Fanfare: For Friends of the National Concert Hall by National Concert Hall

National Concert Hall

Nicola Benedetti

TÁ SÉ DE CHUMHACHT AG EALAÍONTÓIRÍ AN SAOL A ATHRÚ CHUN FEABHAIS

Tá ESB ag tacú leis na healaíona le fada agus creidimid go bhfuil tábhacht nach beag ag baint leo maidir le ciall a bhaint as athrú an tsaoil agus an t-athrú sin a chur chun tairbhe do chách.

Téigh chuig esb.ie/arts le tuilleadh eolais a fháil.

A Word From Our CEO

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your membership as a Friend of the National Concert Hall and I hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer. Here at the Hall, we are eagerly anticipating an exciting new season, opening on 12 September.

The National Symphony Orchestra Ireland opens the season under the baton of the acclaimed Leonard Slatkin, presenting a programme that spans the brilliant elegance of Mozart, the sweeping drama of Richard Strauss, and the vibrant energy of McTee. Kicking off our international highlights, the Chineke! Orchestra returns celebrating their tenth anniversary, bringing their dynamic and groundbreaking sound back to the NCH stage.

This season promises a rich and varied programme. Friday nights with the NSOI are set to captivate, featuring a tribute to Lifetime Achievement awardee Jane O’Leary; concerts in Dublin and Cork mark the fiftieth anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s death; and a very special celebration of the National Symphony Chorus Ireland’s 40th anniversary, honours four decades of extraordinary choral and orchestral music-making.

Our International Orchestras and Recitals line-up is equally remarkable, with highlights including Nicola Benedetti, the Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra, and the Estonian Philharmonic Choir. Full details of the 2026 programme will be announced in late October—so watch this space for what promises to be another inspiring year of music.

This September, we relaunch our music education and participation programmes under the umbrella of NCH Discover. These initiatives ensure that we can provide music for everyone, at all ages, across the country, through workshops, performances, and interactive experiences. Plans for our wider redevelopment programme are well underway, and I look forward to keeping you updated on our progress in due course. In line with OPW timelines, the Hall will remain open until the end of 2026.

As we look ahead, I am deeply grateful for the support, goodwill, and friendship we receive from you, our greatest partners and advocates. We are excited for a season of extraordinary concerts and events, and I look forward to sharing this journey with you.

Warm regards,

Patron Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland

NCH Board Members

Maura McGrath Chair

Clíona Doris

Hilary Hough

Peter McKenna

Niamh Murray

Michelle O’Sullivan

Don Thornhill

Robert Read CEO, NCH

Chineke! Orchestra

Chineke! Orchestra returns to NCH this September as it opens our international season and celebrates its own 10th birthday. As it is a celebration and a special year, the orchestra will be performing with some very special guests, cellist Shekuh Kanneh Mason, his sister, pianist Isata Kanneh Mason and violinist Tai Murray, all former alumni of the orchestra.

©Chuko Cribb

Chineke! Orchestra

The programme for the evening is compelling and includes Coleridge-Taylor, Beethoven and Dawson as well as the Irish premiere of Errollyn Wallen’s FLOURISH.

Chineke! Orchestra was founded in 2015 by double bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE, and holds the distinction of being Europe’s first professional ensemble composed predominantly of Black and ethnically diverse musicians. Its name, derived from the Igbo language means “God” or “spirit of creation,” a poetic nod to its aspirational ethos.

At its core lies a powerful mission: “Championing change and celebrating diversity in classical music”. They not only perform established repertoire but also actively elevate works by Black and ethnically diverse composers, both historical and contemporary. The orchestra's programming celebrates figures like Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Florence Price, and George Walker alongside modern composers such as Errollyn Wallen and Daniel Kidane with Coleridge-Taylor and Wallen featuring in Septembers NCH concert.

The Chineke! Junior Orchestra serves as a training ground for musicians aged 11 to 22, guided by senior members of the main orchestra as mentors and role models. This intergenerational model helps launch international careers and fosters confidence in aspiring musicians from diverse backgrounds.

Since its inception, Chineke! has been a potent catalyst in classical music’s transformation. In its 10 year existence, they have performed at the BBC Proms, Lucerne Festival, Royal Festival Hall, Edinburgh Festival, Lincoln Centre, and more. Chineke! became a resident orchestra at Southbank Centre in 2022 and was a recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s “Gamechanger” award in 2019.

On 13 November 2022, the Chineke! Orchestra made its Irish debut at the National Concert Hall, marking a special moment for founder Chichi Nwanoku, who is of Irish-Nigerian heritage and whose mother hailed from Limerick.

Conducted by Leslie Suganandarajah and featuring pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, the programme included: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A minor, George Walker’s Lyric for Strings, Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement (with Kanneh-Mason as soloist) and Dvořák’s New World Symphony

This premiere performance brought together rare repertoire by historically marginalised composers and celebrated the artistic heritage of the performers and their founder.

Returning to the NCH on 30 September this year, the orchestra celebrates its milestone 10th anniversary with a dazzling programme featuring: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A minor, Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, The Irish premiere of Errollyn Wallen’s FLOURISH and William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony

Chineke!’s presence in Dublin embodies a beautiful convergence of mission, heritage, and artistry. Their Irish debut resonated with symbolic power, not just as a performance, but as a personal return for Nwanoku after decades of absence from her mother’s homeland. They bring seldom-heard masterpieces by composers of African and African-American heritage to one of Ireland's most esteemed musical stages.

