The thirtieth anniversary concert of the opening of the National Concert Hall, Dublin, took place on 9 September.

Led by conductor Alan Buribayev, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra performed Irish uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn’s An Droichead, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with Gabriela Montero as soloist.

O’Flynn’s piece was written in 1997 for the inauguration of Mary McAleese’s presidency, and was here attended by the President, who is also the current Patron of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra.

This was the opening concert of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra Season 2011–2012, which will feature the Royal Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestras, conductors Charles Dutoit, Patrik Ringborg, and Antoinio Pappano, soloists Janine Jansen, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and Roman Simovic, as well as recitalists András Schiff, Nicola Benedetti, Stephen Hough and Han-Na Chang.

Originally built for the Dublin International Exhibition of 1865, the structure itself (pictured) was converted into the central building of University College Dublin in 1908. When UCD began to relocate to a new campus at Belfield in the 1960s, part of the building was converted, and reopened as the NCH in 1981.

A series of further concerts to mark the thirtieth anniversary year has also been planned: Pink Martini — The Symphonique Tour with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on 8 and 9 October, jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves on 30 November and a presentation of Polar, a portrait of the polar kingdoms with an orchestral soundtrack arranged by John Harle, performed by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra on 11 December. Also scheduled are two nights of Japanese drumming ensemble Kodo on 11 and 12 February 2012.

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