Walled City Music Festival 2023 Programme

We are delighted to welcome you to the 14th Walled City Music Festival in 2023. We are making the theme of this year’s Festival “Musical Generations,” and what that means for our Festival. This year, we will witness a web of musical generations and influences through the mutual connections that our Artists hold, all presented in Christ Church and the Great Hall of the University.

We open the 14th Festival this year with a performance by internationally renowned cellist, Raphael Wallfisch along with me, our Founder, Co-Artistic Director and Derry-born pianist, Cathal Breslin. We performed together in the very first Festival in 2009, and Raphael’s support in that first edition helped to launch the Festival into what it is today. To celebrate this journey, Raphael and I will open the Festival with a program of some of the most beautiful Romantic masterworks by Brahms, Schumann, Franck and the wonderful Impressionist Debussy Sonata.

Irish artists, mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty and pianist and Fiachra Garvey join forces on Friday night, bringing a programme of incredibly beautiful art songs by Grieg, Debussy, Stanford and Elgar.

Then we will have a fantastic recital from world renowned Northern Irish pianist, Barry Douglas, gold medal winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Artistic Director of Camerata Ireland and the Clandeboye Festival. Barry will be performing Schubert Impromptus, Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Sonata and Schubert’s iconic Piano Sonata in A minor.

Closing the Festival on Sunday afternoon, we will have NI Opera Young Artists, soprano Petra Wells and baritone Ryan Garnham, joined by WCM Piano Festival Young Artist, pianist Dida Condria to perform a variety concert of vocal favourites and solo piano works.

With the closing concert, we continue our tradition of inspiring local young musicians, and giving a platform to upcoming Irish talent, alongside established, world-class artists. With this, we are also pointing and looking forward to our next WCM event, the WCM International Piano Festival on July 10-17.

We would not have been able to bring together such an exciting festival programme without the kind support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Ulster University, KPMG, and Christ Church. A special thank you to our Executive Director, Matthew Greenall, our Festival Manager, Fiona Crosbie, our Acting Festival Manager, Mairead Nic Bhloscaidh, Robert Egan, our Digital Marketing Officer and Graphic Designer, our wonderful Board, and our volunteers for making this 14th Festival one that is not to be missed!

We are dedicated to filling the Derry air with the very best of the world’s music, and we are delighted to be able to continue to place our city firmly on the international cultural map. Thank you all for your continued support over the last 14 years, and many more to come!

Dr. Cathal Breslin & Dr. Sabrina Hu

Artistic Directors and Founders of Walled City Music

Festival Schedule

Thursday 23rd March 2023, 7.30pm

Raphael Wallfisch (cello) with Cathal Breslin (piano)

Christ Church, Derry~Londonderry

Friday 24th March 2023

7.30pm

Sharon Carty (mezzo-soprano) with Fiachra Garvey (piano)

Christ Church, Derry~Londonderry

Saturday 25th March 2023, 7.30pm

Barry Douglas (piano)

Christ Church, Derry~Londonderry

Sunday 26th March 2023, 2.00pm

Northern Ireland Opera and Walled City Music Piano Festival Young Artists

Great Hall, Ulster University, Magee Campus

Get tickets

Visit our website: ticketsource.co.uk/walled-city-music walledcitymusic.com

Thursday 23rd March 2023, 7.30pm

Christ Church, Derry~Londonderry

Raphael Wallfisch cello with Cathal Breslin piano

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

- Cello Sonata

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

- Cello Sonata No.1, Op.38

INTERVAL

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

- Three Romances, Op.94

Cesar Franck (1822-1890)

- Sonata for piano and cello

Raphael Wallfisch is one of the most celebrated cellists performing on the international stage. He opens the Festival on Thursday 23rd March, alongside Derry-born pianist Cathal Breslin (also co-artistic director of the Festival), with a programme including Debussy, Brahms, Schumann and Franck.

Raphael enjoys regular invitations to major festivals, and concert appearances with orchestras such as the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Berlin Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Warsaw Philharmonic and many others around the world.

Cathal Breslin, co-artistic director of the Walled City Music Festival, has been praised worldwide as one of the most exciting pianists of his generation. A growing international career has taken him to concert halls throughout Europe, U.S.A. and Asia, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, Kumho Hall in Seoul, and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Friday 24th March 2023, 7.30pm

Christ Church, Derry~Londonderry

Sharon Carty mezzo-soprano with Fiachra Garvey piano

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

- Sechs Gesänge Op.48

• Gruss

• Dereinst, gedanke mein

• Lauf der Welt

• Die verschwiegene Nachtigall

• Zur Rosenzeit

• Ein Traum

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

- A sheaf of songs from Leinster

• Grandeur

• The thief of the world

• A soft day

• The bold unbiddable child

• Little Peter Morrissey

• Irish Skies

INTERVAL

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

- Chanson de Bilitis

• La Flûte de Pan

• La Chevelure

• Le Tombeau des naïades

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

- La Captive

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

- Sea Pictures

• Sea slumber song

• In haven

• Sabbath morning at sea

• Where corals lie

• The swimmer

Irish mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty will be joined by Fiachra Garvey (piano) on Friday 24th March, with a programme of beautiful art songs by Grieg, Debussy, Stanford and Elgar.

