Three concerts over the weekend will mark this year’s Festival, using different and unique locations including Glenveagh Castle, Glebe and House Gallery and An Grianan Theatre.
Different orchestras will be presenting a mixture of well-known pieces of classical music as well as featuring contemporary works by this year Festival’s featured composer, Dublin-born John McLachlan, who lives in Inishowen.
Starting this Friday evening, the Festival will bring classical music lovers to the magic of an evening concert at Glenveagh Castle, Glenveagh National Park
The Donegal Camerata String Ensemble (violin, viola, cello, double bass) will present another eclectic program at Glenveagh with music by Leopold Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, Astor Piazzolla and a new arrangement of John McLachlan’s Lament. An event which have been described by concertgoers as “a true chamber music experience”, the concert will be followed by tea, coffee and tray bakes at the Castle’s Tea Rooms.
Saturday’s Lunchtime concert has become a very popular event at the beautiful Glebe Gallery and House, Churchill.
This Free Family Concert, also included as part of this year’s WainFest, will include some children tunes and famous classical pieces played by the Donegal Music Education Partnership’s Junior and Intermediate String Orchestras at the Gallery’s Courtyard.
The Orchestra will also perform Dreams Adrift, a piece specially composed for this occasion by John McLachlan. While you are listening to the youngest string players of DMEP, you can enjoy one of the best coffees at the Glebe Tea Rooms while looking at the beautiful gardens and the Gartan lake.
Donegal Chamber Orchestra’s 10th Anniversary Concert follows on Sunday.
Celebrating ten successful years of chamber music making in County Donegal and beyond, the 2016’s Donegal Chamber Music Festival will end with a very special closing concert at the great venue what is An Grianan Theatre in Letterkenny.
The first half of the concert will feature special guests including exceptional young talent in classical, jazz and traditional music. The DCO’s programme will include works by Vivaldi, Sibelius, Elgar, Bartók and the “Inishowen Set” composed for the Donegal Chamber Orchestra in 2013 by Donegal based composer John McLachlan.
The Donegal Chamber Music Society aims to present Irish Contemporary Music in each of their events and every year the invite a composer to the Festival.
This year featured composer is Dublin-born, Donegal based composer John McLachlan. John McLachlan’s music has been performed in over twenty countries and on five continents. He has represented Ireland in festivals in Finland, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, South Africa and Peru and had performances in many other places including Tokyo, New York, Paris and London.
He has had commissions from the RTE NSO, the National Concert Hall, the Dublin International Piano Competition and most of the leading contemporary music groups and soloists in Ireland as well as further afield. His music has been recorded by artists such as David Adams, John Feeley and Mary Dullea among others. John McLachlan is a member of Aosdana, Ireland’s state-sponsered academy for the creative arts. He lives in Inishowen, Donegal, with his wife Helen and two sons. For more info on concerts, CDs etc see www.johnmclachlan.info
Featuring artists:
Donegal Camerata String Ensemble; DMEP’s Junior & Intermediate String Orchestras;
Donegal Chamber Orchestra with Special Guests and the music of composer John McLachlan
DONEGAL CAMERATA String Ensemble at Glenveagh Castle
Friday 14th October, 8pm Drawing Room, Glenveagh Castle.
Price € 20/€ 15 (Bus leaving car park at 7.30pm
Booking essential. An Grianán Theatre Box Office: 074 9120777
Music by Leopold Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, John McLachlan and Piazzolla.
Tea, Coffee and tray bakes afterwards
FAMILY CONCERT AT THE GLEBE
Saturday 15th October, 12.30pm.
The Glebe House and Gallery, Churchill – Admission is FREE
Donegal Music Education Partnership´s Junior and Intermediate String Orchestras.
Works by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, John McLachlan’s Dreams Adrift and music from the Disney movies
DONEGAL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA’s 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Sunday 16th October, 7 pm. An Grianan Theatre. Price €12 /€10
Join the Donegal Chamber Orchestra and special guests for a celebration of 10 years of wonderful music-making by the DCO in Donegal and beyond. Past and present orchestra members will perform together on stage in a concert which promises to be one of the musical highlights of 2016 at An Grianan. The DCO’s programme will include works by Vivaldi, Sibelius, Elgar, Bartók and the “Inishowen Set” composed for the Donegal Chamber Orchestra in 2013 by Donegal based composer John McLachlan.
Donegal Chamber Orchestra, RCC Letterkenny, 16APR2016.