The unique programme, both celebratory and educational, highlights how classical music can be both inclusive and profound. Chineke! Orchestra’s journey, from its founding vision to dynamic performances in Dublin, demonstrates music’s ability to transform, uplift, and bridge communities. With their artistry and advocacy, they have woven a narrative of belonging and inclusion into the fabric of classical music.

Chineke! Orchestra performs in NCH on 30 September, please go to www.nch.ie for more details.

Discovering the Future of Music: The NCH Discover Centre

Chineke! Orchestra

The National Concert Hall is currently in the advanced stages of planning for a bold new chapter in its history: the development of the NCH Discover Centre. This will be a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to music learning, participation, and engagement. This ambitious project reimagines what a concert hall can be: not just a home for world-class performance, but a hub for creativity, inclusion, and lifelong musical exploration.

What is the NCH Discover Centre?

The NCH Discover Centre is envisioned as a purpose-built music education and engagement facility situated on the grounds of the National Concert Hall. It will serve as the physical and creative home for the growing NCH Discover programme (recently re-named from Learning & Participation), providing the space and resources to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with music in meaningful ways.

While the National Concert Hall has long been a leading force in Ireland’s cultural landscape, the NCH Discover Centre represents a transformational step. For the first time in the NCH’s history, there will be a dedicated space designed specifically for music learning and engagement. It is a bold expression of the NCH’s belief that music is for everyone, not only as listeners, but as active participants, whether through singing, playing, composing, or exploring music in a multitude of ways.

A Centre Built for Participation

The NCH Discover Centre will house a variety of flexible, high-quality spaces designed to accommodate a wide range of musical activity. At its heart is a 150-seat flexible performance

space, ideal for intimate concerts, workshops, and showcases. In addition, the Centre will feature a smaller multipurpose room for rehearsals, seminars and collaborative sessions, alongside five large, fully equipped workshop studios.

One of these studios will become the permanent home of the NCH’s magnificent Gamelan, a traditional Indonesian ensemble of bronze percussion instruments. This dedicated Gamelan Room will provide a unique opportunity for children, young people and adults to encounter music from a non-Western tradition, and to engage in collaborative musicmaking in a deeply immersive way.

The NCH Discover Centre will be fully accessible, furthering the NCH ambition to be inclusive of all members of society.

These facilities will allow the NCH to expand significantly the scale and scope of the Discover programme, with new projects for schools, families, musicians, community groups, and people accessing music for health and wellbeing.

A Platform for Ambition

The NCH Discover Centre will support five key strands of programming:

Young People & Families – from early years musical play sessions to storytelling concerts and family-friendly performances.

Schools & Teachers – offering a significant new schools’ programme, bespoke workshops, CPD for educators, and curriculum-linked music experiences.

Music Students & Musicians – providing pathways for young artists to develop their skills through mentorship, ensemble training, and creative experimentation.

Health & Wellbeing – supporting projects in areas such as mental health, dementia, paediatric healthcare, and general wellbeing. Our Community – working with groups in Dublin and across Ireland to build musical connections, particularly with those who may face barriers to participation.

The physical proximity of these activities within the NCH Discover Centre will encourage collaboration across disciplines and age groups. A Gamelan session for transition-year students might take place next door to a music appreciation project for older adults, with both groups later attending a relaxed performance in the Centre’s performance space. The energy, creativity and shared joy of music-making will animate every corner of the building.

An Opportunity for Ireland

The development of the NCH Discover Centre will mark a significant moment for music learning and engagement in Ireland. While there are many inspiring local and regional initiatives across the country, there has never before been a national centre of excellence devoted to participatory music in all its forms. The NCH Discover Centre aims to become exactly that: a national hub where best practice is developed, shared, and celebrated.

It also represents a vital investment in the future of music in Ireland. By nurturing the next generation of musicians, audiences, and music lovers, the NCH Discover Centre will help ensure that music remains a vibrant, essential part of Irish life for years to come.

Crucially, the centre will be a place where anyone can feel a sense of ownership and belonging. Whether you are a Senior Cycle music student preparing for your practical exam, a young child attending your first music session with a parent, a refugee participating in a community ensemble, or an older adult reconnecting with a lifelong love of singing, the NCH Discover Centre will offer you a space to be heard, supported, and inspired.

Looking Ahead

The NCH Discover Centre will be more than a building; it is a statement of purpose. It affirms the National Concert Hall’s commitment to access, equity, and the transformative power of music. It places learning and participation at the heart of the NCH’s future, and as a central part of its artistic identity.

As we look towards the future, the NCH Discover Centre will invite us all to imagine a world where music is not only performed for people, but with them. Where every person has the chance to discover their own musical voice. And where the doors of Ireland’s national cultural institution for music are open wider than ever before.

Nigel Flegg is Head of NCH Discover

Friends Events

Coffee Mornings

First Wednesday of each month (except January)

Friends are cordially invited to the Iveagh Room of the Terrace Café to meet with fellow Friends. This is an opportunity to chat, find out about upcoming Friends activities and ask any questions you might have about your Friends membership.

Coming up:

Wednesday 1 October, 11am - 12pm

Wednesday 5 November, 11am - 12pm

Wednesday 3 December, 11am - 12pm

No coffee morning in January

Wednesday 4 February, 11am – 12pm

No booking required. Purchase the beverage of your choice.