Regularly praised for her musicality and intelligence, her integrity as an artist and the warmth, clarity and agility of her voice, Sharon Carty has firmly established a reputation as a respected interpreter of both early and contemporary works, alongside maintaining a busy schedule in mainstream opera. She has been an Artistic Partner to Irish National Opera since the company began in 2018.

Fiachra Garvey graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London in 2013 with 1st class honours and distinction in the M.A. in Music Performance. He has performed in venues from the Fazioli Auditorium in Italy to London’s Wigmore Hall.

Saturday 25th March 2023, 7.30pm

Christ Church, Derry~Londonderry

Barry Douglas piano

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

- Four Impromptus, Op. 142, D. 935

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

- Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, “Appassionata”, Op. 57

INTERVAL

Franz Schubert

- Piano Sonata No. 16 in A minor, Op.42, D. 845

On Saturday 25th March, celebrated Belfast pianist Barry Douglas will give the final evening concert of the Festival, with performances of Schubert Impromptus, Beethoven’s “Appassionata” and Schubert’s iconic Piano Sonata in A minor.

Barry Douglas has established a major international career since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. As Artistic Director of Camerata Ireland, the only all-Ireland orchestra, and the Clandeboye Festival, he continues to celebrate his Irish heritage whilst also maintaining a busy international touring schedule. In addition to regular concert appearances with the world’s major orchestras including London Symphony, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Russian National, Vancouver and Colorado Symphonies, and the Halle Orchestra, he is also a highly sought-after recitalist and chamber musician.

Sunday 26th March 2023, 2.00pm

Great Hall, Ulster University, Magee Campus

Northern Ireland Opera

& Walled City Music Piano

Festival Young Artists

This exciting collaboration between Walled City Music Piano Festival and NI Opera will bring their Young Artists together to perform in the closing event of the 2023 Walled City Music Festival. On Sunday afternoon, soprano Petra Wells and baritone Ryan Garnham will be joined by pianist Dida Condria, to perform a variety concert of vocal favourites and solo piano works in the beautiful surroundings of the Great Hall in Ulster University’s Magee campus.

The recital will set off a week of masterclasses, education and outreach work delivered by the festival’s guest artists to participating Young Artists from NI Opera and Royal Irish Academy of Music, as well as local schools, as Walled City Music continues its tradition of inspiring local young musicians, and placing upcoming Irish talent at the heart of its programming alongside established, world-class artists.

Ryan Garnham (bass-baritone)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

- Notte giorno faticar from Don Giovanni

Jacques Ibert (1890 - 1962)

- Chanson à Dulcinée

- Chanson du duc

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

- Vecchia zimarra senti from La Bohème

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

- Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’

- Ich grolle nicht

Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)

- Vi ravviso from La Sonnambula

Petra Wells (soprano)

Giacomo Puccini

- Donde Lieta, from La Bohème

Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)

- Bel Piacere from Agrippina

Georges Bizet (1838-1875)

- Habanera from Carmen

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

- Song to the Moon from Rusalka

Duets

Herbert Harty (1879-1941)

- My Lagan love

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

- Es rauschet das Wasser

Dida Condria (piano)

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

- Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op.42

- Liebesfreud

Artist Bios

Raphael Wallfisch cello

Raphael Wallfisch is one of the world’s most celebrated cellists performing on the international stage, renowned for his curiosity and commitment to exploring and broadening the full range of repertoire for the instrument, and drawing on a rich musical heritage.

He was born in London into a family of distinguished musicians, his mother the cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and his father the pianist Peter Wallfisch, going on to study in California with Gregor Piatigorsky. His career was launched at the age of twenty-four when he won the Gaspar Cassadó International Competition in Florence.

Since then he has enjoyed a global career, much loved in his home country where he has forged close relationships with orchestras including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony and BBC Philharmonic among others and is respected around the world.

The depth of Wallfisch’s interest in the repertoire is borne out in his extraordinary discography – including a long relationship with Chandos, a complete Vivaldi series on Naxos with Nicholas Kraemer, and with EMI, Decca, Black Box, ASV, CPO and Nimbus. Wallfisch is a particular champion of British repertoire, recording concertos by Bax, Bliss, Britten, Delius, Finzi, Moeran and Walton, written for Piatigorsky, which he was privileged to record for the Chandos Walton Edition.

