NEW ROSS POISED FOR A FANTASTIC WEEK OF PIANO MUSIC
WORLD renowned pianists are performing in New Ross this week during the fantastically eclectic New Ross Piano Festival.
With free events, a children’s concert, a performance by a pianist described as one of the most adventurous and accomplished of his generation by the New York Times and three amazing concerts, this year’s festival has something for all piano music lovers.
One of the unique things about the New Ross Piano Festival is that at three of the concerts there will be three different pianists playing in the one event. All three are renowned on the international scene and have performed at some of the great world concert halls.
New Ross Piano Festival director Connie Tantrum said: ‘It’s an incredible experience for the audiences, one which makes the piano festival unique.’
This year Alexandra Dariescu, Anne-Marie McDermott and Finghin Collins will be playing on Friday at 8 p.m., on Saturday at 7.30 p.m. and on Sunday at 3.30 p.m. And each time one of them will be joined by Mark Coppey on cello and Svetlin Roussev on violin to perform a glorious piano trio.
All five artists have played all over the world with the best orchestras under famous conductors, in famous concert halls such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie, and the many European venues. The festival will be Irish-American Anne-Marie’s Irish debut. Hailed as ‘one of the great American pianists of her generation’, Anne Marie will perform in three main concerts and give a masterclass.
In complete contrast to the high-powered international pianists, 20 piano students from around the region are practising hard for their concert on Wednesday.
On Saturday David Greilshammer is playing a late night concert at 10 p.m. David performed at last year’s festival but was taken ill while here and was unable to play his programme, called Labyrinth. Recognised as one of today’s most audacious classical artists, David has won rave reviews from all round the world, such as: ‘A classical musician of exceptional probity and freshness. An astonishing achievement,’ in The Daily Telegraph.
Music students in the south east have a wonderful chance to get up close and personal to live music and hear about life as a professional classical musician on Friday morning at 11.30 a.m. in St Mary’s Church, New Ross. One of the guest pianists, Billy O’Brien, will be giving an informal talk on life as a professional pianist and will be playing short pieces of music he loves. Billy is from Waterford. He began his piano studies at the age of 13 as a student at De La Salle College, Waterford. He was subsequently awarded an Entrance Scholarship to the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and went on to complete a BA in Piano Performance in 2015, graduating with First Class Honours. This session is open and free to second-level music students from all schools in the south east, but would need to be booked by September 18, on a first come, first served basis. The general public are being invited to join in and attend at 12 noon. The event will finish at approximately 12.45 p.m.
On Thursday afternoon from 4 p.m. till 5 p.m., there will be a free tea-time jazz piano session in the Dunbrody Café. Darragh Hennessey will be tinkling the ivories and Barry Donohue is on double bass. Darragh is a rising talent in the Dublin jazz scene while Barry has studied with renowned French classical double bassist Thierry Barbé, contemporary jazz guitarist Nelson Veras, composer/saxophonist Stephane Payen, composer/trombonist Nils Wogram, electric bassist Matthew Garrison, and saxophonist/composer Steve Coleman.
On Friday at 12 noon, Billy O’Brien from Waterford will give a free concert in St Mary’s Church. His programme includes the ever-popular Chopin, Debussy and Sriabin, plus one world première by Irish composer Robert Coleman.
Also on Friday at 2 p.m., Darragh Hennessey and Barry Donohue will play another free one hour session in New Ross Library. Then on Saturday the Irish-American pianist, Anne-Marie McDermott, will be giving master-classes to two talented young students, Stan O’Beirne and Defne Gultoprak in the Pastoral Centre, aka the Legion of Mary Hall. This is at 3 p.m. and is open and free to the public. See further information on this year’s artistes and the full festival programme on www. newrosspianofestival.com.