Music Club

Six Tuesdays, beginning 23 September

Music Club, led by Professor Gerard Gillen, discusses repertoire featured in upcoming NCH concerts. Different pieces are explored every week and each session takes place over tea and coffee, which is provided, in the Iveagh Room of the Terrace Café.

Music Club takes place on:

Tuesday 23 September

Tuesday 30 September

Tuesday 7 October

Tuesday 14 October

Tuesday 21 October

Tuesday 28 October

11am-12.30pm

Friends 120 euro for six sessions.

Booking is available. For more information or to book your place, contact the Friends office on 01 408 6777 or book in person at the Box Office.

Iveagh Room Music Club

Pre-Dresden/Leipzig trip briefing and lunch

Tuesday 23 September

Friends traveling to Dresden and Leipzig in October are invited to a briefing on the trip followed by a light lunch. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the tour and meet fellow Friends who are traveling with you.

Meet in the Iveagh Room of NCH at 12.45pm Complimentary to Friends traveling to Germany.

Friends immersive visit to the Book of Kells and tour with lunch in Hugos restaurant

Wednesday 24 September

Join us for a private tour of the immersive Book of Kells experience. This fascinating visit is followed by a two course lunch with a glass of wine or soft drink in Hugo’s restaurant.

Meet at the Long Hall entrance, Trinity College at 11am Friends 100 euro, non-members 120 Euro Booking is available. For more information or to book your place, contact the Friends office on 01 408 6777.

Prague Symphony Orchestra

Book of Kells

NCH Friends Gala

Friday 3 October

A Friends gala night to relish as Maria Dueñas performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet alongside the NSOI. Friends receive a substantial discount for concert tickets to this event of 30% and the performance is preceded by a complimentary wine and canape reception where you can meet with fellow Friends for an enjoyable evening of music and good company.

Meet at NCH Balcony at 6pm Friends receive a 30% discount on concert tickets with complimentary reception (please identify yourself as a Friend when booking). The reception takes place on the Balcony at 6pm with the concert commencing at 7.30pm.

Friends International Trip to Dresden and Leipzig

Tuesday 14 – Sunday 19 October

The Friends Autumn trip this year takes in two of Germany’s most cultural destinations. Dresden and Leipzig stand out as centres for art and music with some of the world’s finest composers coming from this part of the world. Enjoy the Picture Gallery of Dresden, the Bach Museum of Leipzig, Moritzburg Castle and much more, not to mention a rich musical experience with a full programme of Opera and classical performance.

This tour is fully booked but if you would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact Caroline or Debbie in International Cultural Travel on 01 8887840

Maria Dueñas

Friends Events

Dresden

Visit to Photo Museum Ireland

Thursday 23 October

This behind-the-scenes experience offers a deeper look at how Photo Museum Ireland works. Step inside the Darkroom and Artist Digital Studio, enjoy a curator-led tour of a major new exhibition by Steve Pyke showcasing portraits of Ireland's leading poets, playwrights & writers, and gather in the Lightroom for a relaxed introduction to the Members Library and the Photo Museum Ireland Collection. Enjoy tea, coffee, and chats and learn about the world of contemporary photography in Ireland.

Meet at Photo Museum Ireland, Temple Bar at 3pm Complementary to Friends, Friends only event.

Sunday 26 October

Join us as we visit the Wexford Festival Opera for what is always a fabulous day out. This year we shall be attending Handel’s masterpiece, Deidamia, where we travel to ancient Greece. Achilles, seeking to avoid the Trojan war is hidden on the isle of Skyros where he falls in love with Princess Deidamia, but Ulyssess is soon on his trail to bring him back and he must choose between love and destiny.

Prior to the performance, enjoy a four course lunch with a glass of wine or soft drink in the fabulous Clayton White hotel, where we will be returning after the performance for supper.

Meet at NCH Foyer at 11.30am Friends 250 euro, non-members 280 euro.

Day trip to Wexford Festival Opera

PMI

Wexford Opera House

Brooks Hotel Film screening – Scrooge

Thursday 27 November

The spirit of Christmas becomes a musical celebration of life in this rousing adaptation of Charles Dickens beloved classic, A Christmas Carol. Albert Finney stars as the irredeemable miser in this yuletide tale. Before the screening enjoy canapes and a glass of wine or soft drink before you pick up your popcorn for a night at the movies!

Meet in Brooks Hotel, Drury Street, Dublin 2 at 6pm Friends 70 euro, Non-members 80 euro.

Pre-Concert reception Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Saturday 29 November

Patrons and Season Friends are invited to a pre-concert reception ahead of the performance by the Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra with conductor Andras Keller and pianist Paul Lewis performing Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Liszt. The reception will take place in the Carolan Room of the National Concert Hall where wine and canapes will be served.

Complimentary to Patrons and Season Friends. Meet in the Carolan Room at 6.30pm

Scrooge

Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Friends Events

Friends Christmas Gathering

Thursday 11 December

The annual Friends Christmas get together features a wonderful choir, St Cecilia’s Singers, who will be performing seasonal musical yuletide fare. So get into the Christmas spirit, with a festive wine reception. There’s no nicer way to meet up with fellow Friends ahead of Christmas.

Complimentary to Friends Meet in the Kevin Barry Room at 4pm.

