they need to grow. And it doesn’t stop there: the orchestra has made its home at the University of Limerick for over 20 years, and we’re deeply involved in the MA in Classical String Performance, supporting young talent through workshops and masterclasses.

The ICO is orchestra-in-residence at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, and is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

For details of the ICO’s current season, click HERE.

www.irishchamberorchestra.com

Violin Katherine Hunka ConcertmasterNicola Sweeney Principal 1st violinAndré Swanepoel Principal 2nd violinAnna CashellDiane DalyOonagh KeoghEmily Nenniger Kenneth Rice Louis RodenCliodhna Ryan

ViolaJoachim Roewer Principal Cian Ó DúillMark Coates SmithRobin Panter

CelloChristian Elliott PrincipalRichard AngellAoife Nic Athlaoich

Double BassMalachy Robinson Principal

OboeDaniel Bates PrincipalMatthew Draper

HornJames Palmer PrincipalStephen Nicholls

Board of Directors/ExecutiveAibhlín McCrann (Chair)Frank Casey (Hon. Life President)Rosemary CollierEamonn CreganJoseph DundonJoan GarahyKaren MortonGearóid Stanley

Chief Executive Gerard Keenan

Friends/FinanceMargaret Kelly

Marketing & Communications ManagerCharlotte Eglington

Operations ManagerCathriona Murphy

Education & Outreach OfficerKathrine Barnecutt

Artistic AdvisorSonja Stein, Sonja Stein Company

“There is a taut vivacity to the playing of this orchestra that’s easily traced to the geniality of the group”

The Irish Independent

KATHERINE HUNKA Director/Violin

Born in London, Katherine Hunka began playing the violin at the age of four. Whilst growing up under the guidance of teacher Sheila Nelson, she performed chamber music at London’s South Bank and the Royal Albert hall, was soloist with the City of London Sinfonia and led the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Katherine was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where she spent five years studying with Gyorgy Pauk, and then furthered her studies in the USA at Indiana University where she also acted as teaching assistant to her professor, Mauricio Fuks. This instilled in her a great love of teaching. She has since returned to Indiana as a guest Professor and been made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.

Katherine is Leader of the Irish Chamber Orchestra since 2002 and regularly directs from the leader’s chair. As director and soloist, with the ICO, she has toured Germany, China and Singapore, appeared at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, and more recently, at the Kilkenny Arts Festival. This summer in Kilkenny, she will be co-directing late Beethoven quartets, arranged for string orchestra, with ICO principal cellist, Christian Elliott.

Katherine directs ICO national tours, which take the orchestra all over Ireland. Last year, Katherine released her first solo CD recording with the ICO of Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenes Aires. As part of her role with the ICO, Katherine collaborates with contemporary composers. She has directed premieres with Irish composers including Sam Perkin, Ian Wilson, Raymond Dean, Elaine Agnew, Linda Buckley, and John Kinsella. As leader, she has also enjoyed performing solo concertos and chamber music with Jörg Widmann, Pekka Kuusisto, Anthony Marwood and Nigel Kennedy amongst others.

Katherine performs regularly, as a chamber musician and soloist, at festivals throughout Ireland and the UK. At the Aldeburgh Festival she premiered Benjamin Britten’s rediscovered Double Concerto. This year sees her at the Sligo International Chamber Music Festival, the Killaloe Chamber Music Festival and performing much of Brahms’ chamber music in the Kilkenny Arts Festival. She is a regular guest to concert venues across Ireland. Last Autumn, she toured Ireland with pianist Finghin Collins playing duo recitals. Her trio, Far Flung with accordionist Dermot Dunne and bassist Malachy Robinson delights audiences with its light-hearted approach, their repertoire spans from Bach to Klezmer with anything in between. In 2017, Katherine toured with other leaders of Irish Orchestras; Mia Cooper, Helena Wood and Ioana Petcu. The success of this tour has resulted in another run of concerts later this year, this time in Northern Ireland.

Katherine has been a guest leader with the Manchester Camerata, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as well as guest soloist with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra and Concert Orchestra.

She is currently a Professor at the CIT Cork School of Music and the Irish World Academy of Music.She plays a Jean Baptiste Vuillaume violin and her bows are by Irish maker Gary Leahy.

JÖRG WIDMANNPrincipal Conductor/Artistic Partner Clarinetist, composer and conductor Jörg Widmann is one of the most versatile and intriguing artists of his generation. The 2018/19 season sees him appear as soloist with orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan with Shao Chia Lu, the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover with Andrew Manze, the Kammerorchester Basel with Heinz Holliger and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk with Susanna Mälkki.

