OUR 1000-seater concert hall will open in the spirit of Christmas brought to us in oratario glory by Limerick Choral Union and Orchestra. Their concert takes place on Sunday December 4 at 8pm in UCH, with guest choir The Gúnas, operatic soprano Sarah Dolan and Dublin trumpeter Will Palmer.
LCU’s musical director of 21 years, Malcolm Green will direct.
Arts page hears of the Union’s preparation from chairman Darragh Curtin for this superb programme of Mozart, Patrick Hawes and Karl Jenkins.
“Limerick Choral Union will have 120+ on stage and the orchestra will number 27. This is our first time to welcome Sarah Dolan to sing with us, she will be back home from America for a series of events. Our guest trumpeter William Palmer, from Dublin, is a recognised soloist and this is very, very challenging work for the trumpet.”
Himself a baritone singing with the basses, Darragh says the night will open with a short piece, Mozart’s ‘Laudate Dominum’.
“Then we have Patrick Hawes’ ‘Song of Songs’, an exquisite composition of music.. romantic music that involves high soprano solo singing”. Sarah’s beauty of voice will sound again for the first performance in Ireland of ‘Exsultate Jubilate’.
“Jenkins originally wrote a piece called ‘Palladio’ in 1995 and in 2005 would have put lyrics to the first movement. It has been recorded just once.” A work elected by Macolm Green and reader, prepare to be awed.
“‘Stella Natalis’ is the main body of our second half of the night, welcoming The Gúnas. This is a Christmas piece, ‘the birth star’ and it is Jenkins’ interpretation of peace and goodwill to mankind. It takes a multicultural view to the sentiment, getting different languages in, African and Asian communities”.
Words to the sanctity of this precious time of year: “I feel this is truly a Christmas concert. If I were to reflect on it… if you were to perceive time to be the currency of your life, how do you choose to spend that time? In a way, this concert is a reflection of 150 people choosing to spend theirs creating something beautiful of the season”.
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