Irish Chamber Orchestra Announces Spring Season 2024

Irish Chamber Orchestra presents a season of extraordinary concerts that will seduce hearts and stir souls.   Join ICO and experience an unparalleled mastery of music.

On 9 and 10 February, in Limerick and Dublin, ICO’s voyage of rich imagination conducted by rising star Killian Farrell features two all-time great symphonies. Prokofiev’s first symphony, the ‘Classical’, full of vitality and fun is paired Mozart’s thrilling Jupiter in all its grandeur. Deirdre Gribbin’s The Stones of Life sung by Sharon Carty will sweep you to places beyond your imagination!

Be amazed by Norwegian Violinist Henning Kraggerud in Limerick, Cork, and Dublin on 7, 8 and 9 March as he takes on Bach’s Goldberg Variations, putting his own stamp on this iconic work. Come and explore its mystery with Henning’s revealing words and musical demonstrations. The magic will take you to another unexpected place.

Later that month ICO teams up with Kormac for a retrospective, celebrating 15 years of his amazing club sounds at NCH, Dublin on 30 March.

In April ICO Collaborates with University Concert Hall to present Saint-Saëns’ much-loved Carnival of the Animals on Sunday 7 April. In this fun-filled family concert, we bring the various animals to life, with the help of pianists, Soo-Jung AnnFiachra Garvey and narrator, Richie Hayes. Music and animal-lovers of all ages are in for a fantastical musical treat!

Irish Chamber Orchestra group shot

We welcome back the effervescent German violinist Carolin Widmanfor our April Tour visiting venues in Tallaght, Limerick, Newport, and Wexford from 10-13 April.  Find out why we love performing Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik, one of the best loved and legendary string serenades.  J.S. Bach’s genial A minor Violin Concerto is full of magical melodies.  Feel the love and joy of Florence as you delve into Tchaikovsky’s sparkling Souvenir de Florence.

In May, ICO Collaborates returns to Music for Galway’s Cellissimo festival for a cosmopolitan journey featuring postcards from Europe, showcasing the cello.  Katherine Hunka leads the orchestra with the fabulous French cellist Camille Thomas performing gems by Sibelius, Bach, Franchomme, Chopin and Grieg in Galway on 19 May.

Thomas Zehetmair ends his journey of Schubert favourites, delving into Schubert’s enigmatic Unfinished Symphony No.8full of gorgeous melodies, a milestone in symphonic history. The programme also includes Thomas’ own reworking of sketches of the missing Scherzo from the same symphony. Rounding out the programme are two masterpieces, Beethoven’s dramatic Coriolan Overture and one of the most loved classical concertos, Mozart’s bright and cheerful French Horn Concerto No. 2, with our own principal horn, Stephen Nicholls, at NCH, Dublin and UCH, Limerick on 13 & 14 June.

Celebrate our journeys and a creative connection that is unique to Irish Chamber Orchestra. As Ireland’s national chamber orchestra, we are lucky to call the University of Limerick home, while also regularly touring Ireland and internationally. Weare funded by The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.See irishchamberorchestra.com


For further information/images please contact:
Charlotte Eglington — Communications & Media Relations Manager — Irish Chamber Orchestra
ICO Studio, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94P048
Mobile: 086 8092781
I.C.O. Registered Charity Number: 20022006


 LISTINGS:


FEBRUARY

THE STONES OF LIFE

Irish Chamber Orchestra:
Killian Farrell Conductor
Sharon Carty Artist in Association / Mezzo Soprano

Programme:
Symphony No. 1 in D major Classical, Op. 25
Deirdre Gribbin The Stones of Life
Mahler Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, from Rückert Lieder
Mozart Symphony No.41, K.551, C major Jupiter

Performances:
Friday 9 February University Concert Hall, Limerick @7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5
Saturday 10 February Whyte Recital Hall, RIAM, Dublin @7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5


MARCH

THE GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

Irish Chamber Orchestra: Henning Kraggerud Director/Violin

Programme:
J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations (Arr. Kraggerud/Lund)

Performances:
Thursday 7 March University Concert Hall, Limerick @7.30pm   Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5
Friday 8 March St. Brendan’s Church, Bantry @7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5
Saturday 9 March Whyte Recital Hall, RIAM, Dublin @7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5

 

ALWAYS THE SOUND – A RETROSPECTIVE

KORMAC & Irish Chamber Orchestra 

Performances:
Wednesday 30 March National Concert Hall Dublin @8pm Tickets: €35, €30


APRIL

ICO COLLABORATES /CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Irish Chamber Orchestra:
Fiachra Garvey & Soo-Jung Ann Pianos
Richie Hayes Narrator

Programme:
Carnival of the Animals

Performances:
Sunday 7 April University Concert Hall, Limerick @3.30pm Tickets: €15 Adult, €10 child, €40 Family/4

 

MOZART, BACH & TCHAIKOVSKY

Irish Chamber Orchestra:
Carolin Widmann Violin

Programme:
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Serenade No.13 for strings, G major, K.525
J.S. Bach Violin Concerto No.1, BWV 1041, A minor
Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70

Performances:
Wednesday 10 April Civic Theatre Tallaght, Dublin @7.30pm Tickets: €29, €27 and €12 U18s
Thursday 11 April St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick @ 7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5
Friday 12 April St. Patrick’s Church @ 7.30pm Newport, Co. Mayo Tickets: €25
Saturday 13 April St. Iberius’ Church, Wexford Tickets: 7.30pm €25, €20 con. €10 students


MAY

ICO COLLABORATES /CELLISSIMO 

Irish Chamber Orchestra:
Kathrine Hunka Director/Violin
Camille Thomas Cello

Programme:
Sibelius Andante Festivo
CPE Bach Cello Concerto in A minor, H.432
Chopin Funeral March for Four Cellos (arr. Franchomme)
Chopin Prelude in Db Major Raindrop Prelude (arr. Franchomme)
Franchomme Air Russe Varie No. 2 Op. 32
Grieg Holberg Suite Op. 40

Performances:
Sunday 19 May Galway Cellissimo/Music for Galway Tickets: to be confirmed


JUNE

SEEKING SCHUBERT

Irish Chamber Orchestra:
Thomas Zehetmair
Conductor
Stephen Nicholls Horn

Programme:
Beethoven Coriolan Overture Op. 62
Mozart Horn Concerto No. 2 in E Flat K. 417
Schubert (reconstructed T. Zehetmair): Scherzov
Schubert Symphony No.8 Unfinished

Performances:
Thursday 13 June National Concert Hall, Dublin @7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5
Friday 14 June University Concert Hall, Limerick @7.30pm Tickets: €30, €25, €10, €5


Fore more information visit www.irishchamberorchestra.com