Cork Orchestral Society makes a welcome return with an exciting program for autumn/winter 2022. They are pleased to announce twelve spectacular shows taking place in venues across Cork city including The Solas Quartet, on November 10 in the Curtis Auditorium.
The Solas Quartet, led by Irish Chamber Orchestra leader Katherine Hunka, presents a fascinatingly varied programme spanning four centuries and reflecting the wide-ranging musical talents and specialities of the quartet’s members. For the second half of the concert, they are joined by Cork violist Ed Creedon for Mendelssohn’s brilliant B flat string quintet.
On November 12 the Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra, under conductor Keith Pascoe and leader Eithne Willis, presents a sublime programme in City Hall, Cork featuring Beethoven’s mighty ‘Emperor’ Concerto, with pianist Michael Mchale as soloist; Ravel’s rapturous ‘Tzigane’ for Violin and Orchestra, with soloist Megan Chan; plus works by Haydn, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky.
Meanwhile, the internationally renowned Irish pianist Barry Douglas joins the Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra in Curtis Auditorium on November 16, conducted by Conor Palliser, for a performance of the much-loved Piano Concerto No.2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Overtures and Preludes by Nicolai, Bruch and Wagner complete the wonderful programme.
Katherine Hunka studied with musician, educator and composer, Sheila Nelson at the Royal Academy of Music with Gyorgy Pauk. She pursued her studies at Indiana University with Mauricio Fuks and became his teaching assistant. Katherine was subsequently invited to become a member of The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, touring extensively with them.
In 2002 Katherine was appointed Leader of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and has directed many concerts from the violin as well as performing as soloist across a wide range of repertoire. Together with the ICO, she has championed the music of Irish composers and over the years has premièred many new works by contemporary composers such as Raymond Deane John Kinsella and Sam Perkin. Katherine has been a guest leader with the Manchester Camerata, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra and has performed solo concertos with the City of London Sinfonia, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and RTÉ Concert Orchestra. She teaches on the MA in Classical Strings programme at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick which is operated jointly by Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Academy. Katherine is a Professor at the CIT Cork School of Music and has been a visiting Professor at Indiana University USA.
Speaking on the launch of the new season programme Artistic Director of Cork Orchestral Society Tom Crowley of said: “We’re looking forward to the launch of Cork Orchestral Society’s long awaited 2022 Autumn Season. This will be a celebration of symphonic orchestral music, and we have pulled out all the stops! We begin with the National Symphony Orchestra, Ireland’s largest professional symphony orchestra, making a proud return to Cork on September 24th with a captivating programme of Slavic music. This marks the first of no less than seven orchestral programmes we are excited to present in Cork before year’s end. Another highlight will be welcoming the RTE Concert Orchestra back to City Hall (November 19th) where they will perform a world live premier of “The Burning of Cork Suite”, a recent composition by Cork composer Paul Frost. To mention that the season will include Handel’s Messiah (featuring Cork Baroque Players and Madrigal ’75) only now is a testament to the wealth of high quality orchestral music on offer this season. Our offering also includes two wonderful string quartet concerts with the Pirosmani Quartet and the Solas Quartet and a host of other musical treats.”
All details, and tickets, are available at www.corkorchestralsociety.ie
Concert Dates
September 24 – The National Symphony Orchestra, City Hall, Cork, 7:30pm
October 6 – Kölner Orchester-Gesellschaft, City Hall, Cork, 7:30pm
October 14 – Madrigal ’75 and the Cork Baroque Players, TBC
October 20 – Pirosmani Quartet, Curtis Auditorium, 7:30pm
November 10 – Solas Quartet, Curtis Auditorium, 7:30pm
November 12 – Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra, City Hall, Cork, 7:30pm
November 16 – Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra with Barry Douglas, Curtis Auditorium, 7:30pm
November 19 – Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra – Curtis Auditorium, 1:10pm
November 19 – RTÉ Concert Orchestra, City Hall, Cork, 7:30pm
December 7 – Gavan Ring (tenor) and Gary Beecher (piano), Curtis Auditorium, 7:30pm
December 11 – The Fleischmann Choir, St Michael’s, Blackrock, 6pm
December 22 – Madrigal ’75 Christmas Concerts, Curtis Auditorium, 7:30pm