As a soloist and consummate chamber musician, he has toured worldwide, performing at many of the world’s prestigious halls and festivals. He plays the 1733 Montagnana “ExRomberg” and an exquisite modern cello built for him by Patrick Robin.

Cathal Breslin piano

Cathal Breslin has been praised worldwide as one of the most exciting pianists of his generation with critical acclaim such as “superb intensity and passion” (Cleveland Plain Dealer), “energized and energizing” (Belfast Telegraph), “a deep connection to the music” (Tampa Oracle), and “noble poetry” (The Independent, London). Born in Derry, Northern Ireland, a growing international career has taken him throughout Europe, U.S.A. and Asia.

He has performed extensively in solo recitals, as a concerto soloist with orchestra and as a chamber musician in major concert halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, Kumho Hall in Seoul, and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Cathal studied at the Royal College of Music in London and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. In 2008 he received a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan,

studying with Arthur Greene, where he was also a Fulbright Scholar and Teaching Assistant. He was awarded the Bronze Medal at the Viotti International Piano Competition in Vercelli/ Milan, Italy, a World Federation International Music Competition. Other international competition successes have included top prizes in “Carlet” in Valencia, “Grand Konzerteum” in Athens, and “Iowa” in the U.S.

Cathal is also a dedicated and innovative teacher, and he is currently an Associate Professor of Piano at Arizona State University in the School of Music at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

Cathal greatly appreciates the kind financial support throughout his career from the Arts Council of N. Ireland, BBC Young Artists Program, Culture Ireland, Diageo Ireland, Fulbright U.S. and Ireland, and the Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Program.

Sharon Carty

mezzo-soprano

Irish mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty has firmly established a reputation as a respected interpreter of both early and contemporary works, alongside maintaining a busy schedule in mainstream opera and concert repertoire. She is an alumna of the RIAM Dublin, MDW Vienna, and Oper Frankfurt Young Artist Programme, and has been an Artistic Partner to Irish National Opera since the company began in 2018.

Regularly praised for her musicality and intelligence, her integrity as an artist and the warmth, clarity and agility of her voice, her opera repertoire includes many of the important lyric and coloratura mezzo-soprano roles, such as Hänsel, Dido, Ruggiero, Dorabella, Cherubino, Ariodante, Orfeo (Gluck) and Sesto (Handel).

On the concert platform her repertoire spans most of the major sacred concert works, including all the principal works of J.S Bach as well as Messiah, Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor, and a broad song repertoire in addition to numerous chamber music works. She is also a dedicated song recitalist, most recently appearing in performances with pianists Finghin Collins, Jonathan Ware and Graham Johnson.

A regular collaborator with orchestras across Europe, her discography includes La Traviata on Naxos DVD with the NDR Radiophilharmonie alongside Thomas Hampson and Marina Rebeka as well as The Mountebanks (Gilbert/Cellier) on CD with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Her most recent CD, a disc of Schubert songs with pianist Jonathan Ware, was released in May 2020.

Fiachra Garvey piano

Fiachra Garvey graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London in 2013 with 1st class honours and distinction in the MA in Music Performance. This follows a 1st class honours B.A. in Music Performance from the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2011 and a 1st class honours DipMus (performance and teaching) from the RIAM in 2008.

The National Concert Hall Dublin awarded Fiachra the “Rising Star” prize in 2011, leading to a series of concerto and solo debuts. He was 1st prizewinner at the 2012 Jaques Samuel Competition, London, and made his Fazioli Auditorium (Italy) and Wigmore Hall debuts in 2013.

Concerto appearances include Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini with the Janáček Philharmonic, Tchaikovsky and Poulenc with the RTE National Symphony

Orchestra /Cambridge Symphony Orchestra / UCD Symphony Orchestra, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Grieg with the RTE Concert Orchestra, Prokofiev no 3 with the RIAM Symphony Orchestra and Grieg with the Hibernian Orchestra.

Fiachra’s debut CD “For the Piano”, under the Lyric FM label, was released in 2012: “brings a deep and infectious enthusiasm, combined with insight and technical comfort.” (Sunday Times). His second CD, a live performance from Wigmore Hall, was released in 2014.

When not performing, Fiachra loves nothing more than returning home to help on the family farm with the yearly lambing, dipping, shearing, harvesting and all the other elegant and refined activities on the farm! Fiachra feels this makes him a more inspired and fulfilled musician.

Barry Douglas piano

Barry Douglas has established a major international career since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, Moscow. As Artistic Director of Camerata Ireland, the only allIreland orchestra and the Clandeboye Festival, he continues to celebrate his Irish heritage whilst also maintaining a busy international touring schedule. In January 2021 Barry Douglas was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to music and community relations in the 2021 New Year Honours List.

