NCH What's On - January & February 2023

WHAT’S ON

©Chris Dunlop

Danielle de Niese

WELCOME

Welcome to our Programme for January and February 2023.

The new year is a time of hope and optimism. Resolutions abound and we are all filled with anticipation for the year ahead. Despite dark evenings we embrace this season with its promise of new beginnings and opportunities.

Our January-February programme reflects this new enthusiasm and aspiration. Beginning with our New Year’s Day celebration with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), the calendar spans the spectrum from soaring symphonic concerts, tributes to classic composers, distinguished international guests and inspirational recitals. We also endeavour to vanquish any winter blues with uplifting performances honouring the legacies of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus on January 26 and a celebration of Maria Callas on February 22, both by the wonderful RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Carlos Kalmar on January 13, Jessica Cottis on January 20 and the sublime Danielle de Niese for two performances on January 27 and February 3.

Elsewhere in the calendar Fiachra Garvey’s new Chamber Series harnesses one of the most important issues of our time, by paying tribute to our cherished environment in The Natural World on February 12 and 26.

We welcome our brightest new talent to the National Concert Hall on January 4 and February 11 when the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland perform their New Year Gala and the 27th Festival of Youth Orchestras takes place.

The NSO season continues with visits by prestigious international stars such as

In terms of homegrown talent, we toast the 25th Anniversary of The Irish Tenors on January 7 and 8 and remember the glory days of the showbands with Reeling In The Showband Years on January 14.

On a more contemporary note, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra give Radiohead a jazz twist on February 8 with Radiohead – A Jazz Symphony and Byron Wallen brings his famous ensemble to the NCH stage to pay homage to Boards of Canada on January 29.

Our Learning and Participation programme continues with new terms commencing for Mini Music, Gamelan Ensemble and Percussion Lab plus the ever-popular Quavers to Quadratics workshops.

We hope you enjoy all the concerts you attend during January and February and look forward to welcoming you back to many more wonderful concerts in 2023.

NCH BOARD MEMBERS

Maura

Secretary to the Board of the National Concert Hall is Margaret Larkin Patron Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland

Robert Read  CEO  National Concert Hall

Kensho Wattanbe - Fri. 21 January

Percussion Lab - Tues. 24 January

January

Sun 1 MS 3.30pm National Symphony Orchestra: New Yea r’s Day Celebration

Mon 2 & MS 2pm & 6pm The Sound of Music

Tue s 3

Wed 4 MS 7.30pm Na tio nal Youth Orchestra of Ireland New Year Gala

Fri 6 MS 7.30pm NSO a nd Peter Whelan: Mozart & Stravinsky

Sat 7 A34/ 10.10am Mini Music A3 5

Sat 7 & MS 8pm The Irish Tenors 25th Anniversary Sun 8

Fri 13 JFR 1.05pm B ugle Babes Sherry Trifle Show

Fri 13 MS 7.30pm NSO and Carlos Kalmar: M a hler, R.Strauss, Schubert & Josef Strauss

Sat 14 MS 8pm Reeling in The Showband Years

Sun15 MS 7.30pm RTÉ CO Classical Tunes from Classic Cartoons

Mon 16 KBRR 9.45am- Quavers to Quadratics Workshops

– Fri 20 2pm

Fri 20 JFR 1.05pm Oran Halligan Piano Recital

Fri 20 MS 7.30pm NSO and Jessica Cottis: Power, Dvorˇák, Beethoven

Sat 21 MS 7.30pm The RTÉ Concert Orchestra performs Gershwin and Sibelius

Sun 22 MS 5pm Inishowen: Performed by the Inishowen Trad Orchestra and Choir

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

Tues 24 GR 6pm / 8pm Gamelan Ensemble Term 2

Tues 24 103 6.30/7.30/ Percussion Lab Term 2 8.30pm

Wed 25 103 7pm Sing Out! Choir

Wed 25 KBRR 7.30pm Piano Recital by Luke Lally Maguire

Thurs 26 MS 8pm RTÉ Concert Orchestra: The Duke and Mingus

Fri 27 JFR 1.05pm A Celebration of Edward Bunting

Fri 27 MS 7.30pm NSO, Jaime Martín & Danielle de Niese: Brahms & Poulenc

Sun 29 KBRR 3pm Schubertreise XXV

Sun 29 MS 7.30pm Byron Wallen’s Boards of Canada

February

Wed 1 KBRR 7.30pm Piano Recital by Rachel O’Hara

Friday 3 JFR 1.05pm Someone To Watch Over Me –The Life and Music of George Gershwin

Fri 3 MS 7.30pm NSO, Jaime Martín & Danielle de Niese: Ravel & Mozart

Wed 8 MS 8pm RTÉ Concert Orchestra: RadioheadA Jazz Symphony

Fri 10 JFR 1.05pm Enoch Arden by Richard Strauss: A Melodrama

Fri 10 MS 7.30pm NSO and Case Scaglione: Ives, Beethoven & Sibelius

Sat 11 MS 2.30pm & 27th Festival of Youth Orchestras 7pm

A34/A35: Rooms A34/A35 103: Room 103 GR: Gamelan Room VAR: Various

Sun 12 KBRR 3pm NCH Chamber Music Series: The Natural WorldMairéad Hickey & Fiachra Garvey

