Music for Galway (MfG ) has announced details of its 42nd international concert season 2023/24 which features an array of artists from near and far. At the launch of the season, high up in the new Bonham Quay office complex in Galway’s Docks, Artistic Director Finghin Collins singled out the November 18 appearance of iconic British sibling duo Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason as a “major highlight of the season.
This cello and piano recital will give a taste of things to come in May 2024 when MfG presents Cellissimo, its international cello festival on the edge of Europe”, he commented.
Opening the season, President of Atlantic Technological University (ATU ), Orla Flynn remarked on the richness of cultural life in Galway: Music for Galway is an intrinsic part of the rich cultural fabric of this city. Music for Galway’s imaginative and excellent programming featuring the best national and international performers is enhanced by work in the field of education, inclusion and advocacy for cultural infrastructure.
The season commences with a celebration of the 150th birthday of one of the great composer-pianists of our time - Sergei Rachmaninov. Beloved of Galway audiences, pianist Lucy Parham is accompanied by famed actor Tim McInnerny to bring Rachmaninov’s story to glorious life in music and words. Another genius is celebrated in MfG’s annual Emily Anderson Concert and that is of course Mozart with a visit from the Castalian Quartet.
A very different composer is the focus of MfG’s Midwinter Festival in January - the prolific and highly revered Frenchman Gabriel Fauré, who died a hundred years ago in 1924. His compatriot, the pianist Michel Dalberto, has curated a wonderful showcase of his long career and output, with songs, chamber music and piano works. The season also includes contemporary concerts with artists as diverse as percussionist Alex Petcu, clarinettist Carol McGonnell and singer/improviser Cansu Tanrikulu as well as a piano showcase with the winners of the Dublin and Santander International Piano Competitions. And once again Mark Duley has put together a mouth-watering programme of sacred Music for Good Friday, with Herbert Howells’ Requiem at the heart of it.
The lunchtime series continues, in association with Arts in Action at University of Galway, and provides a platform for a variety of Irish artists at all stages of their careers.
Anna Lardi, CEO of Music for Galway, said Music for Galway heads into this season with its ‘From Galway to the World’ strategy in mind: We welcome our new collaboration with the PR company Sync and Swim. We aim to report on our collaboration with the Galway Dance Project on the feasibility study for a dedicated venue for music/dance soon. There are a number of community outreach and participation projects planned: we link in with the Galway Music Residency Young Ensemble Skills programme, the St. Nicholas Singers will enrich the Midwinter Festival with their performance of the Fauré Requiem and we run an outreach project aimed at the junior cycle of secondary school.”
Sustainability becomes more and more of a focus as MfG, in collaboration with University of Galway, plan to team up with other local arts organisations to learn from one another. A further new initiative is the introduction of the Social Inclusion ticket rate of 50 per cent off the standard price for children, full-time students, people in receipt of jobseeker allowance and disability allowance.
As a nod towards MfG’s supports for younger musicians, live music at this year’s season launch was provided by Trio Papageno, comprised of three highly talented teenagers: Fionna Rua McKerry, violin; Sophia Mantu viola; Clara Mantu, cello
Music for Galway is grant aided by the Arts Council, Galway City Council and Galway County Council. Further income comes from project funding, philanthropy, sponsorships and ticket sales.
