Maynooth guitar orchestra at the Linenhall
One of Ireland’s most unique and exciting ensembles, the Maynooth Guitar Orchestra, appears for a very special one-off concert at the Linenhall Arts Centre on Monday August 11 at 8pm. Founded by Brendan Walsh in 2003, the Maynooth Guitar Orchestra has quickly established itself as a musical phenomenon. This concert sees the 13-piece MGO collaborate with 12 top guitarists from all over the world, resulting in an ensemble of 25 guitarists!
Typical of the group’s eclectic approach and diverse range of musical styles, the group will present an evening of diverse and engaging musical pleasures with a programme that includes Mozart’s Symphony K.201, Debussy's “Tarantelle Styrienne”, Victor Lazzarini's “Elliptical Transformations”, and Brendan Walsh's Concerto for Violin and Guitar Ensemble performed with the young award-winning Swiss violinist Deborah Landolt. Also featured is “Old Man” by Neil Young, “Bachalorette” by Björk, along with a special arrangement by young jazz guitarist Patrick Groenland of the Rodgers/Hart song “It Never Entered My Mind”, performed with the irresistible voice of Georgia Cusack. Altogether a unique summer concert, 25 guitarists playing together, a must-see and must-hear event! Maynooth Guitar Orchestra performs at the Linenhall Arts Centre on Monday August 11 at 8pm. Booking advised. Tel: 094 902 3733.
Bruce Mathiske makes an appearence at Linenhall
Guitar wizard Bruce Mathiske makes a welcome return visit to Castlebar to play a very special solo gig at the Linenhall Arts Centre in on Thursday August 21 at 8pm. Fiery fretwork, outrageous harmonics and dazzling musical talent culminate in the rhythmic virtuosity that is a live concert by Australian guitar maestro Bruce Mathiske. Bruce's eclectic musical influences - from his world travels and the likes of Chet Atkins, Jimi Hendrix, Leo Kottke, BB King, Barney Kessell and Al Di Meola - have evolved into an exciting style that is all his own, with rhythms and moods that span Spanish, Cuban, blues, gypsy, ambient/landscape, jazz and folk, with Bruce surpassing expectations at every turn.
Bruce’s current CD Rhythms, the latest in a string of acclaimed recordings, reflects a lifetime of musical journeys inspired by his many years of travelling the world with his unique style. With Bruce performing solo, expect a night of great music, infectious rhythms and sheer guitar brilliance. Bruce Mathiske performs at the Linenhall Arts Centre on Thursday August 21 at 8pm.
New exhibition at the Linenhall
Caoineadh / Elegies, an exhibition of new paintings by award-winning artist Eoin Mac Lochlainn, opens at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar tonight Friday August 1 at 7.30pm. Eoin’s powerful and evocative portraits, which recently earned him the prestigious Golden Fleece Award 2008, address issues that transcend pure figuration. He explains: “A few years ago I began work on a series of paintings inspired by stories in the media about Most Wanted men. I decided that I would paint 52 heads in response to Donald Rumsfeld’s notorious Deck of Cards, his 52 most wanted men in Iraq. However, what began as an emotional response to the War on Terror has developed in various, more subtle directions since then. At first I thought of the Heads as ‘elegies’ - to all those who suffered because of war - but gradually other themes have emerged in the work. I began exploring issues relating to the media and spectacle, notions of identity and ‘otherness’ and ideas about seeing (and not seeing ) in the contemporary world. The media presents us daily with a multiplicity of images which can have the effect of inuring us to the personal stories that lie behind each individual image.
“A personal tragedy, the loss of a loved one, for instance, is sensationally ‘splashed’ across the front pages one day but then is quickly forgotten when the next story is presented. Wars and atrocities give way to further wars and atrocities. The endless supply of stories and images begin to lose their meaning… By taking an image and using it as the subject of a painting, it emphasises the importance of that image, that personal story. Rather than make finite statements in the work, I prefer to allow the viewer to bring his or her own associations to bear on it. However, there is an inherent unease in the work about the current direction of global politics.”
Caoineadh / Elegies will be officially opened tonight Friday August 1 by Treasa Ní Cheannabháin of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, when there will be a chance to preview the works, meet the artist and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine. The exhibition runs until Saturday August 30.
The Linenhall Gallery is open to the general public Monday-Friday from 10am to 5pm; Saturday from 11am to 5.30pm. Admission to exhibitions is free. Further details from the Linenhall. Tel: 094 902 3733 Website: www.thelinenhall.com
