National Chamber Choir of Ireland: An Irish Colloquy
"Fresh, positive, and full of energy." -Irish Times
The National Chamber Choir of Ireland, founded in 1991 by composer/conductor Colin Mawby, is widely regarded as Ireland's most distinguished choral ensemble and is celebrated both nationally and internationally for its fresh and innovative sound. Their repertoire extends from early to contemporary music, and the centerpiece of this program is a new work by Grammy-nominated composer Tarik O'Regan (b. 1978). Scored for chamber choir of 16 singers plus harp and guitar, An Irish Colloquy is a musical rendering of the Acallam na Senó rach (or The Colloquy of the Ancients), perhaps the most important Middle Irish narrative dating from the 12th or 13th century. The story follows two aged Irish warrior-heroes, Oisín and Caílte, as they travel across Ireland with the newly-arrived Saint Patrick, expressed through mystical stories and short poems in medieval Irish. Program also includes choral music of Bach, Brahms, Bax, CV Stanford and Kevin Volans.
$41, $37; Museum members $40, $36