Thurs 16 JFR 7.30pm The Lyric’s The Thing

Fri 17 MS 7.30pm NSO and Jonathon Heyward: Graz˙yna Bacewicz, Mozart & Dvorˇák

Wed 22 MS 8pm RTÉ Concert Orchestra: Maria Callas - A Centenary Celebration

Thurs 23 MS 8pm Irish Chamber Orchestra: Strauss, Mozart, Deane & Haydn

Fri 24 JFR 1.05pm Just Julie – The Julie Andrews Songbook

Fri 24 MS 7.30pm NSO and Elena Schwartz: Ligeti, Khachaturian & Dvorˇák

Sat 25 MS 7.30pm Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini

Sun 26 KBRR 3pm NCH Chamber Music Series: The Natural World - Caitríona Frost & Alex Petcu

Sun 26 MS 6pm Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini

Tues 28 MS 10.30am & Music In The Classroom: 12.15pm Leaving Certificate Music Guide

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE IRISH TENORS

The Irish Tenors mark their 25th anniversary with two special concerts in the National Concert Hall on January 7 and 8. Below are ten things you should know about the remarkable trio.

1. The first line-up of The Irish Tenors comprised Ronan Tynan, Anthony Kearns and John McDermott. The group were put together in 1998 by producers Bill Hughes and Daniel Harte for the TV special The Irish Tenors: Live in Dublin, which debuted in 1999 on PBS television in the United States.

2. The Irish Tenors were the first group to be given permission to record on the hallowed grounds of Ellis Island for a PBS Special hosted by renowned actor Martin Sheen. The concert featured the song ‘Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears’ that became a huge hit for the group which was written by songwriter Brendan Graham.

3. In 2006, RTÉ ran a nine-part series The Irish Tenors and Friends which featured the line-up of Anthony Kearns, Finbar Wright and Karl Scully. During the series, they were joined by

... The Irish Tenors have sold out shows at home and abroad in such venues as Madison Square Garden, The Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall ...

guests such as Andrew Lloyd Weber, Shayne Ward, Sharon Shannon, Paul Carrick, Brian Kennedy and Rebecca Storm.

4. Over the course of their career The Irish Tenors have sold out shows at home and abroad in such venues as Madison Square Garden, The Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, The Odyssey and the INEC.

5. Ronan Tynan is a successful track and field Paralympian. He represented Ireland in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Paralympics winning four golds, two silvers and one bronze medal.

6. Anthony Kearns is an in-demand opera star and has many credits to his name including Don Giovanni’s Don Ottavio (Ireland), Carmen’s Don José (Ireland), Lucia di Lammermore’s Edgardo (US) and Alfred in Die Fledermaus (US) to name but a few.

7. Declan Kelly was a primary school teacher before he became a singer. He studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music with Paul Deegan and the The National Opera Studio in London.

8. Ronan Tynan was a medical doctor before his singing career took off. He worked administering vaccines in Kilkenny during the Covid 19 pandemic.

9. The Irish Tenors are among the largest pledge drive earners for PBS Television (Public Broadcasting Services) in North America along with Andrea Bocelli, The Three Tenors and Andre Rieu.

10. The Irish Tenors’ forthcoming 25th anniversary concert in the National Concert Hall will see them perform some of their most beloved numbers; their ever-popular repertoire includes their interpretations of ‘Danny Boy’, ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, ‘Fields of Athenry’ and ‘South of The Border (Down Mexico Way)’.

National Symphony Orchestra: New Year’s Day Celebration

Sunday 1 January 3.30pm Main Stage

Proinnsías Ó Duinn conductor Sinéad Campbell-Wallace soprano Gavan Ring tenor

Programme includes:

J Strauss II Die Fledermaus Overture

J Strauss II Thunder and Lightning Polka Lehár ‘Gern hab’ ich die Frau’n geküsst’ from Paganini

Puccini ‘La tregenda’ from Le Villi Puccini ‘Che gelida manina’ from La bohème

What would New Year’s Day be without the glamour and gaiety of old Vienna? Bid farewell to the old and welcome in the new with ravishing music from ‘the Waltz King’, Johann Strauss II, and Franz Lehár, together with some of Puccini’s greatest arias.

Tickets €24, €34.50, €44.50, €49.50

Limited Concessions Available

10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music

Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 January 2pm and 6pm Main Stage

Roisin Sullivan Maria Carl Stallwood Captain Von Trapp Jennifer Grundulis Mother Abbess Jimmy Dixon Max Detweiler Ceara Grehan The Baroness The Festival Orchestra, Chorus and Dancers

Tony Finnegan Director Wilson Shields Music Director Sinead Lightly Choreographer

Following on from its successful Christmas run, Festival Productions’ celebrated show The Sound of Music continues at the NCH. This spectacular, fully staged and costumed production stars an incredible cast of Irish musical theatre talent, alongside the Festival Orchestra, Chorus and Dancers. Not to be missed!

