THE countdown is on to the return of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, with Bantry set to welcome leading international musicians and audiences from around the world for ten days of concerts, masterclasses, premieres, and free events from June 26th to July 5th.
At the heart of this year's programme is the theme Music in Time of War, exploring how composers and musicians have responded to conflict, displacement and resilience across centuries.
The festival will shine a particular spotlight on Ukraine, with performances from violinist Diana Tishchenko and pianist Anna Fedorova, alongside works by celebrated Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov and fellow Ukrainian composers.
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International quartets once again form the backbone of the programme, with the acclaimed Calidore Quartet, Attacca Quartet and NOVO Quartet joined by a distinguished roster of soloists including Mairéad Hickey, Lotte Betts-Dean, Andreas Brantelid, Jérémie Moreau, Ben Goldscheider and many others. Ensembles include Delta Piano Trio, Concerto 1700, New Dublin Voices and the Gregory Walkers.
The festival also marks 250 years of American independence, reflected in the invitation of two leading US quartets – the Calidore Quartet and Attacca Quartet – and works by American composers including David Lang, Philip Glass and Caroline Shaw.
The West Cork Chamber Music Festival is generously supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Failte Ireland, Crespo Foundation, RTÉ Lyric FM and Cork County Council.
Tickets at www.westcorkmusic.ie or from the festival office at 13 Glengarriff Road, Bantry on +353 (0) 27 52788.