Jörg Widmann is artist in Residence at the National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, featuring as clarinetist in a performance of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, as well as conductor in a play direct program and composer and lecturer. Further residencies include the Orchestre de Paris, where his works feature in various concerts.

Chamber music performances in the 2018/19 season include concerts with the Hagen Quartet with performances in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Freiburg and Baltimore and trio recitals with Tabea Zimmermann and Dénes Várjon in Munich and Budapest. In February, he will give the premiere of Peter Eötvös Joyce, commissioned by the CNDM and written for Jörg Widmann.

Continuing his intense activities as a conductor, Jörg Widmann performs this season with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra, Boulez-Ensemble Berlin, Kammerakademie Potsdam and he will be on tour through Germany with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie. As their principal conductor he will lead the Irish Chamber Orchestra in concerts in Ireland, Europe and will embark on tour to South America with concerts in Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

In August 2018 Jörg Widmann conducted the premiere of his second Violin Concerto, performed by Carolin Widmann with the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra. This season sees performances of

this piece will take place with the Orchestre de Paris, The hr-Sinfonieorchester and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Widmann studied clarinet with Gerd Starke in Munich and Charles Neidich at the Juilliard School in New York. He performs regularly with renowned orchestras, such as Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Orchestra National de France, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, National Symphony Orchestra, Washington, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He collaborates with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Christoph Eschenbach and Christoph von Dohnányi.

Widmann gave the world premiere of Mark Andre’s Clarinet Concerto über at the Donauerschinger Musiktage 2015. Other clarinet concerti dedicated to and written for him include Wolfgang Rihm’s Musik für Klarinette und Orchester (1999) and Aribert Reimann’s Cantus (2006).

Widmann studied composition with Kay Westermann, Wilfried Hiller and Wolfgang Rihm. His works continue to receive many awards such as the prestigious Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Elise L. Stoeger Prize (2009), the Paul Hindemith Prize in 2001, the Arnold Schönberg Prize by the Vienna Arnold Schönberg Centre and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (2004) and both the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg’s composition award and the Berliner Philharmoniker Academy’s Claudio Abbado Composition Award in 2006.

Widmann’s compositions are performed regularly by conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Daniel Harding, Valery Gergiev, Kent Nagano, Christian Thielemann, Mariss Jansons, Andris Nelsons and Simon Rattle and have been premiered by orchestras such as the Wiener and Berliner Philharmoniker, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, BBC Symphony and many others.

Widmann’s appointment as Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow at the Cleveland Orchestra established an extraordinary artistic collaboration with the Orchestra and its Principal Conductor Franz Welser-Möst including the world premiere of Widmann’s Flute Concerto, Flûte en suite in May 2011 followed by its European premiere in 2012/13 by the Berliner Philharmoniker and Emmanuel Pahud under Simon Rattle. Cleveland Orchestra featured Flûte en suite as centrepiece in their 2014 European tour, and dedicated an entire evening to Widmann’s works at the Berlin Philharmonie. His opera Babylon was premiered in 2012/13 at Bayerische Staatsoper under the baton of Kent Nagano.

Am Anfang, by Anselm Kiefer and Jörg Widmann, was premiered in July 2009 as part of the 20th anniversary of the Opéra Bastille, in which Widmann acted as composer, clarinetist and made his debut as conductor.

Widmann was Artist in Residence at leading Festivals and Orchestras such as Lucerne Festival and Salzburger Festspiele, Bamberger Symphoniker, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich’s creative chair 2015/16, and both BOZAR and Elbphilarmonie’s artist in residence in its opening season. He was featured in Artist Portraits at Vienna’s Konzerthaus, Frankfurt’s Alte Oper, Cologne’s Philharmonie and New York’s Carnegie Hall, where his music was presented during an entire season under the motto “Making Music: Jörg Widmann”. In the 2017/18 season he was featured as the first ever Gewandhaus Composer in Leipzig’s history.

Widmann is a Fellow at the Wissenschaftskollegs in Berlin and a full member of the Bayerischen Akademie of Schönen Künste, and since 2007, the Freien Akademie der Künste Hamburg, the Deutschen Akademie der Darstellenden Künste and the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz. He is professor for composition at the Barenboim-Said Academy, Berlin.

HOME

Spinosi 13 | 14 September

SEPTEMBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraJean-Christophe Spinosi Conductor

R O L L O V E R B E E T H O V E N

Rossini Overture to Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) Sam Perkin New WorkBeethoven Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

Join us in welcoming back flamboyant Corsican conductor Jean-Christophe Spinosi – renowned for taking audiences on emotionally explosive journeys.

