There is a distinctly international flavour for this year’s Castleconnell Concert Series at All Saints Church which gets underway with one of Britain’s foremost pianists, Leon McCawley, on Tuesday, August 27.
McCawley’s performance will mark the start of the 14th edition of the Castleconnell Autumn Concert Series.
The British pianist has been praised for the purity of his lyrical and heartfelt playing. Notable recitals in past seasons include: London Piano Series at Wigmore Hall, International Piano Series at London’s Southbank Centre, New York’s Lincoln Center, Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Phillips Collection in Washington DC.
His programme also includes the first piano work of the Viennese emigré composer Hans Gál (1890-1987) whose complete piano music McCawley has championed and recorded.
Sheila Deegan, Culture and Arts Officer with Limerick City and County Council said, “In the picturesque village of Castleconnell, this year the focus for the programme is international, with Leon McCawley, Esme Quartet, winners of the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet competition, Camerata Kilkenny and Swedish Soprano Maria Keohane and in partnership with Music Network Ben Johnson and Sean Shibe.”
“It is exciting to bring this exceptional line-up of performers to our audience for Castleconnell, through working in partnership with the Arts Council. Take an evening and come along to the first in the series with Leon McCawley on Tuesday, August 27, explore the village and enjoy a walk by the river Shannon.”
The other concerts in the series include Esmé Quartet performing on Tuesday, September 24 with a concert that includes pieces from Frank Bridge, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Formed in 2016, the Esmé Quartet has rapidly gained a reputation as a chamber ensemble of exceptional achievement and promise.
Tuesday, October 15 will see World-renowned Swedish soprano Maria Keohane joining the Irish early music ensemble Camerata Kilkenny for a programme of exquisite arias by J.S. Bach coupled with traditional chorales for solo female voice from the Dalarna region of Sweden.
The final concert on Tuesday, November 26 music lovers will delight in seeing young Scottish guitarist Sean Shibe who has taken the world by storm ever since winning the BBC New Generation award in 2012.
Equally at home in whatever genre he turns his hand to, he has never set boundaries on the scope of his musical exploration. Pair him up with Ben Johnson, one of the busiest young tenors in the chamber music and opera worlds, a multi award winning recitalist and owner of one of the most beguiling voices around, and that’s a world class duo right there. They bring intensity and a new clarity to Bach, Giuliani and Walton, and adventure and risk to contemporary work. Music Network has commissioned a new work by Brian Bolger for this tour, the first Irish outing for this duo.
Each concert will be introduced by Liz Nolan from RTE Lyric fm, who will give an overview of each of the concerts and what the audience can expect.
Ticket for the Castleconnell 2019 Autumn Concerts Series programme at the All Saints’ Church are €15 available at the door prior to each performance, or €10 concession/ groups of five and over.
Online pre-booking is recommended: http://www.limetreetheatre.ie Box Office 061 953400. Buy a ticket to any two shows in the series for the special price of €25. Offer is only available online
