PRESS RELEASE
40 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG
From a small sapling planted in Castletown House by David Laing and Desmond Guinness in 1970, the great oak that is now the KBC Music in Great Irish Houses Festival has grown. Over those 40 years, the Festival has become a unique fixture in Ireland’s cultural calendar, bringing world-class Irish and international chamber musicians to historic, stately venues around the country.
Speaking at the launch of the 40th Anniversary Programme, at title sponsor KBC Headquarters, Dr. Martin Mansergh T.D. Minister of State with responsibility for the Arts, said: “The KBC Music in Great Irish Houses festival provides a wonderful opportunity for Irish audiences to enjoy a vast range of live classical music performed by excellent musicians in the matching atmosphere of many of our greatest historic houses”.
John Reynolds, Chief Executive of KBC Bank Ireland, which has been the title sponsor of the event for the last eight years, said: “We’re delighted to support what has become a landmark institution in the Irish arts and culture calendar. The festival is a perfect showcase for outstanding musical talent, both Irish and international, and we can look forward to some superb performances over the course of the event”.
The delights of this year’s Festival are many and varied, running from June 12th to 19th. Opening in its spiritual home, Castletown House, where the much sought after French ensemble Quatuor Ebene will play works by Mozart Bartok and the Debussy Quartet which recently garnered Gramophone Magazine’s “Recording of the Year” accolade. Adding a bit of spice, as it were, the same quartet will morph into l’Autre Ebene and joined by compatriots Richard Héry and Fabrice Planchat to perform jazz, film and pop music in the Sugar Club, Leeson Street on June 13th.
In the afternoon of the same date, June 13th, Latvian violinist, Baiba Skride – who recently appeared with the RTÉ NSO - and Danish cellist Jan Vogler’s concert in Beaulieu House, Drogheda will feature the music of Bach, Handel/Halvorsen and Ravel. On the following day (June 14th), joined by Lauma Skride, Baibe and Jan will make their European debut as Trio Skride/Vogler Trio.
A perennial favourite, Killruddery House provides the venue for this concert of chamber music classics by Beethoven, Shostakovich and Brahms. Killruddery is also the site for the Irish debut of the renowned German Fauré Quartet on Tuesday June 15th.
The Festival is privileged to be invited by the US Ambassador to present a concert at his residence “Deerpark”, Phoenix Park, on June 16th. We are delighted to welcome two artists who thrilled with their performance here three years ago - Violinist extraordinaire Arabella Steinbacher and pianist Robert Kulek play Brahms and Beethoven.
In the James Gandon designed Emo Court in Laois, gifted tenor Robin Tritschler will be partnered by acclaimed British pianist Simon Lepper in some of the finest music for voice and piano written by Brahms, Britten, Bax and Schumann.
In the penultimate festival concert on June 18th, two of Ireland’s musical ambassadors, pianists Hugh Tinney and Finghin Collins, collaborate in a tantalizing programme of French and Russian music for two pianos. This concert will take place in the acoustically upgraded RDS Concert Hall.
Back to the Palladian splendor of Castletown on June 19th for the Last Night with the award-winning Quatuor Ysaye and music by Haydn, Brahms and Schumann and music lovers will gather to celebrate “the music of friends” – chamber music and toast a much loved Festival.
In addition to its main events, to mark the 40th anniversary, the Festival is developing in a number of directions: for the first time there will be will a three day event at the Centre Culturel Irlandais and the Irish Embassy on Avenue Foch - a “Great Irish House” abroad, while at home, a new partnership with the RDS for the presentation of a series of Autumn chamber music concerts has been confirmed. In the spirit of nurturing performance for the future, Young Irish String Quartets will be encouraged by the professional tutoring and mentoring of an international musician who will advise on all aspects of public performance in our “Support Act” project.
Several of these stately venues are, in fact, still private residences, so the Festival provides the unique opportunity to hear world-class musical talent in the intimate surroundings for which much chamber music was actually written. It is a summer event, so if we actually get a summer this year, why not make a day of one of the fixtures by relaxing with a picnic in the manicured gardens of one of these stately homes, before treating your ears to beautiful chamber music performed by celebrated virtuosos.
BOOKING INFORMATION
Box Office: 01 664 2822
Online: click here
For information about KBC Bank Music in Great Houses Festival
Contact: Laurie Cearr
Website: www.musicgreatirishhouses.com
Email: info@musicgreatirishhouses.com
Tel: +353 1 664 2822