Rossini is synonymous with sparkling overtures and The Barber of Seville Overture charms from the start, before erupting into pure fireworks! The ICO has commissioned a new encore by Sam Perkin. This rousing work highlights the individual personality of each orchestra member, and his/her unique playing style. No other body of work enjoys more universal respect and popularity than Beethoven’s nine symphonies.  We feature Beethoven’s two symphonies in the key of C. His meteoric First, brims with originality, full of rich melodies that reflected popular Viennese musical life at the time. His immensely popular Fifth is emotionally thrilling and uplifting, due to its raw power and the overwhelming representation of human triumph over adversity.

Thursday 13 September Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin @ 8pmwww.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

“With an exceptional ability to communicate the joy he takes in making music, Spinosi seems to dance and whirl in front of his players, rather than simply conduct them.”The Guardian

Friday 14 September University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 8pmin association with 061 331549 www.uch.ie€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

SEPTEMBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraThe Stunning, Hothouse Flowers, Emotional Fish, The Frank & Walters, The Four of Us & Something Happens

F É I L E C L A S S I C A L – T H E T R I P T O T I P P

28 years after the festival first launched, Féile has been re-branded as ‘Féile Classical’ with a real focus on Irish musical talent. Come along and see the Irish Chamber Orchestra in a new guise, performing classic hits with some of Ireland’s finest rock bands on a spectacular Oyster stage.

Legendary Irish bands and Trip to Tipp veterans including The Stunning, Hothouse Flowers, An Emotional Fish and Something Happens will perform alongside the Irish Chamber Orchestra for this iconic festival. Fully seated, complete with the luxury of gourmet vegan food stalls, pop-up gin and prosecco bars – a far cry from tin-foiled ham sandwiches and flasks of tea.

Friday 21 September Semple Stadium, Thurleswww.ticketmaster.ie€60, €54, over 18’s only

Saturday 22 September SOLD OUT

“Ranging from near-reckless energy to infinite calm, the music-making has that elusive mix of freedom and precision many a conductor would die for.  Yet this optimum is due to the ICO leader, Katherine Hunka, who directs from her violin with seemingly telepathic discretion.”Irish Times

Féile Classical 21 | 22 Septem

ber

SEPTEMBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraChamber Choir IrelandJames MacMillan Conductor

S T A B A T M A T E R

James MacMillan Stabat Mater

Chamber Choir Ireland and the Irish Chamber Orchestra perform the Irish premiere of James MacMillan’s Stabat Mater, an intense setting of a medieval hymn for choir and orchestra conducted by the composer himself, as part of NEW MUSIC DUBLIN 2018. MacMillan paints two dramatic pictures, the first in the ethereal writing for voice, the second in lacerating blows and feverish anxieties depicted by the orchestra. Few living composers communicate with such emotional directness. For him ’beauty is at the heart of our Christian faith’ and his grief-wracked Stabat Mater is profoundly shaped by his beliefs. Sunday 23 September                  National Concert Hall, Dublin @ 7.30pm01 417 0000 www.nch.ie€20, €15 conc. 25% discount for Friends of the National Concert Hall15% discount for Groups of 10 or more 

“It’s not often that the composer of a new work gets astanding ovation, but then every new workisn’t like James MacMillan’s Stabat Mater.”The Times 

Presented by New Music Dublin with the support of NCH, RTÉ and The Arts Council

James M

acMillan 23 Septem

ber

OCTOBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraKatherine Hunka DirectorMichael Buckley Flute

N I G H T M U S I C

Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, KV 525 Ronan Guilfoyle Pipe Dreams Concerto for Jazz FluteTchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70

Mozart’s joyful serenade, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is one of his most beautiful and best-loved works, full of memorable melodies. Tchaikovsky’s jewel, his Souvenir de Florence was his final piece of chamber music – this tribute to the city of Florence is a wonderful celebration, full of lyricism and ecstatic vigour. Originally scored for sextet, the ICO performs the Souvenir as a string orchestra, which adds to the richness inherent in the music, and amplifies Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous, full, lush sound world. In between, renowned Jazz flute virtuoso Michael Buckley performs Pipe Dreams, an effervescent concerto for Jazz flute and orchestra by Ronan Guilfoyle. A playful dialogue between Michael and orchestra demonstrates the flute’s agility – join us and experience this new and vibrant collaboration!

