RTÉ NSO presents Horizons Contemporary Music Series 2011

World premières of Kevin O’Connell’s first symphony and Jerome de Bromhead’s first violin concerto, the second ever performance of the RTÉ-commissioned BODIES by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award winning composer, David Fennessy – further to its world première by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in February this year – and a concert celebrating the 60th birthday of Belfast composer Philip Hammond are just some of the highlights in the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra’s Horizons Contemporary Music Series 2011 which commences on Tuesday 11 January at the National Concert Hall.

The 2011 Horizons series of five concerts has been extended to include one additional concert. The pre-concert events have also been developed and will now take the form of ‘conversations’ with Evonne Ferguson, Director of the Contemporary Music Centre. Composers in Conversation will take place in association with the Contemporary Music Centre.

The series will once again take place in the Tuesday lunchtime slot and remains free to the public. A total of 15 works by seven different composers will be performed over the five concerts taking place between January and May. The featured composers are, in order of performance, Kevin O’Connell (11 January), David Fennessy (18 January), Piers Hellawell (22 February), Philip Hammond (10 May) and Jerome de Bromhead (17 May).

Try something new and spend only your time at these five free Tuesday Lunchtime Concerts.

Tickets and booking: Admission free to all events. Events are ticketed. Tickets available through the NCH box office in advance. Booking: 01 417 0000.

Concert and programme details

1.05-2pm: Concerts

12.30pm: Composers in Conversation with Evonne Ferguson, Director, Contemporary Music Centre.

Composers in Conversation is presented in association with the Contemporary Music Centre.

Tuesday 11 January | Featured composer: Kevin O’Connell

World première of

Symphony

Gavin Maloney conductor

Tuesday 18 January | Featured composer: David Fennessy

David Fennessy BODIES
James MacMillan ...as others see us…

Fergus Sheil conductor

Tuesday 22 February | Featured composer: Piers Hellawell

Degrees of Separation for orchestra
Memorial Cairns
Degrees of Separation for string ensemble
Agricolas

Robert Plane clarinet | Garry Walker conductor

Tuesday 10 May | Featured composer: Philip Hammond

Celebrating Philip Hammond’s 60th birthday

Waterfront Fanfares
Die ersten Blumen
Concertino for Flute and Strings
‘…while the sun shines’ (in memoriam H.H.H.)

‘...the starry dynamo in the machinery of night...’

Roy Holmes piano | Gavin Maloney conductor

Tuesday 17 May | Featured composer: Jerome de Bromhead

de Bromhead               Venti Eventi
John Buckley              Campane in Aria
de Bromhead               Violin Concerto (world première)

Alan Smale violin | Colman Pearce conductor

Further information visit http://www.rte.ie/performinggroups/nationalsymphonyorchestra/