German Requiem in Castletroy auf Deutsche!

Selig sind, die da Leid tragen, denn sie sollen getrostet werden 

'Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted' .

The liturgical ritual of farewell  has provided the spur for some of the most highly charged and emotional works in the canon and there was a rare opportunity to hear one of the apotheosis of the form by one of the masters of the German Romantic tradition  at University Concert Hall  on Saturday night when Limerick Choral Union dedicated  a performance of Brahm's German Requiem to  members of the choir who have passed away. Sung in the original German, this dramatic setting of the Lutheran text has logistical and practical challenges  being the longest of Brahms works clocking in at about an hour and opportunities to hear it are infrequent.  By coincidence, the work was also performed in the National Concert Hall by the NSO and the RTE Philharmonic Choir the previous evening. The broadcast included an overview of the form in an insightful interval talk by David Vivian Russell  Lyric Concert Friday 20th April

Russell refers to the emphasis in the German Requiem being more on consolation of the living rather than the fate of the dead  and what music of consolation is the fifth movement.  Notoriously difficult for the soloist, the lyric from John's Gospel  was beautifully and effortlessly delivered by soprano Carmel Conway.  Baritone Owen Gilhooly's third movement dialogue with the choir was vigorous yet  smooth ending in a magnificent song of hope and joy. 

Malcolm Green

Johannes Brahms

There was a good house for this  Easter concert with  many family , friends , former members and afficionados in the audience for the programme which included the Italianate Mass for St Cecelia featuring young tenor Eoin Hynes as a complement  to the more substantial German fare.  Among the audience were David Howes,  grandson  and son of  anchor members Harry and  Michael .  David, a Masters student at DIT had earlier in the day been awarded the Todd Cup for oratorio at Feile Liminí with a bass aria from Judas Maccabeus  as had his grandfather 40 years previously. The family were remembering specially  the late Muriel Howes, a  former LCU member who sang with the choir when they last performed the work in 2004.

Percussion at the  ready

Soprano Carmel Conway

Although no aspect of the classical music scene made it into a two page article in the Irish Times  covering Limerick's music scene recently, this was a huge musical  endeavour involving something in the region of 200 people in a  performance no less deserving of acknowledgement and recognition in the national press. As a musician, opportunities to play such great repertoire are so welcome and it was a  thrilling musical experience to savour from the middle of the 50 strong orchestra


Post performance interview with conductor Malcolm Green

listen to ‘Malcolm Green talks about the Limerick Choral Union production of Brahm's Requiem’ on Audioboo

Letter to the editor. Irish Times :Limerick's Music Scene
A Christmas Baroque Gala
A Handel for the President

Related Posts

A German Musical Influence in Cork - Aloys Fleischmann

As part of his college studies, my son was asked to research German influence on Irish society by an individual and I prepared some notes on a former professor of music at UCC, Aloys Fleischmann. Although born of German musical parents in Bavaria, Aloys Fleischmann was raised in Ireland as his father, also Aloys was one of a band of 50 or so church musicians brought to Ireland to invigorate Catholic liturgical music in Ireland. I met Prof. Fleischmann when I played with the Cork Symphony Orchestra

from 1988 to 1990 and these are my personal memories of this remarkable musician.




I was working in the Regional Hospital and each September I would

receive a call from the Professor to say rehearsals were starting and the

orchestra would assemble in a school hall somewhere on the outskirts

of Cork. I was alway surprised and impressed that he undertook this

task himself ina most cheerful manner and he obviously was involved in every aspect of running

this ensemble , and not merely waving the baton.




On arrival, Professor would greet me warmly, partly because he

mistook me for a viola player with a similar name and as always, this

instrument was in short supply . This had a strong influence on my

subsequent acquisition of a viola but sadly not soon enough for the

Cork Symphony Orchestra to benefit from the extension of my string

playing skills, but to my benefit and I remain grateful to him for

the encouragement in this direction. Professor would don a short brown

jacket like a shop keeper might wear and rehearse the orchestra. He

was always gracious and quite formal in his manner of addressing the

orchestra, which in an age of increasing informality, I liked. He was an unusual combination of highbrow and ordinary chap.




At the close of the rehearsal, two more burly members were required to push start his

battered car to get him on the road home. In my memory this was a more

frequent occurrence than perhaps it actually was .