Thursday 18 October glór, Ennis @ 8pm065 684 3103 www.glor.ie€20, €18

“The concert full of splendid music under leader Katherine Hunka, benefited from an eclectic approach….overall a stimulating and thought-provoking concert” The Sunday Business Post

Michael Buckley 18 | 19 | 20 O

ctober

Friday 19 October Siamsa Tíre, Tralee @ 8pm066 712 3055 www.siamsatire.com €23, €21, €10

Saturday 20 October Monkstown Parish Church @ 8pmIn Association with the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire01 231 2929 www.paviliontheatre.ieFree Booking Online €24, €22

NOVEMBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraJörg Widmann Principal Conductor/Artistic PartnerKatherine Spencer Clarinet

S P O T L I G H T

Puccini Chrysanthemums for String OrchestraSebastian Adams 2018.2 Stamitz Concerto for Clarinet B flat majorTchaikovsky Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48

Jörg Widmann spotlights a new work by Sebastian Adams, currently blazing a trail as a composer and viola player of repute, with a passion for contemporary music. 2018.2 explores the possibilities of the individuals in the orchestra as much as the instruments they play. Puccini‘s Chrysanthemums, written as an elegy for the Duke of Savoy, is a beautifully poignant movement that also featured in Puccini‘s opera Manon Lescaut. Johann Stamitz’s Clarinet Concerto was an early milestone in the development of the genre, and Jörg Widmann invites Katherine Spencer into the spotlight, to show off the vast capabilities of her artistry and instrument. Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous Serenade for Strings, is one of his most enduringly popular works. This, combined with the irrepressible energy and insight brought by Widmann and the ICO, has all the makings of an unforgettable performance! Thursday 15 November University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 8pm061 331549www.uch.ie€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

“Obviously the creative communication between Widmann and his ensemble (Irish Chamber Orchestra) works extremely well, which makes for an exciting future.” Der Spiegel

Jörg Widm

ann 15 | 16 | 17 Novem

ber

Friday 16 November           Curtis Auditorium, CIT Cork School of Music, Cork @ 8pm (Cork Orchestral Society) www.corkorchestralsociety.ie€25, €20 (€5 student at door only)     €15, €10 COS members (discount code/online purchase)

Sat 17 November The Large Room, City Hall, Waterford @ 7.30pm (Symphony Club of Waterford & Waterford Music) 051 855038 ticket@garterlane.ie€20, €18

Sharon Carty 13 | 14 D

ecember

DECEMBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraJean-Christophe Spinosi ConductorSharon Carty Mezzo Soprano

N I G H T A T T H E O P E R A

Händel Overture from Xerxes HWV 40Händel  Frondi tenere... Ombra mai fu from Xerxes HWV 40 Vivaldi  Sol da te from Orlando Furioso RV 728Mozart Notturno Serenade KV 239 Vivaldi  Ah sleale, ah spergiura from Orlando Furioso RV 728Biber Battalia à 10 in D major, C. 61Vivaldi  Agitata da due venti from Griselda Barber Adagio for Strings, Op. 11Vivaldi  Sento in seno ch‘in pioggia di lagrime from Tieteberga RV 737Vivaldi  Nel profondo from Orlando Furioso RV 728

Enjoy a feast of baroque operatic arias, and instrumental music oozing passion, colour and drama - with the emphasis on colliding worlds. The exuberant Jean-Christophe Spinosi along with the brilliant Sharon Carty, exploit every theatrical avenue this programme offers! The Overture from Handel’s Xerxes rolls into the much-loved aria, Ombra mai fu, with its beautiful plaintive melody. Carty also performs several Arias from Vivaldi’s magnificent opera Orlando furioso – comparable to the very best of Handel’s Arias. Mozart’s Notturno Serenade demonstrates his ingenious ability to paint a picture – creating allusions to nature, folk-songs, hunting and dance forms.  Biber’s remarkable Battalia brings us straight onto the battlefield, re-creating the sounds of muskets and cannons, and ending in a howling lament for the casualties of battle. The drama continues with Vivaldi’s extraordinary aria Agitata da due venti. Barber’s evocative Adagio permeates with solemnity and sadness.  In Vivaldi’s Sento in seno ch’in pioggia di lagrime, rain is depicted as a metaphor for tears: worlds collide as the dark skies weep submerging us in a deluge of sorrow.

Thursday 13 DecemberSt Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick @ 8pmwww.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

Friday 14 December Monkstown Parish Church, Dublin @ 8pm www.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

“The Irish Chamber Orchestra sounds ring with vigor and freshness”

Crescendo Magazine, Belgium

Sonamus 17 Jan

uaryJANUARY

Irish Chamber OrchestraMary Coughlan SingerTheo Dorgan PoetSonamus:Cormac Breatnach Susato WhistlesAnnette Cleary CelloRachel Factor HarpsichordEamon Sweeney Guitars

T H E F I R S T 1 0 0 Y E A R S

In 1919 the first Dáil convened in Dublin and the first Democratic Programme for Government was devised. There have been changes in Irish society over the last century that would have been inconceivable to those first TDs. This very special concert will reflect on 100 years of the Irish Republic through poetry, music, and song - including a newly composed work by Fiachra Trench and featuring some of Ireland’s finest artists.