Tickets €29, €35, €39

Presented by Festival Productions

Gavan Ring

NYOI

National Youth Orchestra of Ireland New Year Gala

Wednesday 4 January 7.30pm Main Stage

Join The National Youth Orchestra of Ireland to celebrate the New Year. Be uplifted by the best young musicians in Ireland (aged 12-19), performing a full symphonic programme to brighten up a winter evening.

Tickets €20, Children €9 Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Presented by the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland

Sponsored by the Department of Education and Skills and The Arts Council of Ireland

National Symphony Orchestra and Peter Whelan: Mozart & Stravinsky

Friday 6 January 7.30pm Main Stage

Peter Whelan conductor Paula Murrihy mezzo-soprano Nick Pritchard tenor John Molloy bass Meadhbh O’Rourke flute (Winner Maura Dowdall Concerto Competition 2022) Richard Allen harp

Mozart Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra Stravinsky Pulcinella

Contrasts aplenty with two works that sparkle and thrill: the classical effervescence of Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp and Stravinsky’s Janus-faced ballet Pulcinella , borrowing from the past to usher in a brilliant new modernity.

Tickets €15, €23.50, €31, €38.50 Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

Mini Music Term 2

Saturday 7 January, Various Class Times A34/A35

Beginning of 10-week Term

Mini Music is an action-packed music workshop experience for youngsters aged 3 months to 8 years old. Each of the Mini Music sessions is 30 minutes long and is led by a highly trained workshop facilitator, using tuned and untuned percussion instruments and of course the one instrument we all have – the voice.

30-minute class tickets €120 for 10-week term

Mini Maestro workshop tickets €155 per 10-week term

Presented by NCH

Peter Whelan - Friday 6 January

©Marco Borggreve

The Irish Tenors 25th Anniversary

Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 January 8pm Main Stage

Ronan Tynan Anthony Kearns Declan Kelly 30 Piece Orchestra

Since they first joined voices in 1998, The Irish Tenors have made countless traditional treasures breathe with new life. Moreover, they’ve proven themselves gifted interpreters of a wide range of material, with such songs as ‘My Heart Will Go On’, ‘Fairytale Of New York’ and ‘South of The Border (Down Mexico Way)’.

Tickets €35, €45, €55

Presented by Teg Mjr Eire

Bugle Babes

‘The Sherry Trifle Show’

Friday 13 January 1.05pm

John Field Room

Music from Glenn Miller, The Andrews Sisters, King Sisters and other vintage sister groups.

Derby Browne and The Bugle Babes return with their cosy winter-warmer, ‘The Sherry Trifle Show’ for post-Christmas cheer.

Tickets €18 Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Derby Browne

The Irish Tenors

National Symphony Orchestra and Carlos Kalmar: Mahler, R. Strauss, Schubert & Josef Strauss

Friday 13 January 7.30pm Main Stage

Carlos Kalmar conductor John Finucane clarinet Greg Crowley bassoon

Mahler Adagio from Symphony No. 10 Richard Strauss Duet Concertino Schubert Symphony No. 8 ‘Unfinished’ Josef Strauss Music of the Spheres

A conductor of ‘verve and passion’ (ArtsATL), Carlos Kalmar returns to the NSO podium for this magical performance. Last thoughts and leave-takings promise an evening of heightened emotion, pent-up drama and soaring poetry in valedictory works by Mahler, Josef Strauss, Schubert and Richard Strauss.

Tickets €15, €23.50, €31, €38.50

Limited Concessions Available

10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

Reeling in The Showband Years

Saturday 14 January 8pm

Main Stage

Showband

A salute to the great showband days, performed by the stars who lived through them. RTÉ’S Ronan Collins, international star, Red Hurley, Eurovision winner, Linda Martin and many more great showband stars. Backed by The Conquerors, one of the greatest showbands of them all.

Tickets €25, €30, €35

10% Discount for Friends of the NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Tommy Swarbrigg

Ronan Collins Linda Martin Red Hurley Shaun O’Dowd Keith and Lorraine McDonald Dave Lalor The Conquerors

Carlos Kalmar

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra: Classical Tunes from Classic Cartoons

Sunday 15 January 7.30pm Main Stage

RTÉ Concert Orchestra Gavin Maloney conductor Gavan Ring tenor

Presented by Aedín Gormley, RTÉ lyric fm

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra kicks off the centenary year of both Disney and Warner Bros with a night of classics from the cartoons. The world of animation has always plundered the world of classical music to great effect. Join the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for a whirlwind tour of the most memorable examples!

Please note that there is no screen element to this performance.

Tickets €15, €28.50, €42.50

Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Groups of 10 or more Presented by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Quavers to Quadratics: Music and Science Workshops

Monday 16 - Friday 20 January 9:45am2pm

Kevin Barry Recital Room

Quavers to Quadratics is an innovative programme exploring the intersection of the worlds of music and science through a series of hands-on workshops. Quavers to Quadratics sees children (in 3rd - 6th classes) play with ideas that are common to music and science.

