JANUARY–JULY 2018 Artistic Director: Paul Hillier
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CONTENTS New Music Dublin – Stabat Mater page 11 2 March—Dublin
Hearing Sacred Harmonies page 13 10/11 March—Dublin/Belfast
Choirland Revisited page 15 20/21/22 April /6 May/31 July— Cork/Dublin/Belfast/Mechelen/Fishguard
Between Us page 17 9/10 June—Belfast/Dublin
Learning & Participation pages 18 – 22 September – December
Support
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All booking details and further information can be found on www.chamberchoirireland.com or by calling +353 (1) 554 5210
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WELCOME Sacred music plays a strong role in our programmes this year. Inevitably, given the way choral music has always been so strongly rooted in religious ritual, it is no surprise to find ourselves presenting such magnificent works as Poulenc’s Mass, Howells’s Requiem and Sir James Macmillan’s Stabat Mater (and next season the complete Bach motets) without consciously intending to make any religious gesture as such: it is in the nature of our repertoire. Or at least, that is the way it can seem. The old division between sacred and secular music is no longer sufficient to fit the needs of a multicultural world in which perhaps most people no longer go regularly to church or even consider themselves believers, and therefore have no direct connection to the liturgical significances that underwrite such a large amount of great choral music. I see it as one of the important challenges for contemporary music to seek out texts and indeed purposes for new vocal works, so that they will more substantially and meaningfully reflect the condition of modern society. We need texts that explore, criticise, celebrate and mourn the human condition—and not just the triumphs and tribulations of romantic love. These ideals have already guided some of the works we have commissioned in recent years from various Irish composers, and several of these can be —4—
heard in the programme Choirland Revisited, which offers a fine mixture of sardonic wit and humanist compassion in its texts and music. Meanwhile, of course, we shall continue to sing good old-fashioned sacred music as well. For many of us this is simply what we do. Others may be thinking along the lines expressed by the late Sir Geoffrey Hill: “I say it is not faithless / to stand without faith, keeping open / vigil at the site.” In January our work for this year began with a recording of Tarik O’Regan’s cantata, A Letter of Rights, for which CCI were joined by the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Written to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, that was drawn up in England in 1216 and arrived in Ireland the following year, it features a specially commissioned libretto by Sir Geoffrey’s widow, Alice Goodman. Her beautiful text is a delight to sing, and such a collaboration is an example of the kind of gesture that a modern vocal work can construct, while remaining outside the realm of sacred music. Paul Hillier artistic director chamber choir ireland Connect with us online
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PAUL HILLIER Artistic Director Paul Hillier is from Dorset in England and studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. His career has embraced singing, conducting, composing, and writing about music. He formed the Hilliard Ensemble in 1973 and was its musical director for 17 years. In 1990 he created a new group called Theatre of Voices, which he continues to direct today. He has taught in the USA at the University of California campuses of Santa Cruz and Davis, and from 1996-2003 was Director of the Early Music Institute at Indiana University, Bloomington. He was Principal Conductor of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (2001-2007) and has —6—
been Chief Conductor of Ars Nova Copenhagen since 2003. His books about Arvo Pärt and Steve Reich are published by Oxford University Press. In 2006 he was awarded an OBE for services to choral music. In 2007 he received the Order of the White Star of Estonia, and was awarded a Grammy for Best Choral Recording. In 2008 he became Chief Conductor of Chamber Choir Ireland and was appointed artistic director of the newly formed Coro Casa da Musica in Porto. That same year he also created his own music publishing company, Theatre of Voices Edition (www.tov-edition.com). During 2009 he was artist in residence at Yale University’s Institute for Sacred Music. In 2010 he was awarded his second Grammy - for David Lang’s The Little Match Girl Passion. In 2013 he was awarded the Order of Dannebrog (the Danish knighthood) by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark. Paul is represented worldwide by Konzertdirektion Hörtnagel, Berlin.