This concert is curated by Eamon Sweeney, Music Network Artist in Residence 2018 an initiative of Music Network in partnership with Wicklow County Council Arts Office and Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre.

Thursday 17 January Mermaid Theatre, Braywww.mermaidartscentre.ie€18, €16 “…the music was pleasing, exciting and individual... marvellously performed” The Examiner

Jörg Widm

ann 13 | 14 FebruaryFEBRUARY

Irish Chamber OrchestraJörg Widmann Principal Conductor

V O I C E S F R O M T H E E D G E

Beethoven          Grosse Fuge, Op. 133Korngold   Symphonic Serenade, Op. 39Widmann     Aria for StringsMendelssohn String Symphony No. 9 Swiss

Widmann explores music through many voices, spanning centuries. Beethoven’s towering Grosse Fuge is admired for its almost cosmic proportions, its logic and total honesty. Beethoven takes four voices, fully engaged and throbbing at high speeds, and in Widmann’s hands, drives them to the edge of a cliff before stopping them to listen to the vastness of silence.  Hollywood composer Korngold’s seldom-heard  Symphonic Serenade is extremely virtuosic, alternating between a dissonant, dark world and a soft, melodic mood.  In Widmann’s Aria for Strings, the multiple divided strings give the impression of imaginary voices.  Fascinated by yodelling and all things Swiss, Mendelssohn sought to convey impressions of his Alpine journey in his Symphony No. 9 (whilst also exhibiting his contrapuntal brilliance) – a masterful achievement for a fourteen-year old!  

Wednesday 13 February                       Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin @ 8pmwww.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

“At one with Widmann’s direction, ICO’s support is elegant and trenchant,”Irish Independent

Thursday 14 FebruarySt Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick @ 8pmwww.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

Thomas Zehetm

air 14 | 15 March

MARCH

Irish Chamber OrchestraThomas Zehetmair Director/Violin

M O S T L Y M O Z A R T

Salieri    Sinfonia in D Major Veneziana Mozart   Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, KV 216 Krenek Symphonic Elegy, Op. 105 In Memoriam Anton von WebernMozart   Symphony No. 29 in A-Major, KV 201

Thomas Zehetmair’s ICO debut (April 2017) was unforgettable.  The vigour and freshness of his interpretation, his attention to detail was revelatory.  For his long-awaited return, Zehetmair explores two centuries of Austrian music – a highly charged journey, both in style and emotion. 

Mozart’s alleged long-time rival (more legend than truth) Salieri, was a respected composer and teacher in 18th century Vienna: both Beethoven and Schubert counted amongst his pupils.  His well-crafted Veneziana highlights his mastery of Italian light opera.  Mozart’s dazzling Violin Concerto No. 3 is breezy and full of melody – arguably his most popular.  His Symphony No. 29 in A major is stylish but restrained, with a mighty finale which features dazzling scales in the violins, and repeated horn calls.  In between, Krenek’s highly emotive Symphonic Elegy stands at the zenith of his compositions. 

Thursday 14 March                   Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin @ 8pmwww.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

“During the fast movements, he (Zehetmair) was full of flash and flair, furiously flying about the fingerboard. But the slow movement was more like a love duet, double stops chiming in like breathy assents.” violinist.com

Friday 15 March                        University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 8pm061 331549 www.uch.ie€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

Anna Devin 10 | 11 April

APRIL

Irish Chamber OrchestraJörg Widmann Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner Chamber Choir IrelandGenia Kühmeier Soprano Anna Devin SopranoColin Balzer Tenor

W E B E R & M E N D E L S S O H N

Weber                  Overture from Der Freischütz, Op. 77, J. 277 Mendelssohn    Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52 Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise)

In 1821, a 12-year-old Mendelssohn was blown away at the premiere of Weber’s Der Freischütz.  It was an overnight sensation, taking the world by storm.  Today a cornerstone of romantic opera, its overture is one of Weber’s most popular – foreshadowing, in symphonic terms, the drama to come.

Mendelssohn’s Second Symphony stands as his most ambitious symphonic work.  Immensely popular during his lifetime and in the hands of Jörg Widmann, this “symphony-cantata on words from the Holy Bible” (Mendelssohn’s description) can again be experienced in all its magnificent glory! Written for the festival celebrating the 400th anniversary of Gutenberg’s printing press, it sought to break down the barriers between concert and church music, and pays homage to another of Leipzig’s great sons: J.S. Bach.  Featuring three magnificent soloists and chorus, these performances brings Widmann’s tribute to Mendelssohn to a rousing conclusion.

