Irish Youth Choir celebrates 30 years

Irish Youth Choir celebrates 30 years with Spring tour by newly formed chamber choir

In 2011, The Irish Youth Choir realised a long held ambition to create a smaller chamber choir of 24 singers, selected from within its ranks of 100 members. Singing some of the most dazzling repertoire from around the world, these young singers offer a new perspective on choral music and the Irish Youth Chamber Choir embarks on a nationwide Spring tour, commencing at Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane on Sunday January 22nd. Innovative programming and interpretation underpin a desire to stage vibrant concert performances which are genuinely engaging and relevant to people of all ages.
The programme will include works from Pawel Lukaszewski, James MacMillan, Eric Whitacre, Greg Scanlon and Moses Hogan, all young composers who have established excellent reputations in sacred and choral music. Artistic Director Greg Beardsell will also be available to local schools for a choral workshop programme which will run alongside the tour. Later in the year the Irish Youth Choir will mark its 30th birthday with a summer tour.

Introducing the programme, Greg Beardsell said, 'All music carries a message, one of hope, joy, sorrow or countless other emotions and expressions designed to uplift and enlighten. Our job as musicians is to carry this message safely and deliver it with humility and honesty. The inaugural tour of the Irish Youth Chamber Choir entitled 'Messengers' will bring some of these most heartfelt expressions to audiences across Ireland. Featuring choral masterworks, based on both sacred and secular texts, from James Macmillan, Eric Whitacre, Pawel Lukaszewski, Moses Hogan and Irishman Greg Scanlon, our tour will bring these messages safely to you via some of the finest young singers in the country'.

Information on artistic director, Greg Beardsell
Greg Beardsell is associate musical director of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, musical director of the Wooburn Singers and artistic director of the Ulster Youth Choir. He has been musical director of the Irish Youth Choir since 2007. Last year, he was vocal projects director for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and this year he and the Ulster Youth Choir have been collaborating with the Gabrielli Consort and Players, seeing the UYC perform at the BBC proms for the first time in their history. Future joint projects are planned with drum and bass producer Goldie.

Details of Spring concert tour:

January 22nd at noon, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane at Parnell Square.
Admission free. Information from www.hughlane.ie E mail gmusic@indigo.ie

February 18th St Mary's Cathedral Limerick, information and bookings at www.uch.ie and / or 061 331549

March 9th at 8.00pm, Linenhall Arts Centre at Christchurch, Church of Ireland, Mountain View, Castlebar, Co Mayo
Information and bookings 094 9023733 www.thelinenhall.com
March 10th at 8.00pm Canis Major Church at The Clarion Hotel, Enniskillen Road, Sligo.

Information and bookings: The Hawk's Well Theatre Tel: 071-9161518 or www.hawkswell.com

March 31st at 8.00pm Dunamaise Arts Centre at St Peter's Church of Ireland, Coote Street, Portlaoise, Co Laois

Information and bookings: 057 866 3355 or www.dunamaise.ie

April 1st at Christchurch, Cathedral Square, Waterford.
Information and bookings at 051 858958 or www.christchurchwaterford.com



Programme
Ave Maria Pawel Lukaszewski

Data Est Mihi Omnis Potestas James Macmillan

A Child's Prayer James Macmillan

When David Heard Eric Whitacre

This little light of mine arr, Moses Hogan

Battle of Jericho arr, Moses Hogan

Beannachaí an Mháthair Greg Scanlon

The Blackbird Greg Scanlon

Brief information on composers
Moses Hogan
Until his untimely death in 2003, Moses Hogan was one of the most celebrated contemporary directors and arrangers of spirituals. In his short life, he created dozens of new, original arrangements of classic spirituals, and formed several choirs that performed them with new vitality.
Pawel Lukaszewski
Born in 1968 in Poland, Pawel Lukaszewski is one of the younger generation of Polish composers specialising in sacred and choral music. He is composer-in-residence with the Warsaw National Philharmonic for the 2011 / 2012 season.
Eric Whitacre

Whitacre is that rare thing, a modern composer who is both popular and original. - The Daily Telegraph, London

Eric Whitacre is one of the most popular and performed composers of our time, a distinguished conductor and public speaker. His debut album as a conductor, Light & Gold, was released on October 18, 2010 and became the no.1 Classical Album in the US and UK charts within a week, received unanimous five star reviews and was nominated for a Grammy in 2012.

James MacMillan

James MacMillan is one of today's most successful living composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.

He was awarded the British Composer Award for Liturgical Music, for his Strathclyde Motets, in December 2008.

Greg Scanlon

Greg Scanlon is a native of Waterford, where he has held parallel roles in teaching, performance and conducting over several years. The quality of choirs in the Waterford area has fostered Greg's special interest in choral composition. His work has been performed by the World Wind Quintet and Academos, and at Cork International Choral Festival and also as part of the opening ceremony for the Tall Ships Race, Waterford in 2011. Greg's son Fintan is a member of the Irish Youth Chamber Choir.