The Mayo International Choral Festival presents A Concert For Peace Commemorating the 1916 Easter Rising and World War One on Saturday, May 14 2016 in Knock Basilica. Doors open 6.45pm with the concert 8pm. Tickets cost €25 for all reserved seating and €15 for restricted viewing. A feast for the senses awaits. The Mayo International Choral Festival is proud to present this inaugural concert at the newly refurbished Knock Basilica, to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising and World War One.
Composed to mark the millennium in 2000, performed over 1000 times in more than 20 different countries with over 15 gold and platinum awards, composer Sir Karl Jenkins The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a powerful and compelling phenomenon in contemporary music which brings the audience on an inspirational journey from the disharmony of conflict to a final message of hope and peace. It is a dramatically engaging work, using influences and inspirations from all over the world, including poems by Kipling and Tennyson.
In addition, the orchestra will perform an elegy suite for 1916 by the distinguished composer Patrick Cassidy, recent recipient of the Creative Talent Award 2015, at the Richard Harris International Film Festival, together with some of his most acclaimed pieces including the Hannibal Aria, Vide Cor Meum.
Born in Mayo, Patrick Cassidy came to prominence with the release of The Children of Lir, the first major symphonic work written in the Irish language, and Famine Remembrance which was commissioned to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the fammine in Ireland. Currently, Patrick resides in Los Angeles where, in addition to his concert work and compositions, he scores and collaborates on film and documentary projects including Hannibal, Veronica Guerin, Confessions of a Burning Man, Salem’s Lot, King Arthur, Che Guevara, Ashes and Snow, Kingdom of Heaven, The Front Line, L'Aviatore, The Irishman and Calvary.
Mayo born and based, Mezzo Soprano Anne Marie Gibbons appears regularly with both the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. She is a former English National Opera company principal and made her acclaimed Royal Opera House Covent Garden debut earlier this year. Her many international credits include performances in Paris, Adelaide, Lausanne and London.
Limerick born, Tenor Owen Gilhooly’s career has taken him from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden to Tokyo’s Symphony Hall, singing a diverse operatic and concert repertoire from Bach to Weir. He has appeared regularly with leading orchestras including at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, as well as at Royal Opera House singing Faure? Requiem for the Royal Ballet.
Widely regarded as the leading Irish Conductor of today, David Brophy’s career has seen him perform worldwide, and he enjoys a close relationship with both the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in addition to frequent appearances as guest Conductor with the Ulster Orchestra. David will be familiar to TV viewers, having fronted both the RTÉ1 award-winning series Instrumental and the High Hopes Choir for Tyrone Productions and RTÉ1 TV.
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra has been introducing orchestral music to new audiences since 1948 and was recently voted World’s Favourite Orchestra in an international poll (Bachtrack.com, 2015 ). Having shared stages with legends like Pavarotti and Lang Lang, the RTÉ CO has also collaborated with top Irish acts like Altan, Sharon Shannon, Declan O’Rourke and Imelda May. A wide range of film credits includes Brian Byrne’s score to Albert Nobbs (including a song nominated for a Golden Globe ), music for Patrick Cassidy’s score to Calvary, Andy O’Callaghan’s score to Mrs Brown’s Boys: D’Movie and Stephen Rennicks’ score to Room.
Members of the Ballina Chamber Choir, Cór Mhaigh Eo and Dún Laoghaire Choral Society will come together to form a 120-strong choir to collobrate on this project.
The concert will be produced in association with the The Western Development Commission.For more information visit www.mayochoral.com or find them on Facebook. Tickets are available online from www.mayochoral.com or in-person from ?Downtown Records Castlebar and Westport or the Knock Basilica - information centre and bookshop.
