London Calling: Irish Classical Performers Shine in Summer Music Scene

 In London last week, I was struck by the involvement of Irish musicians in major classical music events. The list I am sure is by no means complete.

To mark the 200th anniversary of the first performance of Beethoven's nineth Symphony, John Gilhooly, chair of the Royal Philharmonic Society unveiled a plaque on the site.  By all accounts, Mr Gilhooly runs a great show at the Wigmore Hall, London's premier chamber music venue where he is CEO

Buildings come & go, but the essential nature of the human spirit, which Beethoven so encapsulates remains constant."http://t.co/Cl4eAB9gwM
— Philharmonic Society (@RoyalPhilSoc) August 12, 2013

Beethoven incidentally received a bigger fee for his settings of Irish songs than he did for the famous symphony.

.@fidleir got paid a lot more for those songs than @RoyalPhilSoc gave me for me Ninth Symphony ;-)
— Beethoven Bust (@Beethoven_Bust) January 30, 2013

Also during the week another Gilhooly, Owen Gilhooly was a fabulous Ferryman in the debut production of Opera Nova, an exciting  new touring group dedicated it seems to 20th century* and contemporary opera. You can read my review of the production here 

Here's a treat. #CurlewRiver pics @StJohnsSmithSq w/ @MarkMilhofer @unclehooly. Next stop @PresteigneFest 21+22 Aug pic.twitter.com/964IP7yqka
— NovaMusic (@NovaMusicOpera) August 11, 2013

Finally members of the Irish Youth Choir joined other youth choirs in the Albert Hall for a free Proms performance of Beethoven Nineth Symphony which featured soprano Ailish Tynan as soloist

A hugely memorable Beethoven 9 last night - bravo to @nyotweets @codettaderry @nycgb @irishyouthchoir @AilishTynanEire @GeraldFinley et al
— Petroc Trelawny (@PetrocTrelawny) August 12, 2013

Bravo tutti!

* I should of course have added 21st century opera as the group will premier a newly commissioned work by Sally Beamish  in their next outing