The most obvious choice for an orchestra touring Ireland is to give concerts in Dublin (National Concert Hall), Belfast (Waterfront Hall) and Limerick (University Concert Hall). Not many do, though. The National Youth Orchestra has for some years been making a success of doing the obvious, so Limerick (tomorrow), Dublin (Monday) and Belfast (Tuesday) are the three venues for its next programme. Other obvious decisions are the inclusion of a Mahler Symphony, the Resurrection (the NSO is still lagging in recognising the popularity of Mahler), the choice of contralto Patricia Bardon as one of the soloists (Opera Ireland would do well to take the hint), and the association with a household name, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, who'll be playing the Elgar concerto. The concerts, conducted by Alexander Anissimov (above), also bring together choirs from around the country, the Belfast Philharmonic Choir, Tallaght Choral Society, Cor Cois Abhann (from Cork) and the Choir of St Malachy's, College, Belfast.