To mark Professor Fleischmann's centenary in 2010, Michael Murphy of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick gave a lecture titled , Virtuosity,

Vehemence, Vigour which I think this is a good summary of this remarkable character.

It was followed by a performance of his work by Voices of Limerick and a convivial reception in the staff room. It was a lovely occasion attended by three of his

daughters and former associates of his at UCC .

My guest was Anne Considine who was a student of Fleischmann's mother, Tilly. herself a concert pianist




I often wonder what the Irish musical landscape would be like without

the influence of these European maestros like de Regge in Clare,

Fleischmann senior in Cork and Bewerunge in Kildare. Much poorer, I

have no doubt.

Guest blogger: Waterford Festival of Learning, Hurling, Blaas, Wine and Song

Festival Junkie Mark Graham with Wanderly Wagon

My guest blogger today is Mark Graham, who is on a mission to cover three festivals a week for a year. I met Mark at Waterford Writers Weekend last month  (you can read his report a Bookish Bonanza Down the Desise  here which includes my contribution)  I always enjoy reading Mark's reports and admire his enthusiasm both for the festival trail and the recording  of the events via his blog.  Last week  he was in his home territory, Waterford, the town in which I grew up. Deise folk are very good at  finding synergies in their activities and  running festivities diverse in range and extent and my blog frequently features events in the South East. The Spraoi  Festival with a weekend of free street entertainment is one of my favourites and indeed, the Spraoi team have become nationwide parade specialists.

 Mark features several  star performers here and a pleasing diversity of activites. John Mullane is the first sports person to feature on my blog and  will need no introduction to GAA followers. For those of you who aren't, Mullane is one of a group of indefatiguable Waterford hurlers known for his passion and 100% commitment over a decade to the county team.  Malcolm Proud may not be so familiar but is a a world renowned harpsichord player and organist . Based in WIT he frequently travels all over Europe to perform in the most prestigious venues collaborating with elite ensembles. His recital with Roisin O Grady was one of my highlights of 2011. Mezzo  Bridget Knowles also features, most recently as soloist in Come the Sails, a choral extravaganza launching the Tall Ships Festival, (also featured in the year's highlights)
Blaas may not be the most distinctive of culinary delights but I notice the exclusive 5 sar resort hotel, Doonbeg Lodge  features them on their menu.
Thanks for the report Mark. It makes me wish I had been there.! You can read the full report and keep up to date with Mark's progress on www.ayearoffestivalsinireland.com

T

Hurling, Blaas, Wine and Song – Waterford Festival of Learning

POSTED BY FESTIVALMONKEY ⋅ MARCH 28, 2012 ⋅ 2 COMMENTS

 All three festivals were based in Waterford, that’s where my stationary bed and shower are. Waterford Writer’s Weekend provided the main distraction but today and yesterday, I got to the Waterford Learning Festival. I’m going to be straight here, I didn’t expect much from this festival, a few basket weaving classes or something. I was wrong. The list of events that you can get to over the three days is diverse, interesting, fun, worthwhile, practical and best of all… FREE! How d’you like them penny apples Billy Cullen? Clown workshops, cocktail making, edible seaweed foraging, giant chess, beauty and hair tips, poetry classes, golf coaching, concerts, exhibitions, laughter yoga… get the picture? There’s a lot going on and let me tell you once again… it’s all free!

First up on Tuesday was a lunchtime recital by Bridget Knowles (Mezzo Soprano) and Malcolm Proud (Piano). Who performed two song cycles – seven Spanish folk songs (Siete canciones populares Espanolas) by Manuel de Falla and 7 Shakspeare Songs composed by Madeleine Dring. These are two performers at the very top of their game. I’m no expert when it comes to this kind of music, but the dexterity, fluidity and skill displayed by both performers was impressive. As impressive was the ease with which they performed together – an ebb and flow between both performers that was as natural as the gentle waves that were lapping the beach in an unseasonably sunny Tramore that afternoon. The sun shone on the leafy grounds of the WIT College Street campus and The Cuckoo performed by Bridget and Malcolm fit perfectly.

