The Esker Festival Orchestra returns to Galway with an ambitious programme under the baton of gifted young Mexican conductor Rodrigo Sámano tomorrow (Friday ) at 8pm in Galway Cathedral.
The concert will feature a performance of Gustav Mahler's titanic First Symphony as well as the beautiful 'Poème' for Violin and Orchestra by Ernest Chausson, featuring Irish violinist Phoebe White. There will also be an exclusive, world premiere of 'MACHA' – Tone Poem for Orchestra by talented young Irish composer Kellie O'Neill.
Based in Galway, the Esker Festival Orchestra was set up in 2014 by conductor, composer and instrumentalist Peter Joyce in order to provide a high quality, beneficial and meaningful musical opportunity for young emerging musicians.
In founding what has become Ireland’s most dynamic and established peer-led orchestra, Joyce sought to fill a musical and social void that he perceived for young musicians in Ireland to not only perform together, but also socialise and build the relationships that will be essential during their personal and professional lives.
“Since its beginnings, the Esker Festival Orchestra has strived to provide the most beneficial and affordable musical experiences possible to our talented young emerging Irish and international musicians, he says. "We aim to innovate and create an exciting space that supports and develops orchestral music in Ireland by nurturing the talents of our emerging musicians and by helping to relieve the financial burden on the musicians themselves as much as possible. Our organisation is unique in that it is entirely led and run by its members, for its members.
“We are so thrilled to be back performing in person this year after the disappointments wrought by the pandemic. In these performances we want to deliver every bit of the energy and passion that we have missed in performing to the public over the last two years and look forward to a fantastic series of concerts.
As a conductor, composer, and instrumentalist Peter has enjoyed a long-standing and successful career and has worked with groups and artists such as the National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra, Orchestra of the Baden State Theater, Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, Imelda May, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Hozier, Nathan Carter and Booka Brass Band, among many others.
The Esker Festival Orchestra is supported by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, The Arts Council, RTÉ Supporting the Arts, NUI Galway and MTU Cork School of Music.
Tickets are available at eskerfestivalorchestra.com/events/ or on the door for each venue (€15/€10 concession ).
Full concert and tour details can be found at www.eskerfestivalorchestra.com .
