Louth Contemporary Music Society is to pay to tribute to the music of Sir John Tavener in October.

Irish and international artists will participate in a three-concert celebration of the composer's work in venues around Louth during the Temenos Festival. Taking its name from the Greek word for "sacred space", the festival will include a world premiere and the first Irish performance by the New York-based all-female a capella group, Anonymous 4.

The festival begins on Friday 24 October with performances of three orchestral works -- Supernatural Songs, Dhyana and The Protecting Veil -- by the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste, with soloists Ioana Petru Colan (violin) and Marta Sudraba (cello), in St Peter's Church of Ireland, Drogheda.

On Saturday 25 October, Sudraba will join Stephen Layton's Polyphony and soprano Patricia Rozario, accompanied by the Oriel Trio, in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dundalk, for performances of the Yeats-influenced To a Child Dancing in the Wind and choral works, including Song for Athene and the world premiere of O My People.

The concluding concert, on Sunday 26 October, in St Peter's Church of Ireland, Drogheda, features Anonymous 4 and Irish string quartet, Rothko 4, in a programme that places music by Tavener and Arvo Pärt in the context of early music.

For details, see our calendar or visit www.louthcms.org

Posted: 3 September 2008