Three events jumped out at me from the Festival of Learning programme. A wine appreciation class (free grog), the blaa making class (free grub) and the training session with hurler and All Star Legend – John Mullane (cos it had Mullanimal in it!).  Now Gabir butty (my Indonesian subscriber), you may be wondering what a blaa is, and in fairness to you, there are probably some readers from Donegal wondering the same thing. It’s a specific type of bread, only found in Waterford. “Is it like a bap?” is a common question that usually earns a crack on the head with a hurley and a slap on the arse with a crystal salmon. It is nothing like a bap, it’s a f&@kin’ blaa, right!? We don’t have much, so don’t mess with our blaas. The blaa has an ancient history, at the end of the 17th century the Huguenots travelled over from France and on board their ships were a particular strain of goat. The goats fell overboard near Billberry hill in Waterford. These goats had the recipe for this particular type of bread cake and they began making them in their new home. These bread baking goats were so unique that they are now a protected species and they still make the blaas of Waterford to this day. Or something like that…

Blaas straight from the oven

I ducked into the Introduction to Wine class and they were in full swing, discussing Beaujolais and the like. I have to be honest here too – I never got wine. Chateau du Clonmel is about where my palate is at. I’ve been in France more often than I’ve been in Fermanagh. I’ve had garcons sit me down in an effort to try and educate me, but alas, to no avail. Beer, cider and buckfast. I can’t help it, I’m a classy dude! But I get that some people have a taste for the stuff and if you have that taste, this was the place for you. There were a good few bottles teed up, cheese, grapes and slivers of apple for cleansing the palate. But there were also buckets for spitting into. Sacrilege! Swallow, don’t spit. Wha?

Wine tasting

If only school had been like this!

I headed up the road to St. Pauls School on Browne’s road, where there was a hurling training session open to young teenagers. No ordinary training session – John Mullane was taking it. Who is John Mullane? Get out, you’re barred!

 d up the road to St. Pauls School on Browne’s road, where there was a hurling training session open to young teenagers. No ordinary training session – John Mullane was taking it. Who is John Mullane? Get out, you’re barred!

John Mullane 

Will Smith me arse! Mullane is Legend.

After a couple of months rest, Mullane returned to the Waterford Senior team last Sunday and helped secure a valuable one point win over Galway. It had been a pretty dismal league performance up to that. To say that I have an interest in the exploits of the Waterford Hurlers is a understatement akin to saying that Shane McGowan needs a couple of fillings. I’ve given up a good deal of things in order to head off to 3 festivals a week for a year – blossoming relationships haven’t come to flower (jaysus, call Mills and Boon!), quiet weekends are non-existent, I stopped playing with two bands and time with family and friends is scarce on the ground. But what’s been killing me over the past couple of months is I haven’t gotten to one league game… and I have a feckin’ season ticket! End of rant  John was in good form and the young lads seemed to be turning it on for their new coach. I was impressed by John knowing the young fellas names as he shouted encouragement to them from the sideline.

John Mullane 

Words of wisdom for the lads

It wasn’t difficult to imagine how the young fellas felt to have John Mullane coaching them, I was excited too! A great opportunity for young lads to get to meet, train and interact with one of the best hurlers in the country.

Tomorrow there is an edible sea-weed hunt out at Kilfarassy Strand and it promises to be a fantatic day for it. I won’t be able to make it out for the Dilisk foraging, but I would if I could. The purpose of the festival is to celebrate learning, highlight the learning opportunities in the City and to show how enjoyable learning can be. Job done! Back on the festival trial tomorrow night, bigging up the French culture – grub, jazz and a little bit of the aul parlez vous. Until next time…

Voyages Sécuritaires, Ne Meurent Pas. 

Passion Sunday Chorale: Gloria and MIC Spring Concert

The last Lenten Sunday began to the temperate treacly tones of broadcaster Tim Thurston as he presented his Sunday morning radio show, Gloria Like a morningtide liturgical Whispering Bob, the LyricFM  presenter shares several  qualities with Bob Harris,  the iconic BBC presenter of the Old Grey Whistle Test. First there is the soothing baritone  voice,  deep and rich like molasses mixed with double cream. Then there is  his zeal for unearthing and eulogising little known  work, in this case sacred choral music with a  particular penchant for Renaissance composers and finally his  good cheer, earnest but in a calm unruffled sort of a way rather than a happy clappy Marty  fashion. Always appropriate to the liturgical calendar, Sunday's playlist included Passion chorales, Allegri's Miserere and Russian Orthodox chants . 