In recent seasons Barry performed with a list of orchestras that includes the London Symphony, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Russian National, Vancouver and Colorado Symphonies, and the Halle Orchestra. Also noted for his promotion of contemporary repertoire, he performed the premiere of Kevin Volans’ fourth piano concerto with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the European premiere of the Penderecki Piano Concerto.

Other recent highlights include a major UK tour with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, and appearances with the RTE, Barcelona and Sydney Symphonies as well as a continuation of his collaboration with the Borodin String Quartet. A highly sought-after recitalist and chamber musician, he has given performances across the globe from Royal Albert Hall, Barbican and Wigmore Hall and the Verbier Festival to the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, Grand Theatre in Shanghai and other cities in China.

Barry is an exclusive Chandos recording artist. He recently completed a six-album recording of the full works for solo piano of Brahms. International Record Review wrote that “this is indeed Brahms playing of the utmost integrity and authority... this cycle looks set to become a benchmark version.”

Petra Wells soprano

Petra Wells is a Soprano based in Belfast, performing internationally and across the UK. She trained originally under Robert Alderson whilst studying Law at the University of Manchester and continues her training with Valerie Reid, London whilst working full time as a solicitor.

Petra works closely with Northern Ireland Opera and her most recent roles have been the world premiere of Neil Martin’s “Nobody/ Somebody”, La Traviata (Study Cover for Annina), La Boheme and Die Fledermaus all as Chorus member. Other Chorus roles have included the production of MASS by Northern Irish composer, Conor Mitchell, as part of the Outburst Queer Arts Festival with the Ulster Orchestra.

Petra won the Opera category in Ballymena Music Festival two years in a row together with other accolades in the Carrickfergus and Belfast Music Festivals.

Petra has performed locally as a guest soloist for Bangor Ladies and Larne Ladies Choir as well as a regular performer of the “Sundays on the Maritime Mile” summer series. She has also travelled to Lucerne, Switzerland performing as part of the BBC Youth Proms Choir following performances in the Royal Albert Hall.

Petra continues to work closely with Northern Ireland Opera and looks forward to future projects in 2023.

Ryan Garnham bass-baritone

After graduating from Queen’s University Belfast with First Class Honours in Music, Ryan completed a PGCE Music from University of Ulster in July 2020. As part of his undergraduate degree, he received a bursary for vocal tuition with David Robertson, culminating in a successful Double Recital in his final year, and being awarded a Flax Trust QUB Music award.

As a member of Anúna, he has toured the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Italy as well as performing at events such as Last Night of the Proms, and the Sacred Music Festival in Fes, Morocco, most recently performing as part of the Voces8 series ‘Live from London’. Ryan is also a founding member of one of Anuna’s branch-off groups namely ‘M’ANAM’,

who released their debut album in November 2019. Ryan has been involved with NI Opera in 2017 and 2018 as a chorus member for their productions of Mozart’s ‘Cosi fan Tutte’ and Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto’.”

As an Associate Artist for the 2020 season, he performed in various projects throughout the year, culminating in the Magic of Christmas show with the Ulster Orchestra in the Waterfront Hall. Ryan is currently working towards a Masters in Vocal Studies at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying with Julian Tovey.

Dida Condria piano

A multiple 1st prize winner internationally, 20-year-old Dida Condria has performed worldwide in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, National Concert Hall of Ireland, Casa Verdi Milan, Sibiu Filarmonica and Belfast Castle.

Originally from Romania, Dida moved to Ireland at the age of 4 and commenced her studies on continuous scholarship at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She gave her national solo debut at 11 years old with the RIAM Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Finghin Collins. An ABRSM Scholar, she is currently in her second year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland studying with Prof. Aaron Shorr.

Dida was a Keyboard Finalist in this year’s BBC Young Musician of the Year and the recipient of the Walter Todds Bursary for the most promising runner-up. Some of her international achievements include winning the Scottish International Youth Piano Competition, the Crescendo International Music Competition in New York and the John Field International Piano Competition.

In 2020 Dida was invited to perform as a guest of John O’Conor at the Dublin International Piano Competition’s Christmas Recital, and has also performed on Ireland’s national arts radio station, RTÉ Lyric FM. Dida enjoys regularly performing as a chamber musician and has played in America and around the UK with various duos and trios.

Thank you

Funders

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Derry City & Strabane District Council

Sponsor

KPMG Partners

Ulster University

NI Opera Festival Team

Cathal Breslin, Artistic Director

Sabrina Hu, Artistic Director

Matthew Greenall, Executive Director

Fiona Crosbie, General Manager

Johanne Jefferson, Social Media Coordinator

Mairéad Nic Bhloscaidh, Acting General Manager

Robert Egan, Digital Marketing Officer

Special thanks to

Christ Church

Pól Sheerin, PS Audio

Aligned, Graphic Design

Peter Meenagh, Web Design