Free, but ticketed. Returns Only.

Presented by NCH, University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin Schools of Education. Generously supported by Science Foundation Ireland and ESB. [SFI & ESB logos to be included]

Oran Halligan

Oran

Halligan Piano Recital

Friday 20 January 1.05pm John Field Room

Oran Halligan piano

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp Minor, op. 27, No. 2 Moonlight Michael William Balfe Fantasia per il Pianoforte

Frédéric Chopin Polonaise in C Minor op. 40, No. 2

Enrique Granados Allegro de Concierto

The winner of the Freemasons Young Musician of the year 2019, makes his John Field Room debut in an exciting recital of brilliant piano music.

Tickets €16

Presented by Anthony Byrne

National Symphony Orchestra and Jessica Cottis: Power, Dvorˇák & Beethoven

Friday 20 January 7.30pm Main Stage

Jessica Cottis conductor Leticia Moreno violin

Karen Power …nature calls… (NSO Commission - World Premiere) Dvorˇák Violin Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 7

Three vital and vivid responses to the pleasures of birdsong, the natural world and to life itself – including the world premiere of Karen Power’s brilliant new piece – illuminate music’s power to thrillingly capture mood and moment, place and people.

Tickets €15, €23.50, €31, €38.50

Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student tickets available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

Jessica Cottis - Friday 20 January

GEORGE GERSHWIN

On February 3 The Life and Music of George Gershwin will be celebrated in Someone To Watch Over Me in the John Field Room at 1.05pm. Join soprano Sandra Oman, baritone Simon Morgan, pianist David Wray, and actor Pete McCamley in the role of George Gershwin, as they celebrate the man and his music. George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto will also be performed by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on 21 January with Michael McHale as soloist.

Here are 10 Things To Know About George Gershwin:

• George Gershwin was of Russian-Jewish ancestry and was born on September 26, 1898 in Brooklyn, New York.

• George left school at the age of 15 to work as a song plugger in New York City’s Tin Pan Alley, earning the princely sum of $15 a week.

• In 1919 he scored his first big national hit with his song ‘Swanee’. Al Jolson heard Gershwin perform the song at a party and decided to sing it in one of his shows. ‘Swanee’ was Gershwin’s biggest hot, he never beat its sales volumes.

• When the opera Porgy and Bess was first performed in 1935, it was a box office flop. Now it is widely regarded as one of the most important operas of the 20th century.

• ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess is one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music, with more than 33,000 covers by various bands, ensembles and individual musicians.

• When George Gershwin wrote ‘I Got Rhythm’ he changed the direction of jazz forever. The song’s chord progressions, simply called rhythm changes have become the second most common harmonic structure in jazz

• In 1924, Gershwin composed his first major work, Rhapsody in Blue, for orchestra and piano. It established Gershwin’s signature style and genius in blending vastly different musical styles, including jazz and classical, in revolutionary ways.

• In the mid-1920s, Gershwin stayed in Paris for a short period, during which he applied to study composition with the noted Nadia Boulanger, who, not wanting to ruin his style, turned him down. Maurice Ravel also turned him down saying, “Why become a second-rate Ravel when you’re already a first-rate Gershwin?”

• During his stay in France, Gershwin wrote An American in Paris which premiered in New York in 1928. The musical film An American in Paris was released in 1951 and won that year’s Best Picture Oscar. It featured many of Gershwin’s compositions.

• In 1937, Gershwin received his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 1937 Oscars for ‘They Can’t Take That Away From Me’, written with his brother Ira for the 1937 film Shall We Dance. The nomination was posthumous, he died from a brain tumor two months after the film’s release.

Inishowen - Sunday 22 January

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra performs Gershwin and Sibelius

Saturday 21 January 7.30pm Main Stage

RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Kensho Watanabe conductor Michael McHale piano

Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture

Gershwin Piano Concerto in F Major Sibelius Symphony No. 5

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra invites you to an evening of glorious masterpieces to light up the month of January! The exhilarating colour of Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture should banish any winter blues. Then for Gershwin’s thrilling F Major piano concerto, we welcome to centre stage leading Irish pianist Michael McHale.

Tickets €15, €28.50, €42.50

Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Groups of 10 or more

Presented by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Inishowen: Performed by the Inishowen Trad Orchestra and Choir

Sunday 22 January 5pm Main Stage

Inishowen (Arranged and Conducted by Martin Tourish)

I Overture

II Honoria Galwey, Part 1

III Honoria Galwey, part 2

IV Dinny McLaughlin

V Big Nights

Inishowen Traditional Orchestra and Choir perform a specially commissioned arrangement of traditional music and song collected and composed in Inishowen, County Donegal. Arranged and conducted by Martin Tourish and performed by some of Inishowen’s finest traditional musicians and singers.