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CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND
“Shaped and guided by the sensitive hands of conductor Paul Hillier, Chamber Choir Ireland continue to be sonically and musically adventurous.” Journal of Music Ireland, 2017
Garnering a strong reputation for its unique approach to creative commissioning, recording and programming, Chamber Choir Ireland is the country’s flagship choral ensemble and national chamber choir under the Artistic Direction of the multi-award-winning conductor, Paul Hillier. The Choir’s programmes span from early renaissance to the present day, incorporating established choral classics with cutting edge commissions, and a style of performance that incorporates versatility, dynamism and often vocal pyrotechnics. Chamber Choir Ireland performances have been described as having a tone which is ‘liquid in its power and purity’ with a —8—
‘strong vocal flexibility of style’ (Belfast Telegraph). The Choir has a strong commitment to touring in Ireland and continues to develop its touring network in order to present high quality choral concerts to audiences around the country. International touring has included the USA, Russia, South America and Germany. Forthcoming recording releases will include the premiere recording of Tarik O’Regan and Alice Goodman’s cantata, A Letter of Rights, with the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The choir has previously recorded for the Harmonia Mundi, RTÉ lyric fm labels and most recently, the world premiere recording of works by Gerald Barry, Barry meets Beethoven, featuring the Crash Ensemble and Stephen Richardson on the Orchid Classics label. Chamber Choir Ireland has a strong Learning and Participation programme, including in 2018 Composers in the Classroom, Choral Sketches, Sing! at Axis:Ballymun, and Choral lectures. 2017–2019 will see the Choir develop An Island Sings; a large-scale community choirs commissioning project in collaboration with the Association of Irish Choirs and Poetry Ireland. Chamber Choir Ireland receives principal funding & support from the Arts Council/ an Chomhairle Ealaíon with additional support from Dublin City Council and support from The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Chamber Choir Ireland is a resident ensemble at the National Concert Hall of Ireland and Associate Artists to Dublin City University www.chamberchoirireland.com —9—
MARCH
new music dublin
stabat mater
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new music dublin – stabat mater
We join forces, once again, with the Irish Chamber Orchestra to perform the Irish premiere of James MacMillan’s Stabat Mater, an intense setting of a medieval hymn for chorus and orchestra, conducted by the composer himself, as part of NEW MUSIC DUBLIN 2018 “Both sides of MacMillan are to be found here, the devotional and the painter of bold dramatic canvases - the former in the ethereal writing for solo and ensemble voices, the latter in the lacerating blows and feverish anxieties depicted in the string ensemble” financial times, on stabat mater Friday 2 March St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 7.30pm | €20/15
James MacMillan—Stabat Mater irish premiere Guest Conductor James MacMillan Chamber Choir Ireland & Irish Chamber Orchestra
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MARCH
hearing sacred harmonies
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hearing sacred harmonies
As the second of our sacred programmes of the season unfolds, we perform works composed in 1936, 1937 and 1938 respectively (Howells, Messiaen, Poulenc) together with Gregory Rose’s contemporary Stabat Mater, premiered by Paul Hillier in Portugal in 2017. Although written in the 1930s after the death of his son, Howells’ Requiem, now considered a standard in choral repertoire, was not released until the 1980s with the composer preferring to keep it private until nearing the end of his own life. Saturday 10 March St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 8pm | €20/15 Sunday 11 March St Thomas’ Church, Belfast 7.30pm | £13/10 Presented in association with Moving on Music Conductor Paul Hillier Percussion Noel Eccles Olivier Messiaen—O sacrum convivium Francis Poulenc—Mass: Kyrie, Gloria Gregory Rose—Stabat Mater Francis Poulenc—Mass: Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Herbert Howells—Requiem
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APRIL / MAY / JULY
choirland revisited
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choirland revisited Chamber Choir Ireland has had a long association with commissioning and performing works by contemporary Irish composers, not least in its work with the Contemporary Music Centre and Association of Irish Choirs producing the publication Choirland: an anthology of Irish choral music marking 60 years of the Arts Council. In Choirland Revisited we take a fresh look at two Irish composers and composers/music related to Ireland. We present a newly commissioned work by Andrew Hamilton following on from his 2010 CCI commission Everything is Ridiculous, and recent CCI commissions by David Fennessy. Friday 20 April, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork 7.30pm | €21 Presented as part of Cork International Choral Festival Sat 21 April, St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 8pm | €20/15 Sunday 22 April, St Thomas’ Church, Belfast 7.30pm | £13/10 Presented as part of Sonorities Festival Belfast Sunday 6 May Tenso Days 2018, Lunalia festival of Flanders Mechelen, Belgium Supported by Culture Ireland Tuesday 31 July St Davids Cathedral, Fishguard International Music Festival, UK Supported by Culture Ireland Great Britain 18 Conductor Paul Hillier Tarik O’Regan—Turn David Fennessy—Ne reminiscaris James Macmillan—The Gallant Weaver Andrew Hamilton— world premiere of new work (on Thomas Bernhard texts) Trad. Irish arr. By Paul Hillier—On Raglan Road David Fennessy—Letter to Michael David Fennessy—Choirland — 15 —
JUNE
between us
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between us
We welcome Nicolas Fink for the first time to Ireland to direct a programme of Sacred music reflecting on the very personal relationships each of the composers had with their own faith and how they expressed that in the individual works. Reger’s work deeply rooted in the protestant tradition with the composer’s trademark of taking the harmonic development to the extreme; Rheinberger’s almost childlike faith, having composed Abendlied at the tender age of 16; and Martin expressing his strongly held faith in almost symphonic proportions. Nicolas Fink has conducted the radio choruses of WDR Cologne and MDR Leipzig, the Berlin Radio Chorus, the Choeur de Radio France, the Vocalconsort Berlin, the Coro Casa de Musica Porto, the Cor del Palau de la Música in Barcelona, the Edvard Grieg Choir and many others. Nicolas’ particular pursuits are in providing listeners with a new perspective on choral music, and creating new kinds of performance experiences promising performances with CCI not to be missed.
