RTÉ’s Big Music Week

RTÉ’s Big Music Week

RTÉ’s second annual Big Music Week runs next week from Monday, 10 October, to Sunday, 16 October. A selection of live and recorded music is planned across RTÉ Radio, Television, RTÉ Performing Groups and online.


RTÉ’s second annual Big Music Week runs next week from Monday, 10 October, to Sunday, 16 October. A selection of live and recorded music is planned across RTÉ Radio, Television, RTÉ Performing Groups and online.

RTÉ Radio 1 highlights include: a collaboration between Sean Rocks of Arena on Thursday night and the arts collective Nighthawks; the musician Mike Scott talking about his latest album, An Appointment with Mr Yeats, on Ronan Collins’ programme (Friday at noon); and South Wind Blows presenter Philip King hosting a concert live from St James’ Church in Dingle, County Kerry.

RTÉ Lyric FM’s schedule includes the Lyric Concert, featuring the finale of the Irish Freemasons’ Young Musician of the Year Competition; a celebration of live jazz in Ireland on Jazz Alley (Wednesday evening); and the classical winner of the RTÉ Radio/RAAP Breakthrough 2011 Bursary on Lunchtime Classics. The John Kelly Ensemble will also present Chucho Valdéz and the Afro-Cuban Messengers (see below) in concert and on Sunday evening’s Nova, Bernard Clarke talks to the station’s new Composer-in-Residence, Linda Buckley.

On Raidió na Gaeltachta, the series Dúchas an Cheoil will run through the week at 8.30pm, and will feature a different guest presenter each evening. On Monday, Belfast flute player Gary Hastings will examine the different styles of traditional music in Northern Ireland. On Tuesday evening, Galway box player, fiddler and piper Jackie Small will present an overview of the Irish traditional music scene in Germany. On Wednesday Róisín Nic Dhonncha, a flute and whistle player from Carna in Conamara, will present a programme on sean-nós singing, with a focus on the work of female singers from the Iorras Aithneach area. On Thursday, fiddler Matt Cranitch will be featuring the life and music of fellow fiddler and friend Séamus Creagh, who passed away in 2009. And on Friday, piper Robbie Hannan from Holywood, County Down, will be looking at duets, including the likes of James Morrisson and P.J. Conlon, Seán Maguire and Roger Sherlock, and Jesse Smith and Colm Gannon.

On Tuesday evening at 7pm musician and Music Editor at the station, Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha, will present a special edition of her programme Ceol Binn ó na Beanna with music recorded at festivals and events throughout the country, including the Fleadh Cheoil, the Willie Clancy Summer School, and the London concert in memory of Raymond Roland earlier this year. On Thursday at 5pm, Kíla piper Eoin Dillon and others will play a live session in studio on Glór Anoir. On Friday at 7pm, Peadar Ó Riada will dedicate his programme Cuireadh chun Ceoil to his father Seán Ó Riada’s music and listeners will get a chance to hear some rare recordings. (On Friday too, on television, RTÉ One features Remembering Ó Riada.) On Saturday evening at 7pm, Tomás Mistéal’s programme Timpeall an Tí will feature a selection of the best in live music recorded over the past year, including music recorded at the Gathering in Killarney, Éigse Dhiarmuidín in Cúil Aodha and the Pádraig Ó Keeffe festival in Castleisland.

Nearly all of the broadcaster’s performing groups will be participating. On Tuesday, Ronan Collins will host a live concert with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and guests, including Neil Hannon, Aslan and others. The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra features in early evening and 8pm concerts, linked with live broadcast on RTÉ Lyric FM. Programmes will include works by Bruch, Mahler, Stravinsky and Orff, with Irish soloists Catherine Leonard (violin), Hugh Tinney (piano) and Ailish Tynan (soprano), as well as the participation of RTÉ Cór na nÓg and the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir. The week also sees the launch of three new CDs featuring the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in performances of music by Irish composers John Kinsella, Frederick May and Sean Ó Riada.

www.rte.ie/music

Published on 4 October 2011

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