Dinner at The Terrace followed by The Dead performed in MoLI

Thursday 15 January

Landmark Productions presentation of James Joyce’s The Dead is our January Friends treat, and is performed in The Museum of Literature, just around the corner from NCH. This production has received five star reviews and is the play to catch this year. Prior to the performance, join us for a three course dinner with a glass of wine in the Terrace for an atmospheric pre - theatre meal that sets the scene for the evening.

Friends: 130 euro, non- Friends 160 euro Meet at The Terrace, NCH, at 5.30pm.

The Dead Christmas @ NCH

Friends Tour of the National Concert Hall

Thursday 5 February

Take a private tour of the National Concert Hall and learn about its history, architecture, art and of course music, go backstage and explore the nooks and crannies of a building with a fascinating story to tell. Afterwards join fellow Friends for tea or coffee and a chat on what is an enjoyable and social occasion.

Meet in NCH Foyer at 2pm Complimentary to Friends.

Friends Tour of St. Stephen’s Green

Thursday 26 February

Take a private guided tour through St. Stephen’s Green with expert guide Ben Johnson as he talks you through the flora and fauna as well as the dramatic history of the park including its role in the 1916 rising. The tour is followed by tea and coffee in the Iveagh room of NCH where you can catch up with fellow Friends.

Friends 15 euro, non-Friends 25 euro

Meet in NCH Foyer at 2pm.

Tour of NCH

St. Stephen's Green

Little Museum of Dublin Tour and lunch in The Terrace

Thursday 5 March

Enjoy a private tour of Dublin’s famous Little Museum which has recently reopened having been refurbished. The Little Museum gives a look at Irish life and recent history through everyday objects. After the tour, enjoy a lovely lunch in the Terrace cafe.

Friends: 80 euro, non- Friends 95 euro Meet at the Little Museum, 15 St. Stepehen’s Green at 11.15am.

Little Museum

Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Andras Keller’s Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra brings a tragic love story to the National Concert Hall on 29 November when they perform Tchaikovsky’s Dante inspired Francesca da Rimini as part of a wider programme which includes Beethoven and Liszt.

Chineke! Orchestra

©Mudra Laszlo

The orchestra traces its roots back to 1907, making it one of Hungary’s oldest musical ensembles. Its evolution into a progressive and versatile symphonic orchestra is closely tied to the leadership of Keller, who became Artistic Director and Chief Conductor in 2007 during the orchestra’s centennial year.

Keller, an acclaimed violinist and pedagogical figure, infused the ensemble with chambermusic sensibilities. His approach emphasises clarity, detail, and dialogue between musicians, resulting in interpretative intensity and sculpted artistry.

Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra stands out for its innovative concert programming, juxtaposing classical masterworks with contemporary compositions to foster creative resonance and stimulate listener engagement. Its repertoire spans grand symphonic literature, such as Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and Shostakovich, to classical concertos by Mozart and Beethoven, and modern works by composers like Thomas Adès, Lera Auerbach, György Kurtág, Krzysztof Penderecki, and László Vidovszky.

Renowned soloists frequently collaborate with the orchestra, including Hungarian luminaries like Dezső Ránki, Dénes Várjon, Barnabás Kelemen, and Miklós Perényi. International stars such as Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich, Vadim Repin, Heinz Holliger, Isabelle Faust, Khatia Buniatishvili, Anna Vinnitskaya, Mikhail Pletnev, and Evgeni Koroliov have also performed with the ensemble.

Critics consistently highlight the ensemble's distinctive sonic palette, lean strings, expressive and poised winds, and warmly vibrant brass. Under Keller’s baton, performances are noted for precision, clarity, emotional drive, and chamber-like intention.

A review of their London concerts lauded Keller’s interpretation of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 as “restless, troubled and driven onwards with considerable urgency,” and the Beethoven "Eroica" as “volatile and eruptive” with “fierce

articulation” in scherzo passages. Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto, performed with PierreLaurent Aimard, was praised for its lucidity and emotional insight—highlighting Keller’s probing orchestral textures and the delicate interplay of structure and expression.

Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra’s concert in the National Concert Hall this Autumn presents Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Paul Lewis, Liszt’s Les Préludes, followed by Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in C Minor, demonstrating the orchestra’s dramatic and stylistic versatility.

Over the last two decades, under Keller’s leadership, the orchestra has gained a reputation as a touring powerhouse. It performs over sixty concerts annually in Budapest, alongside appearances at major festivals and venues across Asia and Europe. It’s known not just for technical excellence, but for bringing fresh interpretive energy to a broad stylistic range, from the emotional turbulence of romantic symphonies to the subtlety of chamber-like dialogue, all the way to the vibrancy and complexity of modern compositions.

The orchestra’s first tour of both the UK and Ireland took place in 2022. Building on that, the 2023 UK and Ireland Tour included performances of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K.550, Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”

These concerts featured Pierre-Laurent Aimard, a highly acclaimed pianist, and were conducted by Keller. One such performance took place at the NCH as part of the Hall’s International Concert Series. Looking ahead, the 2025 Dublin date promises an exciting evening. This performance will welcome back Paul Lewis, one of today’s foremost interpreters of romantic repertoire, under Keller’s baton at the Hall.

Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra performs at NCH on 29 November. For more details please go to www.nch.ie

Nicola Benedetti

©Andy Gotts

Violin virtuoso Nicola Benedetti makes a welcome return to the National Concert Hall in November as she performs a rare solo touring recital in NCH, her first in over a decade. The programme for this special concert includes pieces by Sarasate, Bloch, Ungar and Clara Schumann among others and is an intimate and personal recital combining performance with storytelling.