Saturday 9 June, St Thomas’ Church, Belfast 7.30pm | £13/10 Presented in association with Moving on Music
Sunday 10 June, Hugh Lane, Dublin City Gallery 12pm | FREE Presented in association with the Sundays @ Noon concert series
Conductor Paul Hillier Josef Rheinberger—Drei Gesänge op 69. Max Reger—Ach Herr, Strafe Mich Nicht Frank Martin—Mess A Double Choeur — 17 —
learning & participation
CHORAL MUSIC IN IRELAND: HISTORY & EVOLUTION 2 National Concert Hall Lecture Series January – February, Kevin Barry Room | 1.10pm – 2.00pm €5 each or €25 for the series Booking through www.nch.ie or 01 417 0000 In association with the National Concert Hall
Tuesday 16 January CHORAL MUSIC IN IRELAND: MANUSCRIPTS & MUSICOLOGISTS Stuart Kinsella (CCI)
Tuesday 6 February MUSIC AND MUSICIANS IN THE CHURCH OF IRELAND 1800–1922 David O’Shea (TCD)
Tuesday 23 January MR HANDEL COMES TO TOWN CHORAL MUSIC IN DUBLIN 1660–1760 Ita Beausang (DIT)
Tuesday 13 February ‘GREGORIAN MUSIC IN THREE PARTS, PLEASE’: IRISH CATHOLIC CHURCH MUSIC 1829–1918 Darina McCarthy (Maynooth University)
Tuesday 30 January IRISH CATHEDRAL MUSIC 1660–1800 Kerry Houston (DIT)
Tuesday 20 February CLAISCEADAL: TRADITIONAL SONG AND CHORAL MUSIC IN IRELAND Sandra Joyce (Director, Irish World Academy, Limerick) — 18 —
learning & participation
composers in the classroom gala concert Friday 2 March The Studio, NCH, 2pm Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance through www.newmusicdublin.ie
In 2016/17 over 40 young composers from schools throughout the island of Ireland came together to create a brand new canon of choral music as Composers in the Classroom. In September 2017, Chamber Choir Ireland and the Contemporary Music Centre joined together once again to commence the 2017/2018 iteration of the project. Over the resulting months, eight highly esteemed composers from Ireland, who are represented by CMC, have travelled to ten schools in Counties Armagh, Cork, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, and Louth to coach students in the creative process of composing for SATB choir. The composer’s visits were supplemented by a visit from a singer from Chamber Choir Ireland so as to give a performer’s perspective. All student compositions will be recorded in February by Chamber Choir Ireland and a selection of works from participating students will be performed by Chamber Choir Ireland in a gala performance as part of the New Music Dublin Festival. — 19 —
learning & participation
cork international choral festival 2018 seminar Friday 20 April Curtis Auditorium (Cork School of Music), 2pm | FREE Chamber Choir Ireland will once again return to the Cork International Choral Festival as Choir-in-Residence, offering an extended seminar session on new choral music and its performance as part of the festival’s annual choral symposium. This seminar, led by Artistic Director Paul Hillier with Chamber Choir Ireland, will offer attendees a relevant and engaging approach to how texts are selected, the related process of composing music appropriate to the text, and the input of the singers as to its accessibility. The main focus of the discussion will be the jointly commissioned new work by Andrew Hamilton, as well as a performance reading of the winner of this year’s Seán Ó Riada Composition Competition (TBA).
