Music for the 12 days of Christmas
Saturday December 6th At the National Concert Hall at 8 p.m. there's a Christmas Concert for Peace in which the 80-strong Warrington Male Voice Choir will be joined by 260 boys and girls from six schools North and South of the Border, the Number One Army Band and compere and soloist Niamh Murray in a varied programme of Christmas music. During the concert Terry Waite, CBE, will deliver a peace message. At the City Hall, Cork at 8 p.m., meanwhile, the annual Lord Mayor's Gala Christmas Concert will feature the Cork Pops Orchestra, the Cork Garda Choir and the Wilcollane singers.
Tuesday December 9th At the RDS the choirs of Christ Church Cathedral give a concert for the charity Alone at 8 p.m. with carols old and new. And in the O'Reilly Hall of University College, Dublin, also at 8 p.m., there will be a Christmas Celebration with Our Lady's Choral Society.
Wednesday December 10th At St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin at 8 p.m., the Culwick Choral Society gives the first of two performances of Handel's Messiah. "These performances are being recorded for release on CD next year," says the choir's music director Colin Block, "so we're confident our Messiah will be extra-special this year." The soloists are Eileen Bardin, Bridget Knowles, David Fieldsend and Frank O'Brien and the Orchestra of St Cecilia will be led by Mary Gallagher.
Saturday December 13th At the Pro-Cathedral at 8 p.m., there will be an evening of carols with readings from the Book of Peace, a collection of quotations and reflections on the theme of peace; a joint production by the Palestrina choir and St George's Choir from Belfast. At the National Concert Hall at 8 p.m., Christmas with the Culwick sees the Rathfarnham Concert Band, St Bartholomew's boys' choir and tenor Bryan Hoey join the Culwick Choral Society for some seasonal family fun.
Sunday December 14th There is a carol service, Carols for All, at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, at 3 15 p.m.
Monday December 15th At the National Concert Hall at 8 p.m., the first of four performances by Our Lady's Choral Society of Handel's Messiah kicks in; the society has been announcing the arrival of Christmas in best baroque style since 1945, and soloists this year are Orla Boylan, Deirdre Cooling-Nolan, Emmanuel Lawler, Philip O'Reilly. The National Sinfonia will be conducted by Proinnsias O Duinn.
Tuesday December 16th At the National Concert Hall at 8 p.m., the Glasnevin Musical Society adds a touch of operatic cheer by spicing its Christmas concert programe with such favourites as the Drinking Song from La traviata and the Quartet from Rigoletto. Soloists are Virginia Kerr, Huw Priday, Linda Gryffudd-Lee and Martin Higgins and the Pro-Arte orchestra will be conducted by Colman Pearce.
Wednesday December 17th At the University Concert Hall in Limerick at 8 p.m. the Irish Chamber Orchestra gives a performance of Handel's Messiah with the National Chamber Choir, and soloists Franzita Whelan, Doreen Curran, John Elwes and Joe Corbett, conducted by Roger Vignoles.
Thursday December 18th At Christ Church Cathedral at 1.15 p.m., frazzled shoppers can soothe their savage brows with a few lunchtime carols from the cathedral choir. The service lasts 45 minutes and there will be a glass of mulled wine afterwards.
Saturday December 20th At the National Concert Hall, the Dublin County Choir gives the first of its two Christmas shows featuring the Stedfast band, John Dexter, organ, the Billie Barry Children and Niamh Murray as both compere and soloist.
Sunday December 21st At St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols takes place at 3.15 p.m., while the Pro-Cathedral also has an afternoon of carols and festive readings at 3.30 p.m, and there are Carols For Fun at the National Concert Hall with the Lindsay Singers and the Young Lindsays, at 3.15 p.m. There will also be an evening Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at Adam & Eve's, Merchants' Quay at 7 p.m., sung by the Lassus Scholars. And at the Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, Limerick Choral Union joins with Laurel Hill Secondary School for a performance of Schubert's Mass in C with the Limerick Baroque Players and soloists Franzita Whelan, Richard Knowles, Declan Kelly and Stephen Varcoe.
Monday December 22nd At Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin at 8 p.m., the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and carols service will be broadcast live by RTE FM3. To be sure of a good seat, you should contact the cathedral office in advance for tickets. And at the National Concert Hall at 8 p.m., The Glory of Christmas sees the Dublin Concert orchestra, Carlow Choral Society and St Bartholomew's Children's Choir, conducted by Richard Cooke, perform a selection of seasonal favourites.
Wednesday December 24th At St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, admission to the 4 p.m. Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is by ticket only. At the Pro-Cathedral, the Christmas Night Mass at 10 p.m. is Schubert's Mass in G, which will be preceded by carols at 9.30 p.m. And at Adam & Eve's on Merchants' Quay, Dublin, Eblana will sing a Midnight Mass by the Spanish Renaissance composer Victoria. Thursday December 25th At St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the sung Eucharist is at 11.15 p.m.; up the road at Christ Church Cathedral the sung Mass at 11 a.m. will be Mozart's Coronation Mass, and at the Pro-Cathedral at 11 a.m. the Palestrina Choir will sing Schubert's Mass in G. At Adam & Eve's on Merchants' Quay, the Lassus Scholars will sing Schubert's Mass in C.