Tickets €25, Children €20 Family €70 (4 people, max. 2 adults)

Concessions Available 10% Discount for Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Inishowen Traditional Music Project and Donegal County Council

Sponsored by Donegal County Council

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The National Concert Hall (NCH) is Ireland’s national cultural institution for music.

We are a living space for music, nurturing lifelong enjoyment, connection and participation in music for everyone, enriching the cultural landscape of Ireland.

Our extensive programme of live performances span classical, contemporary, traditional, family and outreach events and would not be possible without the support of our corporate partners. Whether through Corporate Membership or Sponsorship your company can help bring the magic of music and live performance to people in Ireland by:

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Contact Helen Carroll on helen.carroll@nch.ie today to find out more.

Thank you for supporting the future of Irish arts and music.

Gamelan Ensemble

Tuesday 24 January

Start of 8-week Term Various Class Times Gamelan Room

The Gamelan is a terrific instrument for both learning and performing. We encourage anyone to join our beginners’ group, where there is no requirement of previous musical experience.

Course Fee €65 for the 8-week term

Book your place from Tuesday 6th December.

Presented by NCH

Percussion Lab

Tuesday 24 January

Start of 8-week Term Various Class Times Room 103

Percussion Lab is a drumming ensemble for anyone over the age of 16. There are no entry requirements, and no previous experience is required – all you need to bring is your enthusiasm!

Course Fee €65 per 8-week term

Book your place from Tuesday 6th December.

Presented by NCH

NCH Sing Out! Choir

NCH Sing Out! Choir

Wednesday 25 January 7pm

Start of 8-week Term Room 103

Come together and find your voice! There are no auditions or other criteria for enrolment, other than an open mind and the will to sing. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Course Fee €65 per 8-week term

Book your place from Tuesday 6th December.

Presented by NCH

Gamelan Ensemble

Schubertreise XXVI

Sunday 29 January, 3pm Kevin Barry Recital Room

Join Baritone Conor Biggs and pianist Michel Stas as they continue their epic multi-annual journey through the complete songs of Franz Schubert.

Part twenty-six features a programme of attractive, shorter songs that Schubert composed in the summer and autumn of 1816 including 'Gott im Frühlinge' and 'Fragment aus dem Aeschylus'.

Tickets €17.50 Presented by NCH.

Allan Harris - Thursday 26 January

Piano Recital by Luke Lally Maguire

Wednesday 25 January 7.30pm Kevin Barry Recital Room

Luke Lally Maguire piano

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, op. 101 Philip Martin The Rainbow Comes and Goes Claude Debussy Preludes Book 1: Danseuses de Delphes Les Collines d’Anacapri La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin Grazyna Bacewicz Sonata No. 2

Dubliner Luke Lally Maguire was the winner of the Mabel Swainson Award at Feis Ceoil in 2021 and is delighted to present this piano recital with the wide-ranging styles of music by Beethoven, Martin, Debussy and Bacewitz.

Tickets €15 Concessions Available

Presented by the Friends of Mabel and Ronald Swainson

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra: The Duke and Mingus

Thursday 26 January 8pm Main Stage

RTÉ Concert Orchestra Guy Barker conductor Giacomo Smith clarinet/saxophone Allan Harris vocalist

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra celebrates two jazz legends in new arrangements by its Associate Artist Guy Barker. Bringing back Guy’s Charles Mingus suite, now teamed with a tribute to key Mingus influence Duke Ellington. Featuring top jazz artists Allan Harris and Giacomo Smith.

Tickets €15, €28.50, €42.50 Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Groups of 10 or more

Presented by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Jaime Martín and the NSO - Friday 27 January

A Celebration of Edward Bunting

Friday 27 January 1.05pm

John Field Room

Bryan Murray actor

Teresa O’Donnell harp

Mary Louise O’Donnell voice

Denice Doyle violin

Jane Hughes cello

Pat Fitzpatrick uilleann pipes

This concert celebrates the music, life and legacy of Edward Bunting. Music and songs from Bunting’s three collections will be interwoven with extracts from his personal letters.

Ticket €15

Concessions Available

Presented by Teresa O’Donnell

National Symphony Orchestra, Jaime Martín and Danielle de Niese: Brahms & Poulenc

Friday 27 January 7.30pm Main Stage

Jaime Martín conductor Danielle de Niese soprano

Brahms Symphony No. 3 Poulenc La voix humaine

Danielle de Niese, ‘opera’s coolest soprano’ (The New York Times) and ‘one of the most sought-after singers on the planet’ (BBC Radio 3 ), is not to be missed in a work she has made her own: Poulenc’s searing monodrama La voix humaine. Don’t miss her in the first of two programmes with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets €20, €29.50, €37.50, €45

Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

Schubertreise XXVI

Sunday 29 January 3pm

Kevin Barry Recital Room

Baritone Conor Biggs and pianist Michel Stas continue their epic multi-annual journey through the complete songs of Franz Schubert.

