THE major innovative feature of this year's AIB Music Festival in Great Irish Houses (Wednesday, June 4th to Saturday, June 14th) is to be found in two first time collaborations, writes Michael Dervan. The leading Italian viola player Bruno Giuranna joins the Dublin Piano Trio for concerts at Carton House and Colebrooke House, Co Fermanagh (June 4th and 5th) and pianist Hugh Tinney teams up with the Hibernia String Trio at the National Gallery (June 13th).
Visitors include Denmark's Kontra String Quartet (whose programme at the Freemason's Hall on June 6th includes the last of fellow countryman Carl Nielsen's four quartets) and the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet (at Kilruddery on June 7th).
Antje Weithaas plays at Birr Castle and Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan (June 8th and 9th), and soprano Patricia Rozario is at Kilruddery on June 10th.
The top name soloists of earlier years are notable by their absence and there's a certain sense of deja vu about artistic director Judith Woodworth's choices of Loyko (at Leixlip Castle on June 11th), GPA Piano Competition prizewinner Davide Franceschetti (playing Pictures At An Exhibition for the 15th time in Ireland, at Emo Court on June 12th), and Christopher Warren Green's London Chamber Orchestra in favourites by Mozart, Elgar and Tchaikovsky (at Dublin Castle on June 14th). Full details of programmes and booking arrangements can be had by calling (01) 278 2506.
