Quartet of acclaimed violinists headline Chamber Festival in Bantry next month

A STELLAR line-up of world class musicians will appear at this summer’s West Cork Chamber Music Festival in Bantry which takes place from Friday, June 23rd to Sunday, July 2nd. 

Four violinists from Russia, Israel, Ireland, and Germany headline this year’s festival.

Festival favourite, Russian-born Alina Ibragimova, makes a welcome return to Bantry and will join her usual musical partner, pianist Cédric Tiberghien for a series of performances of Schumann across the first half of the 10  days. 

Israeli violinist, Nurit Stark, has played in the most prestigious venues in the world including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Vienna Konzerthaus. She will be joining pianist, Cédric Pescia, for a performance of the great Ukrainian composer Silvestrov’s pieces for violin and piano.

Cork’s Mairéad Hickey opens the festival, and closes it, as part of the sextet of musicians on the Bantry House stage on the final night. In between, she performs Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich, and in the Crespo Series concert on Thursday 29th June, she plays Fauré’s passionate First Sonata and Grieg’s joyful Second Sonata.

Munich-born, Viviane Hagner, has won exceptional praise for her intelligent musicality and passionate artistry. She will close the festival with a performance of Mozart and then Brahms’ String Sextet in the Finale concert in Bantry House.

Tickets are available from westcorkmusic.ie and 027 52788.