Year one of the Galway Music Residency’s ambitious Lunchtime with ConTempo project entitled From Europe with Love concludes on Tuesday 4th June at 1:10pm in St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church. This three-year initiative celebrates the shared musical heritage of the European Union by exploring the string quartet repertoire from each of its 27 member countries. Speakers from the featured nations, embassies and local communities will introduce each concert providing unique personal perspectives on the music to be performed.

To close the first year of this project, the ninth edition of From Europe with Love will take audiences on a trip to Denmark where the wonderful ConTempo Quartet will perform Carl Nielsen’s quartet no 1 in g minor, Op. 13. Born in 1865, Carl Nielsen was raised by poor, but musically talented parents. He showed musical promise from an early age and went on to develop exceptional skills as a violinist and composer. However, until after his death he was considered an outsider to the national and international musical communities and much of his music was marked by turbulent times in his personal life. In the 1960s, some 30 years after his death, he began to reach international acclaim and Nielsen’s work is now considered amongst the best Danish music ever written. Nielsen’s quartet in g minor is the first of four official quartets published. It is one of his most popular works and the most frequently performed of his quartets. He dedicated the work to his friend Johan Svendsen, Norwegian composer, conductor and violinist, to mark his 60th birthday.

The Galway Music Residency is honoured to welcome the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ireland, Uffe Balslev, who will introduce the concert.

The Galway Music Residency is delighted to continue its partnership with Caprice Café to offer From Europe with Love audience members an exclusive lunch deal. Bring your programme to Caprice following the concert to receive a 10% discount on a delicious lunch (minimum spend of €10 per person applies). Galway’s chicest new eatery, Caprice Cafe, is wowing Galwegians and visitors with its delicious dishes served in beautiful surroundings. Located at the corner of Church Lane and Market Street, ‘Caprice’, which means sudden change of mood, has certainly added to the vibrancy of the area.

The interior of Caprice Cafe embraces you, creating a calming dining environment in the middle of the city, including the upstairs’ unrivalled views of both St. Nicholas’ Church and the Galway Cathedral. But the highlight of your visit has to be the food, from breakfast through to dinner; even their organic coffee recently won a double gold star from the Guild of Fine Foods UK & Ireland and is available to go!

Proudly supported by NUI Galway (Education Partner), the Arts Council, GMIT, and Galway City and County Councils, admission to this event is free, open to all and early arrival is recommended. From Europe with Love will take place on the first Tuesday of each month (September-June excepting January) until June 2021. Year two of the project will commence on 3rd September 2019.