Tickets €17.50

Presented by NCH

Byron Wallen’s Boards of Canada

Sunday 29 January 8pm Main Stage

Byron Wallen’s Gayan Gamelan Ensemble performing Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children

Very Special guests Glasshouse Ensemble performing the works of Aphex Twin

This is a debut Dublin show for British jazz trumpeter Byron Wallen and his eight-piece Ensemble celebrating one of the greatest albums of all time. His fantastic show pays homage to Boards of Canada’s seminal album Music Has the Right to Children working with his rarely used Gamelan Ensemble for a truly unique night.

Tickets €29.50

Presented by Selective Memory

Piano Recital by Rachel O’Hara

Wednesday 1 February 7.30pm

Kevin Barry Recital Room

Rachel O’Hara piano

Joseph Haydn Sonata in B Minor, Hob. XVI: 32

Johannes Brahms Klavierstücke op. 118 Conor Linehan Intermezzo

György Ligeti Piano Étude Book 1: IV. Fanfares

Winner of the Mabel Swainson Award in Feis Ceoil 2022, Rachel O’Hara presents this recital with a programme featuring the music of Haydn, Brahms, Linehan and Ligeti in a wide variety of styles and colour to guarantee a wonderful evening of piano playing.

Tickets €15 Concessions Available

Presented by the Friends of Mabel and Ronald Swainson

Rachel O’Hara

Byron Wallen’s Boards of Canada

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Someone To Watch Over Me –The Life and Music of George Gershwin

Friday 3 February 1.05pm John Field Room

Sandra Oman soprano Simon Morgan baritone Pete McCamley actor David Wray piano

From the opening clarinet glissando of Rhapsody in Blue to the timeless classics ‘Embraceable You’ and ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, George Gershwin’s music continues to enchant the public in the twenty-first century. A stunning lunchtime celebration of one of the twentieth century’s greatest composers.

Tickets €20 Concessions Available

10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Sheldon Nulty Music

National Symphony Orchestra, Jaime Martín and Danielle de Niese: Ravel & Mozart

Friday 3 February 7.30pm Main Stage

Jaime Martín conductor Danielle de Niese soprano National Symphony Chorus

Ravel Shéhérazade Mozart Die Entführung aus dem Serail Overture Mozart Exsultate, jubilate Ravel Daphnis et Chloé

A second opportunity to hear one of opera’s true superstars, Danielle de Niese, in music that could have been written for her: Ravel’s exotically perfumed song-cycle, Shéhérazade, and Mozart’s bold and brilliant marriage of the operatic and the sacred, Exsultate, jubilate.

Tickets €20, €29.50, €37.50, €45 Limited Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student tickets available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

Sandra Oman

Leticia Moreno - Friday 20 January

©Chris Dunlop

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT…

Danielle de Niese

Danielle de Niese has amassed superlatives aplenty in a career that has seen her become one of opera’s brightest talents, The New York Times dubbing her ‘opera’s coolest soprano’ equipped with a voice ‘seductive enough to woo gods as well as mortals’. Others have called her ‘the most sought-after singer on the planet’, ‘not just a superb performer but a natural one’, and ‘a Diva for the 21st century’.

As she makes a welcome return to Dublin for two appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra on January 27 and February 3, here are 10 things you might not know about a vivacious singer widely regarded as the greatest opera diva of her generation:

1. Danielle de Niese was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1979 to Sri Lankan parents, and can also claim Scottish and Dutch blood in her family tree.

2. Aged eight, she was the youngest-ever winner of Australian talent show, Young Talent Time, and still owns the baby grand piano that was part of her prize.

3. Her childhood idols were pop icon Whitney Houston and opera star Kiri Te Kanawa.

4. Moving with her family to Los Angeles in 1990, she won an Emmy Award, aged 16, for hosting the television programme, LA Kids.

5. She made her professional debut with LA Opera aged 15, her Metropolitan Opera debut following just four years later.

6. She can be heard on the soundtrack of two Ridley Scott films: Hannibal, starring Anthony Hopkins (2001) and Kingdom of Heaven, starring Liam Neeson (2005), singing Patrick Cassidy’s Vide Vor Meum.

7. Her recording debut in 2004 was the title role in Handel’s Semele.

8. Her first appearance in Ireland was with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in the National Concert Hall in 2012.

9. Danielle’s personal mantra is ‘Dare to Dream’. She explains: ‘Whenever those surveys ask what your motto is, that’s what I say, because it does encapsulate who I am. I have big dreams to fulfil and I’m not afraid of them.’

10. She is married to Gus Christie, chairman of Glyndebourne Festival Opera. The couple have two children and live in Glyndebourne, Sussex.

Reinout Douma - Wednesday 8 February

RTÉ Concert Orchestra: Radiohead: A Jazz Symphony

Wednesday 8 February 8pm Main Stage

RTÉ Concert Orchestra Reinout Douma conductor

First Irish performance of this reimagining of Radiohead as arranged for jazz soloists and orchestra. Reinout Douma makes his RTÉ CO debut to conduct this classy, imaginative piece featuring ‘Paranoid Android’, ‘Weird Fishes’, ‘Karma Police’, ‘Exit Music’, ‘You’, ‘Creep’ and more.