Wednesday 10 April                                 Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin @ 8pmwww.irishchamberorchestra.com€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

“Obviously the creative communication between Widmann and his ensemble (Irish Chamber Orchestra) works extremely well which makes for an exciting future”Spiegel

Thursday 11 April                            University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 8pm061 331549 www.uch.ie€25, €22, €10 students, €5 children

Peter Whelan 17 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 M

ayMAY

Irish Chamber OrchestraIrish National OperaPeter Whelan Conductor

T H E M A G I C F L U T E

Mozart The Magic Flute KV 620

In 1790, Mozart had fallen on hard times. Fortunately, his friend, singer and poet Emanuel Schikaneder had recently written a new play about magic – which was all the rage in Vienna. With Shikaneder’s libretto, Mozart composed The Magic Flute, which was to become one of the most popular and most performed operas in history. Be prepared to be spirited away into a fairy-tale realm of magic, love and humour – on the wings of some of Mozart’s most sublime music!

Friday 17 MayNational Opera House, Wexford @ 8pm053 9122144 / 1850 4 OPERA

Sunday 19 May University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 8pm (Concert Version)061 331549 or www.uch.ie

“The Irish Chamber Orchestra delivered with its usual panache under conductor Peter Whelan.” Sunday Business Post

Tuesday 21 May             Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Wednesday 22 May       Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Thursday 23 May            Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 2.30pmGaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Friday 24 May Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Saturday 25 May Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 2.30pmGaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pmwww.ticketmaster.ie

AWAY

Jörg Widm

ann 3 | 4 | 5 | 10 June

JUNE

Irish Chamber OrchestraJörg Widmann Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner

T H E H I G H L A N D S

Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture Op.26 Fingal’s Cave                                   Widmann 180 beats Per Minute for Sextet                                Mozart  Concerto for Clarinet in A major, KV 622 Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 Scottish

And/Or

Widmann Con BrioMozart Concerto for Clarinet in A major, KV 622Schumannn Symphony No. 2

Monday 3 June Concert in Buenos Aires (TBC)  Tuesday 4 June Concert in Sao Paolo Wednesday 5 June Concert in Sao Paolo Monday 10 June Concert Buenos Aires (TBC)

Jörg Widm

ann 19 Novem

berNOVEMBER

Irish Chamber OrchestraJörg Widmann Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner TBA Soprano

M E N D E L S S O H N , M O Z A R T & W I D M A N N

Mendelssohn String Symphony No. 8 in D majorWidmann Attempt at a Fugue Mozart Adagio and Fugue in C minor, KV 546Mendelssohn/Widmann Andante from Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in E flat major for Clarinet, String Orchestra, Harp & CelestaWeber Clarinet Quintet Op. 34 Baermann Quintet

Mendelssohn’s sparkling String Symphonies offer an amazing treasure chest of delights.  Full of colour and youthful energy, the trills from the winds create exciting and stirring effects in No 8.  Mendelssohn’s obsession with Bach’s counterpoint was the inspiration for Jörg Widmann’s Attempt at a Fugue.  The Irish Chamber Orchestra with the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester commissioned a re-write of this work for soprano and string orchestra.Thematic ideas are concentrated, scattered, and abbreviated, and there is a playful engagement with the notion of fugue as an ‘escape’.  Mozart’s delightful Adagio and Fugue in C minor is followed by Weber’s thrilling Quintet, a monument in the clarinet repertoire, that brims with colour and virtuosity.

Tuesday 19 November Carnegie Hall, New York

“Time travellers visiting the past in science fiction always have to have an eye on how their actions might change the future. Time travellers in music need have no such worries. Jörg Widmann’s Attempt at the Fugue, an orchestral version of his Fifth String Quartet…is haunted by the Mozart Adagio and Fugue which precedes it here. Classy musical time-travelling.” The Irish Times.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The Irish Chamber Orchestra has developed a comprehensive community engagement programme. Every time you buy an ICO ticket, you support our programme, bringing live music from the concert hall directly to the community.

SING OUT WITH STRINGS

The ICO’s flagship programme provides weekly workshops in singing, song-writing and instrument tuition for over 300 children across Limerick city. The project was established in 2008 by the Irish Chamber Orchestra as a Community Engagement Programme working within Limerick’s regeneration process. Participating schools include Le Cheile National School, St. Mary’s National School, Thomond Community College and Coláiste Nano Nagle. Inspired by El Sistema, the Venezuelan model of music education which provides free instrumental and vocal tuition countrywide, Sing Out With Strings has gained a significant place within the musical fabric of primary music provision and has attracted recognition as an excellent model of instrumental music provision within primary schools. The project addresses issues of inclusion, equality of access and provision and highlights the numerous benefits that a long-term project of this nature has on the children, staff, parents and the wider community. Both at individual and collective levels the project is uniting communities, building local pride, creating vehicles for expression, stimulating emotional responses and developing tangible musical knowledge and skills. Sing Out With Strings aims to continue to expand, contribute and strengthen the social, cultural and creative capital of communities within Limerick’s regeneration process.

