Norwegian Wood - and Brass Summer Music in Ennis

The Summer Music in Galway (formerly Summer Music on the Shannon) presented a packed programme of  musical goodies at Danlann an Chláir in County Clare tonight.  Opening with Beethoven  Leonore Overture no 3 (apparently Beethoven made several revisions of his overture to Fidelio ), we heard not one but two solo concertos. I loved David Stewart's robust Mozart Violin Concerto (number 4 in D).  In the excellent accoustic of the Danlann, his  violin sounded  like a bell in the high register of the first movement .  Stewart was for many years leader of Bergen Philharmonic in Norway. There were more bright sounds with colleague  Jan Fredrik Christiansen's sparkling Haydn Trumpet concerto.  Keith Pascoe of the Van Brugh String Quartet was  quietly authoritive on the conductor's podium.

After the interval the orchestra was augmented to full Romantic proportions  for  act 2 from the opera , Hansel and Gretel which has all the best bits. The orchestra sounded lush although at times too loud for the younger cast members.  Jennifer McMahon played Hansel. Elena McLeod's Gretel and Helen Houlihan the Sandman. 

Earlier in the day there was charming chamber music trios at st Columba's , Ennis and a spirited account by Keith Pascoe and Brian McNamara of one of the most popular of Beethoven's violin concertos, the Spring Sonata.  Bob Creech reminded us all that this summer school gave its first performance at the same venue, (St Columba's Ennis) nineteen years ago. 

There will be more concerts as part of the Summer Music  in Galway and Clare Galway  Check out the list of performances here http://summermusicingalway.com/summer-music-brochure-2012.pdf

programme

My review of Summer Music Galway at Danlann 2011 here

Roisin McMullan Graduation Performance

Bach Partita two movements
Mozart Violin Sonata in G minor
Bruch Violin Concert Prelude and Adagio
Arvo Part Transitions


There was a good crowd of family and friends at Danlann an Chlár to hear violinist, Roisin McMullan perform her MA programme . Looking lovely in floral dress and red shoes she gave a performance of great poise and maturity in a diverse programme, part of her MA programme at UL. Roisin introduced each piece, giving some context to the works and she was ably accompanied by her former music teacher Michael Hennessy. Playing with a pleasing firmness of attack, she began with movements from a Bach solo partita She brought out all the playfulness of the Mozart. Although the Bruch concerto poses some great technical challenges, she was always in control. The audience included Michael Collins of Ennis Cathedral choir and his wife Carmel, Marie Corley and Sr Anne Considine, both fiddle players and Rachel Mulally, a virtuoso violinist herself. I chatted to Bob Creech Of Summer Music in Galway who told me of the exciting plans for this year. It was a wonderful occasion particularly for those in the audience who have been following Roisin's progress from novice to master over the years. Bob's daughter, Andrea Creech was Roisin's first teacher and one wonders how many thousnads of hours of practicing led to the assured bravura performance we heard tonight.
Congratulations Roisin. Best wishes on your post graduate career.