Tickets €15, €28.50, €42.50

Limited Concessions Available

Presented by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Enoch Arden by Richard Strauss: A Melodrama

Friday 10 February 1.05pm John Field Room

Annette Cleary cello Réamonn Keary piano Barry McGovern actor

Enoch Arden , a poem by Tennyson was the inspiration for a melodrama for piano and narrator by Richard Strauss. Cellist Annette Cleary and pianist Réamonn Keary have composed a new arrangement of the work for cello, piano and actor.

Tickets €20 Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Annette Cleary Supported by the Arts Council

National Symphony Orchestra and Case Scaglione: Ives, Beethoven & Sibelius

Friday 10 February 7.30pm Main Stage

Case Scaglione conductor Federico Colli piano

Ives The Unanswered Question

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Sibelius Symphony No. 1

Delve into the unfathomable realms of the head and heart with three mighty works peering into the darkest corners of the soul to emerge in enigmatic mystery, effusive lyricism and irresistible yearning. Making his Irish debut for this performance is Texan conductor Case Scaglione – ‘Follow this conductor… a Musician’s Musician’ (Diapason).

Tickets €15, €23.50, €31, €38.50

Limited Concessions Available

10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

27th Festival of Youth Orchestras

Saturday 11 February 2.30pm and 7pm Main Stage

2:30pm:

Musica Fusion Community Orchestra

Major Minors Junior Orchestra

Presto Players

Junior Cork Youth Orchestra

7pm: Cork ETB Youth Orchestra

Mayo Youth Orchestra

Fidil Sligo Academy of Music Sinfonietta

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture Rimsky-Korsakov Dance of the Tumbler Karl Jenkins Palladio

Music from the screen including ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’, The West Wing and Brave, pop and rock classics from Abba and The Rolling Stones.

The annual celebration of Irish youth orchestras and their members features a programme of music played by young people for young people. The festival will feature over 400 young players from across Ireland perform classical works and modern arrangements.

Tickets €20, Children €7.50

Family €45 (4 people, max. 2 adults)

Concessions Available

20% Discount for Friends of NCH

40% Discount for Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Irish Association of Youth Orchestras

Federico Colli

27th Festival of Youth Orchestras

NCH Chamber Music Series

The Natural World: Mairéad Hickey and Fiachra Garvey

Sunday 12 February 3pm

Kevin Barry Recital Room

Mairéad Hickey violin Fiachra Garvey piano

Johannes Brahms Sonata No. 2 in A major for Violin and Piano, op. 100 Deirdre McKay ‘a quarter million miles from the moon’

Richard Strauss Sonata in E flat Major for Violin and Piano, op. 18

In this programme entitled Melodic Masterworks, Brahms’ sonata places huge demands both lyrically and technically on both the violinist and pianist. McKay’s ethereal work, sandwiched between these two masterworks, offers the perfect calm before the Strauss storm.

Tickets €17.50

10% Discount for Friends of NCH

Presented by NCH

The Lyric’s The Thing

Thursday 16 February 7.30pm

John Field Room

Back by popular demand, Paul Harringto n, accompanied by Graham Murphy, returns to perform a selection of songs from the popular radio series ‘The Lyric’s The Thing’. An evening exploring the stories behind some of the most popular songs in music history.

Tickets €25

Presented by Paul Harrington

Mairéad Hickey & Fiachra Garvey

Paul Harrington

National Symphony Orchestra

National Symphony Orchestra and Jonathan Heyward: Graz˙yna Bacewicz, Mozart & Dvorˇák

Friday 17 February 7.30pm Main Stage

Jonathon Heyward conductor Francesca Dego violin

Graz˙yna Bacewicz Overture Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 Dvorˇák Symphony No. 8

A National Symphony Orchestra

75th birthday celebration featuring three showcase works for orchestra: a masterpiece symphony rooted in the ageless forests of Bohemia, a dazzling violin concerto with a Turkish tinge and a wartime Overture with a hidden message of hope.

Tickets €15, €23.50, €31, €38.50

Limited Concessions Available

10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra: Maria Callas – A Centenary Celebration

Wednesday 22 February 8pm Main Stage

RTÉ Concert Orchestra Sinéad Campbell-Wallace soprano Noah Stewart tenor

Presented by Liz Nolan , RTÉ Lyric FM

Maria Callas, ‘La divina’, captured the imagination like few other artists – for many she is the ultimate opera singer. The RTÉ Concert Orchestra marks her centenary year with glorious arias and duets from two wonderful performers, Sinéad Campbell-Wallace and guest Noah Stewart.