ACADEMOS IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA ACADEMY

The ICO is resident at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the heart of an emerging college of Performing Arts at the University of Limerick. The Academy boasts a respected M.A. in Classical Strings Performance, a full-time two-year programme offering advanced tuition in violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano and harpsichord. The M.A. in Classical String Performance is operated jointly by the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Irish World Academy, UL. Central to the course is the Irish World Academy String Ensemble, Academos, which is tutored by members of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and offers students extensive opportunities to perform publically in orchestral and chamber ensembles. Master-classes and workshops by internationally acclaimed visiting directors, soloists, and guests of the ICO are a unique feature of the programme.

CONCORDA

ConCorda is an exciting international chamber music course for young string musicians supported by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Arts Council of Ireland. ConCorda is now in its 23rd year and provides a rare platform for students from fourteen years upwards to discover and explore all aspects of string chamber music in a non-competitive and inspiring environment. The course takes place in the picturesque city of Kilkenny, a city synonymous with arts that offers an inspiring and transforming musical experience in chamber music, string orchestra and music improvisation. Participants study chamber music intensively at a high level with a staff of Irish and international tutors.

IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA COMMUNITY VISITS

Throughout the year, ICO musicians allow time to visit local voluntary organizations and charities and perform for audiences who are unable to attend concerts. Performances at St Gabriel’s School for Children with Special Needs, St Paul’s Nursing Home, the Children’s Ark in Limerick Regional Hospital, Sisters of Charity, Milford Hospice and St. Camillus Hospital have garnered overwhelming feedback.

CEOL NA MARA

Now in its 9th year, Ceol na Mara is a family friendly course catering for all ages and levels from younger children to teenagers and adults. In addition to chamber music, orchestra and traditional music classes, modules such as drama, singing, sean nós dancing, music appreciation and song writing are also included. Ceol na Mara takes place in July in the very beautiful Kylemore Abbey, Connemara and is designed to provide string players of all ages and standards with the opportunity to meet and play music together under the guidance of ICO’s Oonagh Keogh, Director.

SATURDAY STRINGS AT THE ICO

An innovative string programme run by ICO violinist Diane Daly on Saturday mornings at the ICO Studio. The programme includes pre-instrumental classes for 4-7 year olds, beginner strings, continuing strings and chamber groups.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

The Irish Chamber Orchestra inspires audiences of all ages with a passion and energy that is unique and strives to share its music in many diverse ways. Through renowned performances, community engagement projects, the orchestra engages with communities and audiences from all walks of life, throughout Ireland and beyond. If you share our passion or would consider ways of supporting the ICO, please visit our website on www.irishchamberorchestra.com

Funded byThe Arts Council of Ireland

INDIVIDUAL FRIENDSBrenda AndrewsOlga BarrySimon BoyleMaura BrannRita BrickFrances BrittonMichael & Sarah BrockPat BurkeRita ButlerJudy Byrne & Frank WhelanConor Cahill & Anne ReillyBrian & Sheila CallananJoseph & Breda ClarkinAngela CoffeyMary CollinsJane ComanAvril CondellKevin & Máirin ConroyAnn CorcoranKieran & Oonagh CorrJackie CostelloEamonn CreganMairéad De Barra & David Turner

Margaret & James DoddJohn DohertyRónán DolanMandy DonworthAndrea DoyleJoe DundonMaeve EarlieEvelyn FennellyMichael & Irene FentonAdrianne FieldsMarion FitzpatrickRobert FitzpatrickKieran & Helen FleckDick FlemingJohn & Eibhlis FlynnBill & Maura FloodBreffni FreyneEdward GabrielMichael & Mary GalvinFrederick Gilligan & Lydice BunniTessa Greally & Kevin KelleherDorene GroocockDeirdre HanleyMargaret Harper & Richard StoopsDr. Sonja HeidrichDeclan & Joan HickeyDr. Gisela HolfterUrsula Hough Gormley Sylvia JonesValerie KeeganBrian KellyNuala KennedySheila KeoghGary LeahySiún Leonowicz & Gearóid CareyEileen LydonConor & Louisa MaguireDr. Hugh MaguireAgnes & Cormac MacCrannPatrick McCannMarie McCormickOonah McCrann/Noel MacMahonNoreen McDonaghJohn & Mary McEntagartCiara McGoldrick & David MontgomeryPaul McNamaraVivienne McKechnieMichael & Valerie MoloneyDr. Dermot & Dorothy Molony & FamilyPhil MolonySara Moorhead

