PULSO LLANEROThursday 2 February Aula Maxima, NUI Galway, 8pm Jorge Isaac, artistic director/recorders ‘Black Pencil evokes a unique sound world of melody, polyphony, and abstraction. The ensemble is a great representative of new ways of combining folk cultures and contemporary art.’ Andante Music Magazine Music for Galway in association with Arts in Action NUIG present the innovative, boundary pushing Dutch ensemble Black Pencil. The main concert will take place at the Aula Maxima, Ground Floor at NUI Galway on Thursday 2 February at 8pm. On the same day at 1pm audiences will have the chance to meet members of Black Pencil for an informal discussion with a performance by two of the ensemble at the Cube, Áras na Mac Léinn, NUI Galway. Black Pencil focusses on new repertoire and adventurous self-penned arrangements influenced by folk cultures. The ensemble draws inspiration from the enormous contrasts within folk elements: sometimes the expression is complex and powerful, but other times subtle, soft, rich in its simplicity. The programme PULSO LLANERO features a unique combination of contemporary works specially written for the ensemble together with sparkling arrangements of folk tunes from the northern coast of South America. Black Pencil was founded 2010. Their debut concert took place in the same year at the prestigious Amsterdam Concertgebouw, followed by invitations to perform world premieres of new works during the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Festival. The instrumental core of the ensemble consists of Blockflutes (Jorge Isaac), Panflute (Matthijs Koene), Viola (Esra Pehlivanli), Accordion (Marko Kassl) and Percussion (Enric Monfort). Depending on the programme, guest musicians are invited to enlarge the structure with instruments such as Oud or Electronics. The motto of the ensemble is to present exciting new music and dazzling improvisations within a unique instrumental setup. So, make the leap and be surprised and inspired by Black Pencil on Thursday 2 February at the Aula Maxima Ground Floor, NUI Galway, 8pm. Music for Galway gratefully acknowledges the support of the Arts Council and the Netherlands Performing Arts Fund. Tickets: €20, concessions €16, students €6
31st Music for Galway Season Unveiled
On Tuesday 13 September music lovers from Galway City and County gathered in anticipation at the Town Hall Theatre as the Music for Galway 31st International Concert Season was unveiled. Amongst the speakers were Galway City Mayor Hildegard Naughton, Jane O’Leary, artistic director of Music for Galway, and Galway City Tribune arts editor Judy Murphy who officially launched the season. Musical entertainment was provided by the Galway Brass Ensemble. Musicians from Ireland, The UK, The Ukraine, The Netherlands, Norway, Germany and Romania-- some old friends, some new-- will come together to celebrate music in the City of the Tribes in performances from October to April. The Season opens on Tuesday 11 October with the RTE Vanbrugh Quartet and ConTempo Quartet’s viola and cello players Andreea Banciu and Adrian Mantu. Their programme of string music includes Brahms’ magnificent Sextet for strings and an open rehearsal will take place at Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe in St. Mary’s College on Monday 10 October at 5pm. A special feature of this year’s Music for Galway Season is a ‘Meet the Musicians’ strand where the artists talk about their work informally or meet with young musicians. Celebrity violinist Nicola Benedetti brings two friends with her to Galway for an October concert featuring duos and trios for violin, cello and piano. Following her sell-out performances here with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, early booking is definitely recommended for this intimate performance which includes a pre-concert discussion with the musicians Highlights of the Season include two specially designed programmes to celebrate the 150th birthday of the French composer Claude Debussy in 2012. UK pianist Rolf Hind brings an imaginative recital programme entitled Debussy and beyond… and during his visit to Galway will meet the public away from the piano for a presentation on ‘Musicians and Mindfulness’. Popular soprano Lenneke Ruiten from Amsterdam returns to Galway to perform a selection of songs by Debussy and Chausson with ConTempo Quartet and pianist Thom Jannsen. More Dutch musicians come to Galway with the group Black Pencil performing contemporary arrangements of folk tunes from the northern coast of South America on panpipes, recorders, accordion, viola and percussion. Music for Galway’s Midwinter Festival returns to the Town Hall Theatre in January. Sponsored by DERI and this year entitled Intimate Voices it features Galway’s ConTempo Quartet and the vibrant Dutch Amstel Quartet in an eclectic programme full of surprises. Four strings or four saxophones-some fantastic music in a new light: Bach Fugues arranged by Mozart, Wagner’s Ring cycle in 21 minutes, Janacek’s ‘Intimate Voices’ quartet, Philip Glass and Arvo Pärt. Baritone Gavan Ring, winner of the inaugural Bernadette Greevy Bursary joins ConTempo for Samuel Barber’s evocative ‘Dover Beach’. Choreographer Judith Sibley and video artist Mihai Cucu add their talents to the mix, and a chance to ‘Meet the Musicians’ will take place with young Galway music students and ConTempo’s Apprentice Ensemble, Chatham Saxophone Quartet. Two more weekend festivals feature: a feast of Bach in November with Malcolm Proud performing all the Bach Partitas for Solo Harpsichord over two nights; chamber music highlights of Mozart with Norwegian violinist Marianne Thorsen, cellist Alice Neary and pianist Viv McLean in February. A film, The Chronicles of Anna Magdalena Bach, will focus on Bach’s life and music and the Mozart weekend includes a screening of Phil Grabsky’s renowned documentary film In Search of Mozart. The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra returns to Galway with pianist and conductor extraordinaire Barry Douglas in an all-Brahms programme. The winner of the Dublin International Piano Competition Alexej Gorlatch performs music by Chopin and Bill Whelan. Handel’s Messiah with Resurgam and the Irish Baroque Orchestra brings us into the Christmas season. The National Chamber Choir ends the season music by Tarik O’Regan recently recorded on CD. As the evenings close in, Music for Galway’s packed programme has plenty to brighten up the Autumn and beyond, so make a date and join us in this feast of music for the months ahead.
Music for Galway gratefully acknowledges the support of the Arts Council. |
 Black Pencil  |
