Four classical concerts to be held in Birr venues over coming weeks
Birr is set to become a haven for classical music lovers from August 6 to 18, with the hosting of a series of four concerts coordinated by Birr Festival of Music.
The concerts will be held across some of the town's most-recognisable and historic venues including the gothic music salon at Birr Castle, St Brendan's Church of Ireland on Oxmantown Mall and St Brendan’s Cathlic Church on Wilmer Road.
The series will begin during Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival on Thursday, August 6, at 3pm in the music salon at Birr Castle Demesne.
On the day, acclaimed violinist Patrick Rafter will be returning to Birr for the first time since 2022. He will be joined by brilliant young Irish/Romanian pianist Dida Condria to perform a programme which includes works by Rachmaninov, Sibelius, Kreisler, and Elgar and Vaughan-Williams' The Lark Ascending.
Tickets (€32 + booking fee) must be booked in advance as only a limited number are available.
On Friday, August 7, St Brendan’s Church of Ireland in Oxmantown Mall will host a performance by Thomas Charles Marshall (organ) and Adele O'Dwyer (cello).
This lunchtime concert (1.05pm) will feature a selection of Romantic works for organ solo and cello and organ duo, ranging from Mendelssohn to Saint-Saëns and Reynaldo Hahn.
Thomas Charles Marshall serves as Director of Music at St Ann's Church in Dublin and is Artistic Director of the Tullamore International Summer Organ Series, while Adele O'Dwyer brings a wealth of experience to this recital, having held leadership positions with the National Symphony of Ireland, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra among others.
Tickets, priced €15, can be purchased at the door on the day (cash only) with proceeds in aid of the Church of Ireland Restoration Fund. Children free.
The series will continue during National Heritage Week with a 'Songs of Travel and Of Home' concert on Sunday, August 16, at 3pm in St Brendan's Church of Ireland.
Baritone Pascal Kennedy and pianist Sophie Ward will take attendees on a journey through the musically-rich storytelling of Art Song. They will perform Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel alongside some beautiful Irish art songs, by composers Herbert Hughes and Thomas Moore and the poetry of W.B Yeats and James Joyce.
Proceeds will again be in aid of the Church of Ireland Restoration Fund. This event is being organised with support from the JVM Trench Will Trust. Tickets are priced €15, plus booking fee, and children go free.
Finally on Tuesday, August 18, the European Medical Students’ Orchestra and Choir will be coming to Birr for a performance at St Brendan's Catholic Church at 8pm.
For more than three decades, the European Medical Students’ Orchestra & Choir has brought together medical students, young doctors and healthcare professionals from across Europe. Each year, participants gather in a different host country.
This year, the orchestra and choir is being hosted in Ireland with the Birr concert forming part of a three-concert Irish tour, with performances also taking place in Galway and Dublin. Every ticket sold will help support vital local charities including Offaly Hospice.
The Birr concert is supported by Offaly County Council, the JVM Trench Will Trust and Birr Festival of Music. Tickets are €20, plus booking fee.
Tickets for all concerts are on sale now. For more, see: www.birrfestivalofmusic.com