iomas – intuition
RTÉ Concert Orchestra with Iarla Ó Lionáird
David Brophy, conductor

Thursday 12 September, 8pm
National Concert Hall

One of Ireland’s most striking voices, Iarla Ó Lionáird (of The Gloaming and Afro Celt Sound System) joins the RTÉ Concert Orchestra to perform traditional sean­-nós songs – what you might call the Great Irish Songbook. There is a difference, though, in that they will be in new arrangements specially commissioned from composers including Donnacha Dennehy and Micheál Ó Súilleabháin, as well as possibly more unexpected names Nico Muhly and David Lang. This project, funded by the Arts Council, is a reimagining and reinvigoration of a tradition. Iarla Ó Lionáird and the RTÉ CO, under its Principal Conductor David Brophy, are the perfect partners to perform it.

‘Count yourself lucky to hear an artist like this once in your lifetime,’ writes Time Out New York of Iarla Ó Lionáird, described by the Guardian as ‘one of the most dramatic voices in contemporary music’. Born and raised in the musical heartland of Cúil Aodha, Ó Lionáird is steeped in the tradition, with music part and parcel of life from the start. He first performed aged five, and first recorded aged seven. Composer Sean Ó Riada was a major influence in this West Cork Gaeltacht area, and Ó Lionáird was a member of Ó Riada’s choir, Cór Cúil Aodha, which achieved cult status in traditional circles.

In 1978, when he was 14, Iarla Ó Lionáird made a real stir with an iconic recording or the vision song Aisling Gheal. Since then he has established himself both as a master of sean-nós and as a pioneer in its renewal. Words like soulful, haunting, plaintive and intense come up again and again in talk of his performances. He is continually stretching the boundaries, working with orchestras, traditional groups and the twice-Grammy-nominated, multi-million-selling Afro Celt Sound System.

Ó Lionáird has sung in Carnegie Hall and the Royal Opera House in London, appeared on Later with Jools Holland and The Late Show with David Letterman, and featured on film soundtracks including The Gangs of New York and Hotel Rwanda. He was acclaimed internationally for his remarkable performance in Donnacha Dennehy’s Grá agus Bás with Crash Ensemble, a piece itself partly inspired by Aisling Gheal.

Elements of Iarla Ó Lionáird’s career connect and find a new resonance in iomas as he performs Donnacha Dennehy’s arrangement of Aisling Gheal, bringing together a song and a composer that have provided key moments in his musical journey so far. Other fascinating partnerships of composer and commission to feature include Nico Muhly’s Eleanor Plunkett, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin’s Port na bPúcai, David Lang’s Táimse im’ Chodladh, Niall Vallelly’s Mná na hÉireann, Benedict Schlepper-Connolly’s Samhradh, Samhradh and Dan Trueman’s Siúl A Rún. (Full details of songs below listed by composer.) 

With this project, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra continues its collaborations with key artists in Irish musical life. In recent years alone, the RTÉ CO has performed with Lúnasa, Paul Brady, Julie Feeney, Altan, Sharon Shannon, Duke Special, Declan O’Rourke, The Coronas, Bell X1, O Emperor and many more.

‘His voice will astound you. It soars - and it’s as profound, simple and beautiful as wild horses… Genius is the operative word here. Traditionalists will be spellbound, newcomers will be intrigued and wanna-bes will change careers. Count yourself lucky to hear an artist like this once in your lifetime’ Time Out New York

‘One of the most dramatic voices in contemporary music’ The Guardian

‘Indomitable spirit and internal beauty…soul singing in the truest sense’ Songlines

Programme
Donnacha Dennehy
 Aisling Gheal / 
Táim Sínte ar do Thuama / 
An Gamhain Geal Bán
David Lang
   Amhrán na nGleann
 / Táimse im’ Chodladh
Nico Muhly
  Eleanor Plunkett
  /  Cois a’ Ghaorthaidh  / An Chúil Daigh Ré
Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin  
An Buachaill Caol Dubh
  /  Moladh le Dia
  /  Port na bPúcai
Benedict Schlepper-Connolly
  Cu-cu- ín
  /  Samhradh, Samhradh  /  
Cucanandy
Dan Trueman
  Táim Cortha ó Bheith Im’ Aonar Im’ Luí  /  I’m Weary from Lying Alone  /  
Loch Léin /  
Siúl A Rún
Niall Vallelly
  Mná na hÉireann  /  
Ré Chnoc Mná Duibhe  /  
An Buachaillín Bán

Tickets: €11–€38 (conc. €10–€34)
10% discount for groups of 10 or more

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