The Scottish musician with the Italian name (her father is of Italian heritage), made her mark in 2004 when she was crowned the BBC Young Musician of the Year. She was born on 20 July 1987 in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland and began violin lessons at age four. By eight she was leading the UK’s National Children’s Orchestra. At ten, she entered the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, performing internationally early on. By winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2004 at age 16, she launched an international career and secured a multi-album contract with Deutsche Grammophon shortly thereafter.

Benedetti has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors from the London Symphony to the New York Philharmonic, and champions new works written for her, including Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto and Wynton Marsalis’s work, the latter earning her a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2020. In that same year, she founded the Benedetti Baroque Orchestra, which records with period instruments and is acclaimed for its energy and musicianship.

Her discography includes landmark albums: a debut with Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto (2005), Homecoming – A Scottish Fantasy (2014), blending classical and traditional Scottish music, and recent chart-topping recordings of Vivaldi and Elgar concertos.

Benedetti is a passionate advocate for music education and founded The Benedetti Foundation in 2019. The foundation delivers workshops, online content, and mass music sessions, reaching tens of thousands across more than 100 countries with participants aged from 2 to 92. She also supports projects such as El Sistema, Scotland’s Big Noise and has led workshops around the UK giving young musicians hands-on experiences with professional standards.

Her contributions have been widely recognised. She was appointed MBE in 2013, CBE in 2019, awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music, (its youngest recipient) in 2017, elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and honoured with numerous honourary doctorates as well as the Edinburgh Award in 2023.

In October 2022, Nicola Benedetti became the first woman and first Scottish director of the Edinburgh International Festival, a landmark appointment since the festival’s founding in 1947. As director, she launched the 2025 theme “The Truth We Seek,” emphasising the arts’ role in challenging cynicism and disinformation. The programme included grand-scale productions such as an eight hour performance of Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple, collaborations with youth and global ensembles, theatrical premieres, and multi-disciplinary works, all while committing to affordable access and outreach, including free NHS performances.

Her appearance in NCH in November will be part of her first tour since taking a break to give birth to her first child. She will be joined onstage by Brazilian guitarist Plinio Fernandes and accordionist Samuele Telari.

Nicola Benedetti performs in NCH on 23 November. For tickets or to find out more details please go to www.nch.ie

This Autumn with the NSOI

The NSOI opens the Autumn season with a flourish on the 12 September when they are joined by conductor Leonard Slatkin and pianist David Fray for a programme that sets the standard for the season ahead. The Irish premiere of Cynthia McTee’s Timepiece, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 and Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life) make up the programme.

Culture Night follows on the 19 September, where the public are invited to enjoy the orchestra free of charge as they perform an array of musical pieces and genres under the baton of David Brophy.

Our Friends Gala Night takes place on 3 October and this is always a special night and a great opportunity to get all of the Friends of NCH together. NSOI will perform with internationally acclaimed violinist Maria Dueñas performing Beethoven and Prokofiev and promises to be a great evening. Don’t forget Friends receive a 30% discount and the concert is preceded by a wine and canape reception on the Balcony beforehand.

The NSOI will continue their Friday series, throughout the Autumn, bringing audiences unforgettable eveings of music. On 10 October, opera lovers can enjoy a concert performance of Carmen as the orchestra are joined by a strong cast of singers including Natalie Kutateladze, (Carmen), Sarah Brady (Micaela), Noah Stewart (Don Jose) and Gyula Nagy (Escamillo). All conducted by Jessica Cottis and accompanied by Cór na nÓg.

2025 is the fiftieth anniversary of the death of composer Dmitri Shostakovich and the NSOI marks it with Shostakovich 50, a concert featuring Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Anne Clyne, conducted by Anna Radkin and featuring violin soloist Mairead Hickey. The Orchestra will perform both in the Hall on the 17 October and in Cork City Hall the following day.

Composer Jane O’Leary is honoured with the NCH lifetime Achievement Award, which is celebrated on 24 October with a performance of her work Triptych with the Con Tempo Quartet. The programme for the evening also includes Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy

Overture and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, conducted by Kensho Watanabe.

Movie fans will not be disappointed either, particularly those of the horror variety, as we mark Halloween with a live screening in concert of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho, conducted by Anthony Gabriele.

Other NSOI season highlights include a celebration of Bill Whelan on the occasion of his seventy fifth birthday featuring some of his most popular work and the world premiere of a new piece written for the orchestra.

There are plenty of concerts for families and younger audience members too, with The Highway Rat and Zog in September, Symphony Shorts with Jessie Grimes in October and December, Music in the Classroom in December and the live screening in Concert of family favourite Home Alone, also in December.

For more information on these and other events at t he Hall, please go to www.nch.ie.

Concert Ticket Discounts

Friends and Season Friends are entitled to purchase up to 2 tickets at the discounted rate.

