New Irish Choral music at the Cork International Choral Festival.

Ireland’s most distinguished choral ensemble and Festival Choir in Residence, the National Chamber Choir (NCC), makes a welcome return to the Cork International Choral Festival on Friday 29th April at 7.30pm at St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral. Guided by their Conductor and Artistic Director Paul Hillier, the NCC will follow up last year’s sold-out concert with a brand new programme entitled Troped Tunes and Tripping Tongues.

This year’s concert presents an exciting programme of choral works among which is the world premiere of a work by acclaimed Irish composer Siobhán Cleary, entitled ‘Theophilus Thistle & The Myth of Miss Muffet’ as well as the premiere performance of the winning composition from this year’s Seán Ó Riada Competition, ‘Geimhridh’ by Patrick Connolly.

The Cleary work was specially commissioned for the Seminar on New Choral Music, which takes place the following day, Saturday 30th April. The National Chamber Choir, together with conductor Paul Hillier and the two composers, will once again co-present the Seminar on New Choral Music, at which the two new commissions will be analysed and discussed. This is a unique opportunity to hear and learn more about the challenges and rewards which new work presents along every stage of the journey, bringing music from composition to performance. The Seminar takes place in CIT Cork School of Music, and admission is free.  For more information on the Seminar, the composers and new commissions which will be performed at the concert, please see www.corkchoral.ie.