Tickets €15, €28.50, €42.50

Limited Concessions Available Presented by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Sinéad Campbell-Wallace - Wednesday 22 February

Irish Chamber Orchestra –Strauss, Mozart, Deane & Haydn

Thursday 23 February 8pm

Main Stage

Irish Chamber Orchestra

Thomas Zehetmair director/violin Ruth Killius viola

Strauss Serenade op.7 (arr. Stein) Mozart Sinfonia Concertante in E flat for Violin and Viola, K364 Raymond Deane Embers Haydn Symphony No. 49, F Minor ‘La Passione’

Celebrated husband-and-wife duo

Thomas Zehetmair and Ruth Killius fan the flames of Mozart’s glorious Sinfonia Concertante. Enjoy the lyricism of Strauss’s stunning Serenade alongside Raymond Deane’s atmospheric Embers. Haydn’s Symphony No. 49 brims with turbulence, exploring grief with feeling and flair.

Tickets €25, Children €5 Concessions Available 10% Discount for Groups of 10 or more €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the Irish Chamber Orchestra

Just Julie – The Julie Andrews Songbook

Friday 24 February 1.05pm

John Field Room

Róisín Sullivan soprano David Wray piano

Following her run as Maria in The Sound of Music at the NCH, Róisín Sullivan sings much loved classics from the Julie Andrews songbook. Take a stroll through Julie’s most famous productions including Mary Poppins , My Fair Lady, Camelot, Thoroughly Modern Mille and of course, The Sound of Music.

Tickets €20 Concessions Available 10% Discount for Friends of NCH 15% Discount for Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Róisín Sullivan

Thomas Zehetmair

Elena Schwarz Madama Butterfly

National Symphony Orchestra and Elena Schwarz: Ligeti, Khachaturian & Dvorˇák

Friday 24 February 7.30pm Main Stage

Elena Schwarz conductor Leonard Elschenbroich cello

Ligeti Concert Românesc Khachaturian Cello Concerto Dvorˇák Symphony No. 7

An opportunity to hear for yourself why Elena Schwarz is ‘taking the world by storm’ (CutCommon) as she partners with the ‘great technical prowess, intellectual curiosity and expressive depth’ (New York Times) of Leonard Elschenbroich for three colourful border-crossing extravaganzas.

Tickets €15, €23.50, €31, €38.50

Limited Concessions Available

10% Discount for Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Limited €10 Student Tickets Available

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini

Saturday 25 February, 7.30pm Sunday 26 February, 6pm Main Stage

Anne Sophie Duprels conductor Vivian J. Coates director/designer

Lyric Opera presents a fully staged production of the world’s favourite opera – Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. With a stellar cast of Irish and International talent, accompanied by the Lyric Opera Orchestra under the baton of Anne Sophie Duprels.

Pre-performance Talk one hour before each performance

Tickets €38, €45, €55

10% Discount for Friends of Lyric Opera, Friends of NCH and Groups of 10 or more

Presented by Lyric Opera Productions

Alex Petcu

NCH Chamber Music SeriesThe Natural World: Caitríona Frost & Alex Petcu

Sunday 26 February 3pm Kevin Barry Recital Room

Bangers and Crash Percussion DuoCaitríona Frost & Alex Petcu

Emmanuel Sejourne Losa Ivan Trevino 2+1

Caitriona Frost Trip to Paris Elliot Cole Postlude No. 8 Ella Macens Falling Embers Nils Rohwer Duet Colours Gene Koshinski And So The Wind Blew

The Bangers and Crash Percussion Group is a collective of Irish percussionists who regularly collaborate for a wide range of projects.

Tickets €17.50

10% Discount for Friends of NCH

Presented by NCH

David Brophy

Music In The Cla ssroom: Leaving Certificate Music Guide

Thursday 28 February 10.30am and 12.15pm Main Stage

National Symphony Orchestra Presented by Tom Redmond David Brophy conductor

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture

The internationally praised music educationalist Tom Redmond and the National Symphony Orchestra present a step-by-step guide to Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, highlighting key themes and sections, presented with big screen musical illustrations and concluding with a full performance.

Duration approx. 1 hour.

Student Tickets €10 (Accompanying Teachers go free)

Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra

PROGRAMME PARTNERS

TRUST & FOUNDATION PARTNERS

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. CORPORATE MEMBERS OVATION

Hospitality Partners

PATRONS & JOHN FIELD SOCIETY MEMBERS

Deirdre Baneham, Frank & Ivy Bannister, James Billett, Anthony Brown, Kathleen & Al Brown, Michael Bourke, Sharon Burke, Dr Tom Carey, John Carr, Brid Cannon & Juan Pablo Cortes Ocampo, Bernadette Coggins, Denis & Grainne Cremins, Dr Crona Gallagher & Jim Clery, Sir James & Lady Jeanne Galway, Gerard Gillen, Diana Jamieson, Brian Kingham, Mary Mac Aodha, Brian McElroy, Sinead Ni Oireachtaigh, Prof Deirdre O Grady, Tiernan O hAlmhain, Dr Rachel Patton, Beverly Sperry, Kieran Tobin, Stephen Vernon, Peter & Elva Wyatt

FRIENDS, SEASON FRIENDS AND SUPPORTING FRIENDS

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

Helen Carroll

Head of Partnerships and Philanthropy helen.carroll@nch.ie

Emmet McSwiney Individual Giving Executive emmet.mcswiney@nch.ie

BeoleCeol