2009 Wexford Festival Choir Excerpts  Theresienmesse. marking 200th anniversary of Haydn's death

In the afternoon I joined the Limerick Baroque Players and the Mary Immaculate Choral Society for their Spring Concert, a performance of Haydn's Theresienmesse at St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick. Not as frequently performed as The Seasons or The Nelson Mass, there is plenty of melodic variety and rhythmic energy, dynamic contrasts to make it a very enjoyable work to play. and comes late in the Classical composer's canon when he was enjoying a degree of notoriety following his London symphonies. The work is apparently a named for the soprano who first sang it rather than for to wife of Haydn's patron for whom it was commissioned.

Soprano Marie Therese ,  1799

The quartet of singers delivered fine singing and there was time for some chat in the green room before the performance. Contralto,  Sarah Ellen Murphy  told me she had enjoyed opening the Kate O Brien weekend recently with a recital of newly composed songs by her friend Fiona Linnane. 

Soprano Carmel Conway 2012

Carmel Conway is a  very versatile performer and she chatted about her experience of touring with American singer Nanci Griffith . Owen Gilhooly has been busy touring with OTC's much lauded  production of The  Magic Flute and can be heard again soon at the Limerick Choral Union's performance of Brahm's Requiem at the end of the month. There was a lot of interest in young Dublin based tenor, Lawrence Thackery a recent prizewinner at the Feis Ceoil . A founder member of  DYOC, I met Lawrence recently in Ennis at a terrific showcase of young operatic talent in Dublin Youth Opera Company's Jukebox Opera , Thicker than Water. (My review here)

 Bass Owen Gilhooly, 

Conductor Michael Murphy

Among the large attendance were Gertie McCabe Secretary of the Irish Church Music Association and Malcolm Green, conductor of Limerick Choral Union.  Great music, splendid singing. elegant venue, the company of musicians . No better way to spend a Lenten Sunday afternoon.

Violin Duo Aine and Karen




Tim Thurston on improvisation and musical sub genres. http://journalofmusic.com/focus/breaking-sound-barriers-why-all-musical-boxes

A Florentine Hive of Activity at Waterford Writers Weekend

Lto R: R Coady, B Knowles, Marion Ingoldsby, J Loftus , P Sirr, M Roper, M Nolan,  J Ennis , E Sweeney , B Hanlon , N Crowley  M Coady upper Poets , composers, musicians

The ebb and flow of tides
and bedded silt
by wharves and quays
M Coady

Following fast on the heels of the Ennis Book Club Festival, I travelled to the South East for another literary event, the annual  Waterford Writers Weekend. As I drove down, I tuned in to Arena, the arts magazine programme on RTE radio1 where local producer, Jacqui Corcoran had assembled a gallery full of interesting guests in the semi public space of the the Book Centre, a bookshop housed in a former cinema, all with a connection to the festival . Beginning with academic and author, Brian Keenan,  he told presenter Sean Rocks in a compelling interview, why he returned recently to the Lebanon, where he was incarcerated for four and a half years. Will we ever forget a pale and gaunt Keenan emerging to address the media so eloquently after his release in 1990. Poets, Peter Sirr, Mark Roper and writing consultant and festival organiser Vanessa O Loughlin were among the writers who gave an insight into the festival. In contrast to the Ennis Book Club Festival the emphasis is clearly on the writer as opposed to the reader with a large selection of workshops facilitating active participation in the craft.

Gourmand et gourmets 

The Book Centre was also the venue for a discussion on food writing with popular local chef, Martin Dwyer now happily relocated to the Languedoc where he runs a Chambre d'hote . An active writer, Martin writes a very entertaining blog about his French experiences. Also on the panel were Catherine Cleary, restaurant critic of the Irish Times and author Jane Travers who did a good job of posing open questions to generate some good talking points although at times there was stiff competition from the nearby junior reading area.

Publishing Supremo O Loughlin

While they don't call it the sunny south east for nothing, the weather was simply stunning,  the sort of weather where your mother might hunt you out to play rather than sit in a corner reading a book, much less writing one. Nevertheless, there was full house at Vanessa O Loughlin's insightful 'Getting Published' workshop which was a mine of information on the whole business of publishing.

