‘I would now identify as Irish rather than British. It was a very proud day when my Irish passport showed up’
Composer Stephen McNeff was born in Belfast, then grew up in south Wales. His Irishness has become increasingly important to his identity
Simon Rattle
Conductor
Thomas Adès on Simon Rattle: ‘He really does have a composer’s understanding’
The British composer discusses the inspiration behind his new orchestral work, Aquifer, which gets its Irish premiere next weekend
The show must go online: How venues are keeping the music alive
Covid-19 has shut concert halls and productions, but you can watch safely on the web
Historic gate will be Berlin Philharmonic’s backdrop
New conductor Kirill Petrenko will front free open-air concert – for one night only
Cause for deep concern as symphony orchestra moves under NCH’s wing
Dearth of Irish and female composers in new season offerings at National Concert Hall
Gavan Ring sings swansong as baritone – and starts as tenor
‘It’s a matter of getting your passaggio right and placing the voice in the correct way’
Celine Byrne is Madama Butterfly: the best classical and opera shows this week
András Schiff brings enlightenment to NCH; Maxim Vengerov multitasks with RTÉ NSO
Roll Over Beethoven - and Hoffman: this week’s classical highlights
Jean-Christophe Spinosi conducts the ICO; Claudia Boyle in ‘The Tales of Hoffman’
Three of the best classical music concerts in Ireland this week
Gavan Ring warms up for BBC Proms debut with hometown concert; the first Irish production of Monteverdi’s ‘Il ritorno d’Ulisse’ takes place in Kilkenny
The three best classical concerts in Ireland this week
Paul McNamara, Beckett Chamber Music Series and NCH Female Conductor Finale
Busy classical music promoters suggest lifting of recession
It helps, of course, that most of what was on offer was what you would call bankable fare
Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra at the NCH: the best classical music this week
Choirland, a collection of 15 pieces for unaccompanied choir, goes on tour
Nathalie Stutzmann takes a bow with RTÉ NSO
Classical highlights: Veronika Eberle, Tallis Scholars and RTÉ Contempo Quartet
National Concert Hall needs to go beyond classical music
‘The building looks imposing, officious. Getting people in the door is a big thing’
A conductor in search of the Furtwängler factor
Cristian Macelaru’s in-your-face style frees up the RTÉ NSO, perhaps too much so
Changing of the guard at RTÉ orchestras presents an opportunity
As the principal conductors of the NSO and the CO finish up, the question arises: how best to deal with their succession?
Not fade away: which classical pieces are most popular?
A lucky few can follow their favourite groups and repertoires around the world. The rest of us have to take our chances when we can
Courtney Lewis serves up an energetic slice of Haydn
The conductor and the RTÉ NSO show Haydn a good time; and Ó Riada’s score for Mise Éire leaves me cold
Total recall: musical feats of memory
The intriguing role of memory in musical performance has been a hot topic lately
Berlin Philharmonic votes Kirill Petrenko as chief conductor
Russian to replace Simon Rattle in 2018 as Briton moves to London Symphony Orchestra
Classical Music: The odd imbalance of ‘Ten Thousand Miles Away’, and the place of period performance
The Royal Irish Academy of Music’s collaborative concert was strong on Irish writers but weak on our composers
John Wilson: ‘One day the conductor didn’t show up, so I just did it’
The principal conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra fell in love with music in his high chair. He taught himself piano at a young age and formed a symphony orchestra at 16 before falling into the ‘terrifying business’ of conducting
NCH rows: stop the squabbling and focus on the fundamentals
Disputes at the top level of the NCH are overshadowing more immediate concerns at the ground level
‘A singer, dancer, policeman, psychiatrist and clown’
Gábor Takács-Nagy knows what it takes to be a good conductor, and he’s more than happy to share it
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