Friday 12 September 7:30pm (MS)

NSOI: Leonard Slatkin Conducts McTee, Mozart and Richard Strauss 10% Discount for Friends

Saturday 13 September 10am (KBRR)

Creativity Empowered: Mind, Voice performance Friends €58.50

Sunday 14 September 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series Gealan Quartet Friends €15.75

Sunday 14 September 8pm (MS)

NCH Landmarks: Jape 10% Discount for Friends

Thursday 18 September 8.30pm (S)

Swimsuit Issue Presents: Bucket with BBFT- Vaticanjail Friends €13.50

Saturday 20 September 8.30pm (S)

Metronome – Ailbhe Reddy Friends €18

Tuesday 23 September 8pm (MS)

An Evening with John King 10% Discount for Friends

Wednesday 24 September 8.30pm (S)

Metronome – David C Clements & Mary Barnecutt Friends €13.50

Thursday 25 September 8pm (MS)

Tradition Now: Les Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, Georgi Andreev & Quarto Quartet Friends €31.50

Thursday 25 September 8.30pm (S)

Tradition Now: The work of Conor Campbell Friends €18

Friday 26 September 6pm (MS)

Tradition Now: Damien Dempsey & NSOI Friends €18

Saturday 27 September 6pm (MS)

Tradition Now: Room to Rhyme Friends €31.50

(MS) Main Stage (KBRR) Kevin Barry Recital Room (JFR) John Field Room (S) Studio

Leonard Slatkin

David C Clements

Damien Dempsey

Sunday 28 September 2pm (MS)

Tradition Now: Our Time in Space

A Tribute to Tim Robinson Friends €13.50

Sunday 28 September 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series: Banbha Quartet Friends €15.75

Tuesday 30 September 8pm (MS)

Chineke! Orchestra 10 Anniversary 10% Discount for Friends

Wednesday 1 October 7pm (KBRR)

Deirdre Higgins, Soprano Recital Friends €13.50

Friday 3 October 1.05pm (JFR)

The Good Life: A Tribute to Tony Bennett Friends €20

Friday 3 October 7.30pm (MS)

NSOI: Beethoven Violin Concerto with Maria Dueñas Friends Gala Concert 30% Discount

Sunday 5 October 12.30pm (MS)

Family Symphony Shorts: Discover Romeo & Juliet Friends €18

Sunday 5 October 3pm (KBRR)

Schubertreise XXXIV Friends €15.75

Sunday 5 October 7.30pm (MS)

Philip Glass with Maki Namekawa & James Mc Vinnie 10% Discount for Friends

Tuesday 7 October 8pm (MS)

Sir Stephen Hough: Piano 10% Discount for Friends

Friday 10 October 7.30pm (MS)

NSOI: Carmen (Concert Performance) 10% Discount for Friends

Sunday 12 October 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series: Ora Quartet Friends €15.75

Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason

Jessie Grimes

Tim Robinson

Natalia Kutateladze

Thursday 16 October 8.30pm (S)

Metronome: Varo with special guests

Niamh Bury, Anna Mieke & Branwen Friends €18

Friday 17 October 1.05pm (JFR)

Roisin Sullivan: Songs for the Silver Screen Friends €18

Friday 17 October 7.30pm (MS)

NSOI: Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich & Anna Clyne

10% Discount for Friends

Tuesday 21 October 8pm (MS)

NCH Landmarks: Pillow Queens

10% Discount for Friends

Thursday 23 October 8.30pm (S)

Metronome: Ger Eaton & Andrew Keeling Friends €18

Friday 24 October 7.30pm (MS)

NCH Lifetime Achievement Ward: Jane O Leary

10% Discount for Friends

Sunday 26 October 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series: Esposito Quartet Friends €15.75

Friday 31 October 7.30pm (MS)

Psycho: Live Screening in Concert

10% Discount for Friends

Sunday 2 November 3pm (KBRR)

Schubertreise XXXV Friends €15.75

Sunday 2 November 8pm (MS)

Perspectives: Anouar Brahem Quartet

10% Discounts for Friends

Thursday 6 November 7.30pm (MS)

NCH Talks: John Simpson: The Leaders & Lunatic Tour 10% Discount for Friends

Thursday 6 November 8.30pm (S)

Metronome: BY A SKY: Katie Kim Friends €18

Varo

Esposito Quartet

Anouar Brahem

Pillow Queens

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Friday 7 November 7.30pm (MS)

NSOI: Ravel, Dessner & Beethoven 10% Discount for Friends

Saturday 8 November 8pm (MS)

Bell X1 with the Theodora Byrne Ensemble 10% Discount for Friends

Saturday 8 November 8.30pm (S)

Metronome: Caoimhin O Raghallaigh, Sean Mac Erlaine Album launch Friends €18

Sunday 9 November 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series: Marmen Quartet Friends €15.75

Sunday 9 November 8pm (MS)

Bell X1 with the Theodora Byrne Ensemble 10% Discount for Friends

Monday 10 November 8pm (MS)

NCH Presents: Tanita Tikaram 10% Discount for Friends

Wednesday 19 November 8pm (MS)

Perspectives: A Solo evening of Music with Chris Thile 10% Discount for Friends

Thursday 20 November 8pm (MS)

Perspectives: OXN & Richard Dawson 10% Discount for Friends

Friday 21 November 7.30pm (MS)

NSOI: Bill Whelan at 75 10% Discount for Friends

Saturday 22 November 8pm (MS)

Paul Brady 10% Discount for Friends

Sunday 23 November 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series: Solas Quartet Friends €15.75

Sunday 23 November 7.30pm (MS)

Nicola Benedetti, Violin 10% Discount for Friends

Tuesday 25 November 8pm (MS)

NCH Presents: Tony Ann 10% Discount for Friends

Friday 28 November 7.30pm (MS)

National Symphony Chorus Ireland 40th Anniversary with NSOI 10% Discount for Friends