The real draw of the  weekend for me was the performance of the choral piece celebrating Waterford's enduring maritime tradition, specially commissioned for the opening of the Tall Ships Festival in Waterford 2011 and  one of my selected highlights of 2011 With all the international sailors returned home, there was a sense that this reprise was for Waterford people to savour . In the elegant space of the 18th century Christchurch Cathedral, the stirring and eloquent lines of five poets were heard clearly,  read by each poet in turn and then sung by the 200 strong choir with representatives from no less than 40 choral groups in the region, to settings by five composers. The original orchestral score was  reduced for piano to good effect . Finally there was a screening of a  short documentary by John Loftus with interviews with the poets and composers on their creative experience. (This is soon to be available on line, I am told)  A truly wonderful collaboration of the spheres of literature and music ,  one I was proud to be associated with at the first performance .   In the words of conductor Niall Crowley,  'Waterford was a veritable Florentine hive of activity' for  the  endeavour and the event was  a worthy finale to round off  a splendid Waterford Writer's Weekend.

My review of the first performance of 'Come the Sails' at the opening of Tall Ships Festival here

here, now, this very moment
in flowing time,
within this harbour
and this haven  Ml Coady

Authors, Actors and Anglophiles: Ennis Book Club Festival 2012

Authors and Actors ; Kevin Barry, Sean Rocks  & Reid Banks. 

Alain de Botton  @alaindebotton

 

We read a lot less than we might - because we still often can't find our way to the books that truly speak to us.

In  Ennis, the weather was unseasonably mind with only an odd shower to dampen the enthusiasm of the annual influx of literary types mostly of the female variety who arrived in the Clare county town for the annual Ennis Book Club Festival.  A feast of authors and avid readers mingled at a variety of events to suit a wide range of tastes. 

Literati

For me. the highlight of the festival was the Saturday night readings by Lynne Reid Banks and Kevin Barry and the interviews with Arena anchor Sean Rocks.  Both authors demonstrated a strong instinct for the dramatic . Lynne Reid Banks was a repertory actress in her early career and clearly has not lost her knack for making a dramatic entrance. Rocks' own  impeccable sense of timing owes something to his thespian background  and the question was raised about Barry's leanings towards playwriting as he clearly relished the dialogues in his texts.
The format was one to one interview punctuated with readings and film clips. One sensed,

Interview suite :Nice to see the projector put to good use

particularly with Reid Banks that Rocks could happily have gone on discussing  books with this feisty octagenarian as  they quickly established a rapport and  she was genuinely touched that he had read her books, most of which sadly, are now out of print. Kevin Barry's highly entertaining reading of his much lauded novel, City of Bohane  brought out the humour, leavening a  bleakness in his text and he came over as being pragmatic, unpretentious and  grounded by years of  journalistic endeavours in less glamorous spheres of human activity .  His short story  Killary Fjord  apeared recently in The New Yorker and  features a would be poet turned hotelier  suffering from writer's block and a collection of utterly believable, but  far from lovable local characters  The story is from a soon to be launched collection Dark Lies the Island  and we also heard  an autobiographical piece on a theme resonating with another great Irish writer McGahern. For Irish writers' there is no place like a Barrack's home it seems. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/10/1

The unpredictable   Q and A was wisely forgone leaving patrons free to put their points at the post reading signings in the foyer. The Book Club award went to a Helene Granon's book club from Nimes,France whose members are devoted to English titles.

Sunday Symposium

                                                                                   At the signature event, the  Sunday Symposium,   Catriona Crowe overseer of the wonderful census projects gave interesting  insights into the work of an archivist and Michael Harding was a very beguiling storyteller even if his rather too robust defence of fellow county man, Sean Quinn didn't find much empathy with his audience. Manchán Magan in a declamatory style reminiscent of student debating societies, made some rather sweeping statements that the chairman Caimin Jones wisely didn't allow him too much time to expound on . The panel was completed by novelist Christine Dwyer Hickey

Classy handouts

Other events  we attended included  Books and Buns at the Rowantree Cafe a sort of literary table quiz with poet Tom Conaty as quizmaster. There was time for a musical turn and my air on viola was Amhrán na Leabhair, a lament for a school master's library lost at sea. Peter Murtagh read from his travel diary of the popular pilgrimage route, the  Camino, although there was some disappointment among the younger cohort that daughter Natasha had not made the expedition to Ennis leaving no opportunity to guage firsthand  the level of teenage enthusiasm for the long trek . The Old Ground Hotel was the venue for a lunchtime theatre presentation of  Oscar Wilde's Portrait of Dorian Gray .

