July 2011

CATHEDRAL CHOIR EXETER
Monday 11th July at 7.30pm
Tickets €14/ €10 available from 051 858958

The choir of Exeter Cathedral has a long and interesting history.  It has sung the liturgical services of the church almost without interruption since at least the thirteenth century. Several famous church musicians have been closely associated with the Cathedral’s music, including Matthew Locke (chorister in the 17th century) and SS Wesley, England’s foremost Cathedral organist of the 19th century.

The Choristers are educated at the Cathedral School, which is a very ancient establishment. In 1994 a girls’ choir was formed: the choir now consists of 18 boy choristers, 18 girl choristers and 13 gentlemen. 

The choir’s extensive repertoire covers a wide range of music from medieval plainsong through to contemporary works.  Recordings include Evensong for St Peter’s Day and Anthems from the Victorian Era, both on the Herald label. Most recently the choir has recorded the first volume in a new series of the Psalms of David for Priory Records.

DAVID CREEVY – Guitar
Sunday 17th July at 12 noon
Tickets €7/ €5 conc. / children U14 free

 
A recent graduate from Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama, where he studied with John Feeley, David Creevy is a gifted musician who has won awards and competitions at a national and international level. During his first year he won the Patrick flood Award for the best Guitar Recital and was runner up in the Yamaha European Guitar Foundation Prize. He was also the recipient of the George Louden J.S. Bach Guitar prize and the Senior Guitar prize.

His competition success led to a performance in the John Field Room in the National Concert Hall, after which he was invited to perform for the President of Ireland, Mary MacAleese. In 2003, Creevy's talent was internationally recognised by being selected as a finalist in the Stotsenberg International Classical Guitar Competition in America. He is the first Irish guitarist to be among the top twenty players of his generation. Following that competition, Creevy was invited to study with Christopher Parkening. He was selected as one of six students from around the world to perform for Parkening at his annual Master Class in California.

"…Creevy is a sensitive musician with a knowing sophisticated side…a strong technique with an ability to define layers in a multi-line texture…"
The Irish Times

THOMAS HEYWOOD - Organ
Wednesday 20th July at 8pm
Tickets €12/ €10 conc. Available at the door

Thomas Heywood is an internationally acclaimed musician, being the only Australian to ever live as a professional organist. From a young age Heywood showed signs of talent having given his first performance at the tender age of 5. He began studying music at the age of 4. Heywood has spent his life since then touring the world and growing his repertoire which now includes over 5,000 works. He performs in varied venues including concert halls, town halls, cathedrals and churches across Europe, the UK and North America. Heywood also performs in his native country, Australia, and since 1994 has performed more concerts there than any other organist.

As well as being a skilled musician, Thomas Heywood is a prolific transcriber and his published solo concert organ arrangements of classical and romantic works are performed by organists around the world. This concert will include the work of Handel, Saint-Saëns, Gounod, Sibelius, Bach and Wagner among others.

FAUST – Silent Film with Live Organ Improvisation
Friday 29th July at 10pm
Tickets €12

F.W. Murnau's telling of the classic German legend, 'Faust' is a masterpiece to behold. From both the technical and story standpoint, the film excels and despite being nearly eighty years old, Faust still stands tall as one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time. The story follows a German alchemist by the name of Faust. As God and Satan war over Earth, the Devil preaches that he will be able to tempt Faust into darkness and so has a wager with God to settle things. Satan sends Mephisto to Earth to offer Faust an end to the plague that is making its way through the local population, and eternal youth, in return for Faust's soul...

This silent film will be accompanied with live improvisations by organist Morgan Cooke. This is a wonderful opportunity to see a rare silent film in a unique setting - not to be missed.

SHARON CARTY & VUENV– Recorder Consort
Sunday 31st July at 8pm
Tickets €18/ €14

Irish mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty and Austrian-based recorder consort VUENV present an evening of enchanting vocal and instrumental music from renaissance England, generously supported by the Arts Council Project Award. A modern-day twist on the age-old Orfeo story, “Orfea Britannica” portrays the full spectrum of human emotions, from love and loss, marriage and mourning, to the sorrowful spirit of Abradad, peaking from beyond the grave.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience this passionate, quasi-operatic story, told through the medium of selected songs and instrumental music from “Musica Britannica”.

August 2011

ANNIE BROPHY EXHIBITION
Friday 19th August – Wednesday 5th October
Admission FREE

This exhibition, the 11th from the huge Annie Brophy Photographic Collection, will feature an-all new selection of family portraits.

Miss Brophy photographed the people of Waterford and the surrounding counties for over half of the 20th century.  She was truly a photographic artist and all her photographs are wonderfully posed, composed and produced.  They still take pride of place in many homes throughout the country. As usual the exhibition will include a few surprises, so do come along to see these wonderful faces from the past. You’d never know who you might recognise!

SUMMER VOICES
Saturday 6th August at 8pm
Tickets €12/ €10 conc. / Children U14 Free – available at the door

Following the success of our popular Christmas Voices concert, Christ Church Cathedral is pleased to announce the inaugural Summer Voices. This event will feature music, readings and poetry with a summers theme, some of which will be the work of those from our locality. Come along and celebrate the summer season through musical and literal reminiscince!