Saturday 29 November 7:30pm (MS)

Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra 10% Discount for Friends

Anastasia Kobekina

Bell X1

Chris Thile

Sunday 30 November 7pm (MS)

NCH Talks: Fintan O'Toole and Sam McBride

For and Against a United Ireland Friends €18

Friday 5 December 7:30pm (MS)

NSOI: Mozart, Bruckner and Anja Bihlmaier 10% Discount for Friends

Sunday 7 December 3pm (KBRR)

Chamber Music Series: Ficion Quartet Friends €15.75

Monday 8 December 8pm (MS)

Tranquility by Candlelight 10% Discount for Friends

Tuesday 9 December 8pm (MS)

Arvo Part at 90: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir 10% Discount for Friends

Friday 12 December 7:30pm (MS)

NSOI: Tchaikovsky, Florence Price & Sofia Gubaidulina 10% Discount for Friends

Saturday 13 December 12:30pm (MS)

Family Symphony Shorts: Discover The Nutcracker Friends €18

Wednesday 17 December 8pm (MS)

NSOI: Home Alone in Concert 10% Discount for Friends

Thursday 18 December 4pm & 8pm (MS)

NSOI: Home Alone in Concert 10% Discount for Friends

Friday 19 December 3:30pm & 6pm (MS)

This Way to Christmas featuring The Snowman Friends €27

Saturday 20 December & Sunday 21 December (MS) 10:30am (relaxed performance Saturday ONLY), 1pm, 3:30pm & 6pm

This Way to Christmas featuring The Snowman Friends €27

Saturday 17 January 2026 8pm (MS)

The Definitive Rat Pack 10% Discount for Friends

Fintan O'Toole and Sam Mc Bride

Anja Bihlmaier

NSOI

The Definitive Rat Pack

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Sign up to the Friends Newsletter

Make the most of your Friends membership, sign up for email today!

Do you have an email address or know someone who can receive emails on your behalf? Email is the quickest way of informing you of last-minute events, priority booking periods, or offers that sometimes are only available in the few days leading up to the on-sale date or performance.

We would love you to join our Friends e-zine club, sign-up to receive our monthly Friends e-zine and all last-minute special offers that become available throughout the year.

We want you to get the most out of your membership and providing your email address as a way of communication is easy. Simply call the Box Office on 01 417 0000 and give them your email address over the phone or email friends@nch.ie

Introduce a Friend

Do you know someone who loves music? Why not introduce them to the Friends of the NCH?

For every Friend you introduce, we would be pleased to present you with a €20 voucher for use at the NCH Box Office. Additionally, your friend will have the opportunity to join at a discounted, introductory membership price of €115

Memberships can be purchased by:

— Calling the Friends Box Office on 01 408 6777

— Visiting www.nch.ie

— Visiting the NCH Box Office Monday–Saturday, 10:00am–6:00pm

— Mailing a cheque (payable to The NCH) to: Friends Office, The NCH, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2

Please let us know when you have referred a friend so we can facilitate your voucher. Call the Friends Office on 01 417 0067 to confirm.

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC) makes a welcome return to the National Concert Hall in December as it pays tribute to one of the world’s greatest living composers, Arvo Pärt.

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

The EPCC stands as one of the world’s most celebrated vocal ensembles, internationally revered for its precision, expressiveness, and profound musicality. Founded in 1981 by Tõnu Kaljuste, the choir emerged from the amateur chamber choir Ellerhein, initially led by his father. With government support, Kaljuste transformed it into a full-time professional ensemble, assuming the roles of artistic director and chief conductor for twenty years.

EPCC's musical range stretches impressively, from Gregorian chant and Baroque to contemporary 21st-century works, often with a distinct emphasis on Estonian composers. Their repertoire highlights the works of Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Galina Grigorjeva, Toivo Tulev, Tõnu Kõrvits, and Helena Tulve, among others.

In many ways the EPCC and Arvo Pärt are intrinsically linked, by country, by style and by culture and they are worthy interpreters of his many works. The concert in NCH on 9 December will be testament to that, with selections from the luminous Berliner Messe and mesmerising Kanon Pokajanen interspersed with some of Pärt’s most beguiling and beautiful miniatures including Magnificat and Dopo la vittoria among some that will be performed.

December’s concert will be conducted by EPCC Principal Tonu Kaljuste with Kadri Toomoja performing on the organ. The choir debuted at the NCH in 2022 and returned in June 2024 so this will be their third visit to the Hall and one that many of us will be looking forward to.

Arvo Pärt is 90 years old, and is Estonia’s most internationally renowned composer, celebrated for his unique, contemplative style that blends deep spirituality with modern minimalism. Born in Paide and raised in Rakvere, Pärt studied composition at the Tallinn Conservatory under Heino Eller. His early works in the 1950s and 1960s reflected the influence of neoclassicism and serialism, but by the late 1960s he grew disillusioned with avant-garde techniques and entered a period of creative silence.

Pärt’s music is deeply tied to his Christian Orthodox faith. Many of his best-known compositions, such as Te Deum, Passio, Berliner Messe, and Adam’s Lament, set sacred texts, often in Latin or Church Slavonic. His sound world, marked by silence as much as sound, invites introspection and has resonated with audiences across religious and cultural boundaries.