Colin & Angela NichollsLuán Ó Braonáin & Caoimhe DalyDonough O’BrienShelagh O’ConnellAodh O’DomhnaillSeán & Siobhán O’DúillDr. Geraldine O’GradyAnne O’KeeffePhilip O Reilly & Sally WalkerEithne O’SharkeyEugenie & Frank O SullivanPaul & Jan O’SullivanJoan ParkerMichael PettyGerard QuinnPeter & Marian RealMiriam Reilly & Ronan O LoughlinCharlie & Mary RocheMichael RyanJohn & Dearval SheanonGerry & Ann SineyAnne Marie Stynes PritzelVanessa SweeneyJudith TaggartMary ThornburyHarry & Helen Van Den AkkerLiz WalsheDarina WarnerHarvey Wasserman & Sarah DanielDavid & Brenda WilkesDavid R WilkinsKostas Wootis

FOREVER FRIENDSP.Gerard BolandMichael & Anne BuckleyPaul J CareyMuriel CollinsMaurice & Maire FoleyJoan Garahy & Pat O’ConnorMary GearyMáirín HagertyMaurice HealyDr. Miriam Hederman O’BrienAlison HunkaSean & Margaret JacksonJohn KelleherHilary & Mary LawlessBeverley & Anthony MackayAibhlín McCrannBernard & Moira McNamaraHazel MinionEve MolonyMáire-Treasa Nic Eochagáin

Brian PattersonTommy & Ann-Elizabeth Riggs-MillerAndrew & Jenny RobinsonMary RyanFionnuala Sherry & Bernard DoyleNorma Smurfit

HONORARY FRIENDSLindsay ArmstrongTom BriggsMichael BuckleyBrian ByrneFrank CaseyMaureen CluneMarion CreelyMaurice FoleyAnn Marie GillLisa GrosmanMaurice HealyDaphne HendersonJohn HorganMark Hely HutchinsonJohn KellyOonagh KeoghEamonn LawlorUrsula LeslieLiam McElligottPauline McLaughlinKathy MoynesColm O BrienFergal O’CeallachainJohn O’ConnorCian Ó DúillDr. Mícheál Ó SúilleabháinVicki O’TooleMargaret QuigleyKenneth RiceMalachy RobinsonMary RobinsonLouis RodenJoachim RoewerBen RogersonBrian ScanlonGillian SmithMadeleine StauntonDr. Thérèse TimoneyDr Edward WalshMary WalshGerard Watson

CORPORATE FRIENDS- Dundon Callanan- Paddy Hoare Building & Civil Engineering

Kerry Group mark

PATRONS & PARTNERSHIPS The Irish Chamber Orchestra strives to share its music with audiences at home and across the globe. It is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealíon and kindly supported by individuals, corporate friends, private patrons and the corporate sector. The Irish Chamber Orchestra nurtures lifelong rewarding partnerships while offering a range of benefits and sponsorship opportunities. If you are looking to develop relationships with key stakeholders or if you simply want to expand your brand across the length and breadth of Ireland and further afield, the Irish Chamber Orchestra offers creative and rewarding solutions that will bring music to your ear. For further information on how you can help contact 061-202620

Robert Ballagh | Leslie Buckley | Michael BuckleyJim Flavin | John Shinnors | Dept of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht | Ireland Funds

JP McManus Charitable Foundation | RTÉ lyric fm

I r I s h C h a m b e r O rC h e s t r a m O j C a e r d m a n n j ö rg W I d m a n n

m O Z a rt | W I d m a n n

s I n F O n I e 5 “r e F O r m at I O n ”

RECENT RECORDINGS

“The Irish Chamber Orchestra sounds ring with vigor and freshness” Crescendo Magazine, Belgium

“A thrilling recording from the first to the last bar”CD-Journal Fono Forum

“Here the wealth of melody in Mendelssohn’s music becomes a resounding feast of sound which remains compact and detailed throughout due to the precise and refined playing by the Irish Chamber Orchestra.” Der Spiegel

The Arts Council offers a wide range of financial supports across artforms and arts practices, including music in Ireland and proudly funds the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

www.irishchamberorchestra.com

Irish Chamber Orchetra is a limited company registered in Ireland No. 82393Charity No. 8789 VAT No. 461865OU

ICO Studio, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick.