May 2008
Pipeworks Festival 2008	Show Menu

It’s festival time again and a truly wonderful programme awaits all music lovers this summer. Read on for an overview of the festival: better still consult Pipeworks Festival website for full details and how you can become involved. www.pipeworksfestival.com or just call the administrator at 085 7868860 if you do not use web sites.

Pipeworks presents a diverse and exciting programme for its thirteenth festival. This year’s programme includes performances by organ virtuosi from the UK, France, Germany, the USA and Sweden; sees sixteen young, aspiring organists from Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Russia, South Korea, the UK and the USA compete to win the Dublin International Organ Competition; features beautifully programmed concerts performed by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the National Chamber Choir; and presents a silent film with live organ accompaniment.

2008 sees the festival expanding to include recital trips to Dundalk and the beautiful cathedral city of Kilkenny with associated recitals in Galway and Wexford. Performances by the Silesian University choir from Gliwice, Poland and the National Chamber Choir acknowledge the great choral traditions of Eastern Europe.

The festival also presents Ireland’s major celebration of the centenary of Olivier Messiaen’s birth, with performances of all his organ works as well as some of his choral and orchestral music. In short, a wonderful array of concerts, recitals, and master classes in the country’s finest churches, cathedrals and concert halls.

Perhaps the four unmissable festival highlights for Dublin audiences are:

Opening Festival Fanfare, Fri 20 June 18.30 & 21.00

Christ Church Cathedral Dublin

18.30 National Chamber Choir and David Briggs (organ)

21.00 Cathedral Cinema screening of 1939 silent movie classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame with David Briggs improvising the soundtrack on the cathedral’s celebrated organ

Carlo Curley plays the mighty Willis, Mon 23 June 20.00

St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin will be the venue for an evening of Carlo’s flamboyant style. Large screens will enable the audience to see as well as hear this performer at his best on Ireland’s largest pipe organ

Pipeworks festival Gala Concert, Fri 27 June 20.00

National Concert Hall
RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Palestrina choir of St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, St Patrick’s Cathedral choir sing Faure‘s Requiem while Thomas Trotter (jury chairperson) is soloist for a performance of Poulenc’s famous Organ Concerto.

Festival Finale, Sun 29 June 17.00 St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin

The massed choral forces of Resurgam, Mornington Singers, New Dublin Voices, Cois Cladagh with brass accompaniment conducted by Mark Duley present Vespers in 17th century Lutheran manner.

Booking and further information: www.pipeworksfestival.com email adminpipeworks@gmail.com 085 7868860

Photos: The Ken Jones organ in Christ Church Cathedral, where most of the competition will be held.

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