As part of its ConTempo Countywide series, the Galway Music Residency’s Ballinasloe Lunchtime Series concludes on Thursday 14th June at 1pm. Continuing its commitment to bringing performance to rural centres throughout County Galway, and celebrating its ongoing partnership with Ballinasloe Library, the Galway Music Residency has presented the Galway ConTempo Quartet in this lively series for the local Ballinasloe community over the past number of months.

The series’ programme brings together the best of Beethoven and the most intriguing of new music. This Thursday 14th June, during the series’ final instalment, audiences will hear Beethoven’s String Quartet Op 127. This was the first of Beethoven’s late quartets, completed in 1825. It was also the first of three quartets commissioned by Prince Nikolai Galitzine, an important patron of the Arts in Vienna at the time. When the Prince said he would pay Beethoven “whatever amount you would deem adequate”, the composer charged 50 ducats per quartet, the approximate equivalent of €4,700 today. In addition to this great masterpiece, ConTempo will perform Irish composer Deirdre McKay’s Mr Shah Stares to the Heavens, which was commissioned by Sligo’s Con Brio Music Series, and premiered in 2013. This piece ponders the universe and the stars, the vast solitude of space.

Supported by NUI Galway (Education Partner), Arts Council, GMIT, Galway City and County Councils, admission to these events is free, open to all and early arrival is recommended.