Final preparations for Ardee Baroque
ONE of the big draws for this year’s Ardee Baroque Festival will be the concert by pianist Michael McHale and cellist Brian O’Kane, taking place on Sunday, 26 November at 3pm.
A duo partnership whose most recent recordings together have been receiving 5-star reviews.
They join a line-up of top artists descending on Ardee from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th November for the fourteenth year Ardee Baroque Festival.
Unlike most baroque music concerts, for this performance Michael will play a beautiful Steinway Piano while Brian will perform on a cello made c.1690. They will each play a solo work by Bach and together join forces for the glorious and well-known Brahms Cello Sonata No. 1. Although not a baroque work, it is heavily inspired by the music and composing techniques of Bach and will be a joy to listen to by these great musicians.
Born in Belfast, Michael’s interest in music began at the age of seven when he started learning the piano, soon followed by cello lessons at the City of Belfast School of Music. A varied education took Michael from Belfast to Dublin, Cambridge and ultimately London. His performing career encompasses solo recital, concerto and chamber music appearances and he enjoys playing both core and contemporary repertoire. Michael collaborates regularly with Sir James Galway, Michael Collins, Patricia Rozario, Dame Felicity Lott, the McGill/McHale Trio and Camerata Pacifica.
An award-winning graduate of both the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Brian O’Kane is quickly establishing himself as one of the finest Irish musicians of his generation and is in increasing demand as both a soloist and chamber musician. He came to prominence by taking first prize at the Windsor Festival International String Competition. In 2008, Brian performed with Camerata Ireland in the National Concert Hall under Barry Douglas and with the Philharmonia Orchestra at Highgrove before the Prince of Wales. Brian has recently been awarded the National Concert Hall’s ‘Rising Star’ award.
Tickets for this hour-long concert are just €15, €12 conc & €5 children are available through An Táin Arts Centre 042 9332332 or www.antain. ie. Details on all concerts at this year’s festival are available on www.ardeebaroque.com
Ardee Baroque Festival was initiated by Louth County Arts Office in 2004. It is funded by Louth County Council, Create Louth and the Arts Council.
Aimed at music lovers young and old, this year’s Ardee Baroque Festival includes a return visit by the Irish Baroque Orchestra with leading Irish soprano Sinead Campbell Wallace; a family friendly concert from Music Generation Louth’s Junior Orchestra; a solo violin recital by one of Ireland’s most exciting players; a talk on Irish harp from the region, and a performance by pianist Michael McHale and cellist Brian O’Kane.
Over the years, Ardee has been host to many special musical events and seen some of the greatest performers of baroque music visit the County Louth town. As the cold and darker evenings draw in, the town gears itself up for an influx of musicians and people to support this great festival.
The Irish Baroque Orchestra remains the headline act for the Festival. Under the direction of violinist Claire Duff, this year they bring Irish soprano, Sinead Campbell-Wallace with a programme of delightful and many well-known arias from the baroque period, including pieces from Handel’s Messiah. Sticking with the almost-seasonal theme, they will also perform Corelli’s celebrated Christmas Concerto.
Music Generation initiatives around the country have been growing from strength to strength. Music Generation Louth’s impressive youth chamber groups and Junior String Orchestra perform a familyselection of baroque favourites including Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and music from the Royal Fireworks by Handel. Harper Patrick Quin was one of the youngest of the 18th century Irish harpers. The Sunday lecture will feature researcher Sylvia Crawford talking about Patrick and the potential of Irish music in cultural tourism in the Oriel region.