Pärt has received numerous awards, including the Praemium Imperiale (2014) and the Ratzinger Prize (2017). For decades, he has been among the most-performed living composers globally. Through his deceptively simple, profoundly moving music, Pärt has carved a space where minimalism meets timeless spiritual resonance.

Throughout its existence, EPCC has collaborated with numerous renowned international conductors and orchestras, such as Claudio Abbado, Helmuth Rilling, Sir Colin Davis, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Gustavo Dudamel, and Paavo Järvi, as well as ensembles like the London Symphony Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Their concert tours include appearances at BBC Proms, Salzburg Festspiele, Edinburgh International Festival, Sydney Opera House, Royal Concertgebouw, Kennedy Centre, Carnegie Hall, and many other prestigious venues worldwide including our own NCH.

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir performs in NCH on 9 December, for more details, please go to www.nch.ie

Dmitri Shostakovich, A Life in Music and Discord

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (1906–1975), one of the most prominent and controversial composers of the 20th century. A Soviet citizen throughout his life, his career was marked by a precarious balance between artistic integrity and political survival under one of history's most repressive regimes.

Dmitri Shostakovich

Born in St. Petersburg on September 25, 1906, Shostakovich was a musical prodigy. He entered the Petrograd Conservatory at the age of 13, where he studied piano and composition under Alexander Glazunov and Maximilian Steinberg. His early work, especially his First Symphony (1925), composed at age 19 as a graduation piece, gained immediate international acclaim and launched his career.

His musical language early on was modern, energetic, and sardonic, showing influences from Mahler, Stravinsky, and Russian folk music. During this period, he also composed experimental pieces and film scores, gaining a reputation for wit and innovation.

The 1930s were a turning point for Shostakovich and Soviet culture at large. The Soviet regime under Joseph Stalin demanded art that supported socialist ideals, known as socialist realism. Initially, Shostakovich was a poster child for Soviet music, but his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (1934), praised in the West, was denounced in 1936 in the state newspaper Pravda under the headline "Muddle Instead of Music." This condemnation came directly after Stalin reportedly attended a performance and left early.

Fearing arrest or worse, Shostakovich withdrew his Fourth Symphony before its premiere and began composing more cautiously. His Fifth Symphony (1937) was subtitled “A Soviet Artist’s Response to Just Criticism”, a veiled gesture of compliance. Despite its ambiguous tone, the symphony was a massive success and likely saved his life.

During World War II, Shostakovich remained in the USSR and composed patriotic works, most notably the Seventh Symphony (“Leningrad”), which became a symbol of Soviet resistance to Nazi Germany. It was famously performed in besieged Leningrad in 1942 and broadcast across the city and world.

The war years were some of his most productive. He wrote symphonies, chamber music, and piano works, often weaving personal anguish into outwardly triumphant or sombre musical narratives. In the late 1940s, Shostakovich again faced denunciation, this time during the Zhdanov Doctrine’s crackdown on "formalism" in the arts. Alongside other composers like Prokofiev and Khachaturian,

he was accused of writing “anti-people” music. He lost his teaching positions and income, and many of his works were banned.

He responded by writing more conservative pieces and officially joined the Communist Party in 1960 — a move that many believe was coerced and caused him great personal anguish. That same year, he composed the Eighth String Quartet, a deeply autobiographical work often interpreted as a musical suicide note. It includes his musical monogram (D-E♭-C-B) and quotes from his earlier compositions, reflecting his despair and identity crisis.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Shostakovich's music took on an increasingly introspective and philosophical character. His later symphonies, especially the Tenth (1953), Thirteenth (1962, “Babi Yar”), and Fourteenth (1969), confront themes of death, oppression, and the human condition. The Thirteenth Symphony, based on poems by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, including the powerful "Babi Yar" about Nazi atrocities and Soviet anti-Semitism, was another daring act of moral defiance, though its performance was heavily censored. He also wrote numerous string quartets, each a deeply personal statement, with his final works often steeped in mortality and melancholy. His late style, marked by sparse textures and emotional rawness, broke away from Soviet expectations entirely.

Shostakovich died of lung cancer on August 9, 1975, in Moscow. By then, he was widely regarded as one of the Soviet Union’s greatest composers, but also one of its most enigmatic. His music continued to stir debate: was he a loyal Soviet or a secret dissident? Dmitri Shostakovich’s life and work remain a powerful testament to the complexities of creating art under totalitarianism. He walked a tightrope between public obedience and private expression, often using irony, ambiguity, and coded references to voice resistance. His music, at once visceral and cerebral, humorous and harrowing, has earned a lasting place in concert halls and cultural discourse, not only as a mirror of 20th-century Russia but as a universal expression of the human spirit under pressure.

The NSOI will perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 as part of a wider programme in the National Concert Hall on Friday 17 October, for more details please go to www.nch.ie

Programme Partners

Mary Mac Aodha

Trust & Foundation Partners

Thank You to our Corporate and Individual Supporters

We would like to acknowledge with appreciation and gratitude the generous support of our Corporate Partners, Corporate Members, Patrons, John Field Society Members and Friends.

Sinead Nic Oireachtaigh

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Patrons & John Field Society Members

Friends, Season Friends & Supporting Friends

Please get in touch with a member of the Partnerships & Philanthropy Team to learn more and find out how you can support your National Concert Hall today:

Aisling Kennedy

Corporate Development Executive aisling.kennedy@nch.ie: Emmet McSwiney

Individual Giving Executive emmet.mcswiney@nch.ie

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