Check .

Everywhere the talk was of books as festival goers searched for the perfect book to take back to their book clubs. As in previous years there was much to provoke discussion, thought and to entertain.  Bravo to the committee who already are hard at work on the 2013 festival. Looking forward to it already

Elegant Rowan Tree Cafe

Listen to book club founder Sam Lonergan talk about her experience at the festival in the audioboo below

listen to ‘Sam Lonergan Glasnevin Book Club’ on Audioboo


                                                         photos Eamonn Ward via www.ennisbookclubfestival.com 

Irish Times Review Ennis Book Club Festival 2012

r

Jovial Judges, High Heels and Emotions: Clare's Got Talent at Glór

Judge Brian Flynn

Time! To Face ! The Music! Part X Factor, part Macra na Feirme Talent Competition, the Clare FM event pitted dancers actors and singers against each in their bids to secure a coveted  place in the final of Clare's Got Talent 2012. In the  full  Glór auditorium, partisan supporters and family members witnessed a show of 12 acts performing one turn each followed by comments from the judging panel of broadcaster and entertainer, Brian Flynn, Tracy Crawford of Ballyo Promotions and musician & entertainer Nigel Bridge fresh from playing in Cahercalla

Happily, there were no Cowellesque  histrionics here with all acts getting a well deserved verbal pat on the back  and no wrangling among the trio. The event was compered by Gavin Grace of ClareFM

The evening opened with a montage of clips of video images but no sounds from the audition process, the audio element sadly replaced by pulsating rhythmic backing track. Female vocalists were the largest category of entertainer with  trio Skilled Mulah, and singer Dan O'Halloran adding some gender balance. Most  vocal acts opted for backing tracks over  live accompaniment.

Judges and sponsor 

A J.B. Keane  monologue, a dance troupe and a junior comedy routine added the variety show element.
The winners were Louise O Rourke from Kilkee and the Breakthrough Crew from Ennis with the Lissycasey Lunatics voted best by the audience.

Judge Tracy Crawford

Partisan supporters

A tough job to choose but did the judges get it right?  There was no question that the dance troupe had to go through. The largest group of the evening and bursting with energy, one felt exhausted looking at their high octane routine. I realised with a twinge of regret that among the things I will not get around to in this life is hip hop dancing. The audience prize is a great incentive for an act to bring in a crowd and while the juvenile comedy routine was not my pick one couldn't argue with a large Lissycasey contingent taking up a sizable proportion of the stalls.

Regarding the singers I had two issues. One of the best things about the evening is that it is in live entertainment and I feel the use of a live accompaniment should be rewarded and encouraged.  How lovely to see Claire McDonnell accompanied by fellow student Caoimhe ( a Lissycasey lass herself) at the piano.  In general, I found the collaborative efforts more entertaining than the solo voices. The best costume award had to go to the AbbaTribute act Sub Zero from Newmarket on Fergus in their charming  retro paisley dresses and knee high white boots. Skilled Mulah added a bit of contrast with three chaps on guitar on beat box and proper grand piano and the Burke Sisters accompanied by dad had potential. My pick  were trio Bel Canto, Mary and Alice Healy accompanied by Jillian Bridge. The ladies looked glamorous and sophisticated, were accomplished vocally and in contrast to most of the other girls, they could walk in their high heels!

Sponsored by Clare FM and St Francis Credit Union, this is a great  initiative, providing a platform to encourage local  entertainment and getting people out to support  live acts. It was good to see it attracting a wide range of genres and I was  heartened to see the wide range of ages participating.  Now in its second year, it seems set to become an annual fixture. The final takes place at the weekend. Check out  Glór website for details
Maybe I'll have a go myself next year. Now where did I put those tap shoes....!