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learning & participation
choral sketches In late 2017 three Irish composers, David Coonan, Barry O’Halpin and Norah Walsh, were selected to participate in Choral Sketches 2017/2018, a partnership project between Chamber Choir Ireland and the Contemporary Music Centre, in an anonymous selection process. Through Chamber Choir Ireland’s membership of TENSO, the network of professional chamber choirs in Europe, Serbian composer Jug Markovic will also participate in the Choral Sketches programme, nominated and supported by TENSO. Choral Sketches presents a unique professional development opportunity for composers who wish to develop their skills in writing choral music with mentoring from renowned composer Tarik O’Regan. It provides a creative and open environment for composers to deepen their experience in writing for voices in a choral context. Each of the selected composers received online mentoring from Tarik O’Regan from December 2017 – January 2018 leading to the development of a series of compositional sketches for a new choral work which were the focus of a public workshop led by Tarik O’Regan and CCI with Guest Conductor Nils Schweckendiek in January 2018 and will be followed by a performance reading later in the year. Composer Anna Murray was selected for mentoring by Tarik O’Regan. — 21 —
learning & participation
an island sings community choirs project Chamber Choir Ireland (CCI), in partnership with the Association of Irish Choirs (AOIC) and Poetry Ireland (PI), have commissioned Elaine Agnew to write a new work for a large-scale, all-island performance project for adult choirs which will culminate in a gala performance in the first half of 2019. The process for selection of provincial project choirs has been undertaken in partnership with the AOIC. The choirs selected for the project are: The Conwal Singers (Donegal, Ulster), Cór Mhaigh Eo (Mayo, Connaught), Nás na Rí Singers (Kildare, Leinster) and Viva Voce (Munster, Cork). These choirs have already started the work of meeting with composer, Elaine Agnew towards the development of the project’s music commission alongside poet Jessica Traynor (selected in collaboration with PI). The next stage of the project will see the development of this commission with the input of the project choirs and ahead of workshops with members of CCI in the autumn of 2018. This exciting commission development point embeds the work of community choirs in the composition process.
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recordings from chamber choir ireland Available at all CCI concerts and online at Amazon / iTunes Further information from www.chamberchoirireland.com
Barry meets Beethoven
Acallam na Senórach (An Irish Colloquy)
One Day Fine
Carols from the Old and New Worlds Vol.3
Choirland (Book & CD) — 23 —
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WHERE LIFE SOUNDS BETTER
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become a supporter By becoming a Friend or Chamber Choir Ireland Society member, you are helping us to continue the beautiful work that we do as Ireland’s flagship choral ensemble. Contributions from Chamber Choir Ireland supporters help us continue the brave, exciting and innovative nature of our programming as well as providing necessary funding to grow and develop our Learning and Participation programmes which benefit participants of all ages across Ireland. The Chamber Choir Ireland Society is specifically for people who want to ensure that the tax on their donation comes directly to Chamber Choir Ireland. Members donate €250 or more a year. They waive any thank-you benefits and give us permission as a registered charity to claim the tax on their donation.
1 YEAR OF SUPPORT Individual Friend
€100
Ensemble Friend (couple)
€175
Student Friend includes 4 tickets to Chamber Choir Ireland concerts, an invitation to attend an annual open rehearsal and a special thank-you in our concert programmes
€35
Chamber Choir Ireland Society
€250+
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There are unique benefits open to you as a Friend of Chamber Choir Ireland, and these include: 2 COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS to a concert of your choice from our annual programme An invitation for you and a friend to attend AN ANNUAL OPEN REHEARSAL with Paul Hillier and the Singers An invitation for you and your guests to our ANNUAL CHRISTMAS FRIENDS GATHERING A SPECIAL THANK-YOU in our concert programmes and on our website ADVANCE MAILING of the season brochure
To become either a Friend of Chamber Choir Ireland or a member of the Chamber Choir Ireland Society, or to enquire about other options for support, please contact Beccy Fitzpatrick on + 353 (1) 554 5210 or beccy@chamberchoirireland.com — 27 —
thanks We would specifically like to thank: CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND SOCIETY: Mary Collins Des Crowley Barry Doocey Majella Hollywood Bríd Horan Geraldine O’Sullivan Brian Walsh Michael Walsh
FRIENDS OF CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND: Pat Barker Olga Barry Ita Beausang Patrick Coffey Conor Crowley Alan Esdale Emer Foley Judith Gannon David Grealy Tom Grealy Ruth & Desmond Kinsella Aine MacCallion Penelope Mcauley David McConnell Jenny Mellerick Sean O’Neill Dr Sarah Rogers Geoff Simpson Brendan & Siobhan Supple Peter Sweeney
CORPORATE SUPPORT: ESB High Performance Training
And those Friends who wish to remain anonymous — 28 —
belfast offer 3 CONCERTS FOR £22.50 A special offer as Chamber Choir Ireland, in association with Moving on Music, present three concerts at St Thomas’ Church, Belfast. Available from www.movingonmusic.com
hearing sacred harmonies Sunday 11 March 7.30pm
choirland revisited Sunday 22 April 7.30pm
between us Saturday 9 June 7.30pm
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Artistic Director Paul Hillier Chief Executive Majella Hollywood
Board of Directors Olga Barry Eamonn Eaton (chair) Prof. Brian MacCraith Brian Walsh Richard Twomey
Concerts’ Manager David Darcy Marketing & PR Executive Beccy Fitzpatrick
FUNDERS
SUPPORTERS
PARTNERS
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Design: Gareth Jones (gazjonesdesign.com)
Chamber Choir Ireland National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 telephone +353 (0)1 554 5210 email admin@chamberchoirireland.com Full booking details for all concerts available at www.chamberchoirireland.com — 32 —