The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the University of Limerick. János Fürst founded the ICO in 1963.[1] The ICO consisted only of strings as its regular ensemble for many years, adding wind, brass and percussion players on a freelance basis when needed. The ICO was reformed in 1970 under the name of the New Irish Chamber Orchestra and the principal conductorship of André Prieur.[2] The orchestra first toured North America in 1978. In 1995, the orchestra was again reconstituted, reverting to its original name of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.[3] The ICO formally added horn players and oboes to its roster in 2008.

Overview

Following a number of artistic directors including Fionnuala Hunt, Nicholas McGegan and Anthony Marwood, the orchestra took a new approach, appointing two artistic partners: Hungarian conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy (Principal Artistic Partner) and the clarinettist and composer Jörg Widmann (Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner).[4] Since May 2022, Thomas Zehetmair has been Principal Conductor and Artistic Partner of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.[5]

The orchestra visits various venues nationwide, and also runs a regular concert season, which takes place in Limerick and Dublin.[6] In the past, the orchestra has also toured across Europe, Australia, South Korea, China and the US.[4]

Irish composers who have worked with the orchestra include Frank Corcoran,[7][8] Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin,[9][10][11] and Bill Whelan.[12]

Plectrum & Bow, a CD release, marked a collaborative recording with US composer and guitarist Steve Mackey.[13] It features his Concerto for Violin and Strings, Four Iconoclastic Episodes, which was jointly commissioned by the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, University of Notre Dame, US. Other recordings include Night Moves, conducted by Gérard Korsten,[14] and Hommage, which features works by Irish composer John Kinsella.[15][16]

The Irish Chamber Orchestra is resident at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick and is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

It owns a custom built studio, which has been acoustically modelled, on campus at UL, Limerick.[17]

Music and artistic directors

See also

References

  1. ↑ Martin Anderson (10 January 2007). "Obituary for Janos Furst". The Independent. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  2. ↑ Boydell, Brian (June–September 1984). "Half a Century of Music in Dublin". Dublin Historical Record. 37 (3/4): 117–121. JSTOR 30100640.
  3. ↑ "Take a bow". The Irish Times. 7 June 1997. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Irish Chamber Orchestra". Heidelberger Frühling (in German). Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Thomas Zehetmair – Classical Music". Irish Chamber Orchestra. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "Irish Chamber Orchestra". Music for Galway. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Adams, Martin. "Showcase for strings". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Reviews". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin obituary: Exceptional musician who straddled classical and Irish traditional music". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin Composer". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin". The Journal of Music. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  12. ↑ Wallace, Arminta. "Irish-America comes out in force for night of island arts". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "Plectrum and Bow". Irish Chamber Orchestra. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  14. ↑ Gérard Korsten, Night Moves
  15. ↑ "Hommage – John Kinsella". Irish Chamber Orchestra. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "Reviews". The Irish Times. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  17. ↑ "Irish Chamber Orchestra to move to €3m campus studio". Irish Examiner. 5 November 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  18. ↑ Scully, Meghann (19 April 2022). "Jörg Widmann hosts his final concerts as Principal Conductor in UCH". Limerick Post Newspaper. Retrieved 9 May 2022.


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