1 Skilled Mulah Beat Box  Rolling in the Deep Piano Guitar Vocal harmony 

2 Singer  Aisling Shannon Valerie                   Backing Track

3 Singer  Ciara Normoyle Hey Soul Sister   Backing Track 

4 Singer Dan O Halloran Guitar 

5 Breakthrough Dancers   

6 Singer Claire McDonnell     Ar Eirinn Ni eosfhainn Ce Hi Live Piano Caoimhe accompanying

7 Bel Canto       Mary &Alice Healy  Jillian Bridge accompanist

8 Singer Louise O Rourke     Backing Track 

9  The Field  Drama Pat Cusack O Brien's Bridge

10 Sub Zero Trio  Singers  Backing Track Mamma Mia

11 Lissycasey Lunatics

12 Burke Sisters Dad on guitar   Duo

listen to an appraisal of ‘Clare's Got Talent at Glór’ on Audioboo

St Patrick's Day Serenades at Cahercalla

John Gavin and daughter Pauline  photo by  John Kelly

Singer, Maret O Hehir put together a lovely programme of entertainment for a concert  for patients at Cahercalla Hospital Co Clare yesterday. There were singers, dancer,s flutes fiddle, harmonica  and a harp for the day that was in it .  Fr Fergus McEveney sang one of my favourite numbers  Kreisler's The Old Refrain. John Gavin , ace harmonica player had them up dancing with a selection of waltzes. Sineid White visiting from Cork gave us a lovely version of Red is the Rose and  my selection included the queen of Irish airs, an Culfhionn.  The happy feet of Lissycasey Set Dancers gave us all a lift  and the versatile musician and 'Clare's Got Talent' judge, Nigel Bridge was accompanist. 

Swinging Strings: Departure Suite Serenades: Shannon School Band Sp...

Swinging Strings: Departure Suite Serenades: Shannon School Band Sp...: Swinging Strings 2012 Harp, Sax , Cello Fiddles at the ready Pizz perfect Group 1 Mr Maloney Director  Ms McMahon's Bo...

This blogpost is from one of my education blogs and features a highpoint in the beginners violin programme at Ennis NS, County Clare, the participation in the Shannon School Band Spectacular. The inititiative aims to give primary school children the opportunity to perform in  a non competitive environment purely for the joy of it.

Nuns' Chorus Part 2: The Sound of Music by Ennis Musical Society

In my last post, I reported from  the balcony of Sweden's Royal Opera House as I watched the  Carmelite sisters  marching to the guillotine in Poulenc's setting of a dark revolutionary tale. This week I was in the pit of Glor theatre Ennis in west Clare for more nuns' choruses but it ended rather more cheerfully with the von Trapps escape as the Ennis Musical Society mounted their second production of The Sound of Music after a gap of twenty years. I really enjoyed playing for this production. The Rodgers score is richly scored for the middle  string parts and with full houses almost at every performance there was a great atmosphere as friends and family gathered to support the performers.

There was much to enjoy from Audrey Banks opening solo plainchant Dixit Dominus to the the mother abbess' Deirdre Browne's closing anthem Climb Every Mountain. Ken Shaughnessy gave Max  an edgy quality as the expedient concert promoter and Edel Heaney imbued the baroness with a degree of pathos that she almost made you feel sorry for her. Barry O Loughlin was suitably sinister as the Gauleiter and Geraldine Westwood wrung every bit out of her cameo role as second prize winner at the Kaltzberg Festival.  Of couse the youngsters stole the show but how lovely to see proud mammy Edel Bluett making her musical society debut among the novices in the ladies choir, mother of Adam(Rolf)  and Nathan (Kurt).

There was an added piquancy for some in the audience as former cast members came to relive their stage experience of two decades ago . Sheila Bunce from Clarecastle was an erstwhile Maria while Anna Monaghan a former mother abbess was on hand nightly to serve as prompter and  it was lovely to see president Ita O Shea in the audience who told me that she also played the role of mother abbess during her long career. The audioboo features patrons and musical society stalwarts, Aidan and Anne White from Shannon.

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Cast:Captain Von Trapp       Morgan Lahiffe                        Leisl           Madeline Arkins
Maria                             Zoe Halpin                             Louisa        Elaine Brennan
Max                                Ken O'Shaughnessy               Fredreich    Conor Coughlan
Elsa                                Edel Heaney                          Kurt            Nathan Bluett
Mother Abbess              Deirdre Browne                      Brigitta       Katie Gleeson/Emma Purcell
Rolf                                Adam Bluett                          Marta          Sinead Coughlan/Emma Haran
Margaretta                    Kate Corrigan                         Gretel         Rhona Kearney/Ailbhe Haran
Berthe                            Marina Mulqueen
Sophia                            Marie Griffin
Herr Zeller                     Barry O'Loughlin
Admiral                          Neil Haran
Franz                              Richard Donnellan
Frau Schmidt                 Catherine Brigd

Me with afficionados Anne and Aidan White