News & Events
Chopin 200!
2010 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of “the Poet of the Piano” Fryderyk Chopin, one of the greatest artists in the history of Polish culture and to this day its most distinguished composer. In March over 30 musicians from the Royal Irish Academy of Music, will celebrate the bi-centenary of this great artist’s birth in a series of concerts at the National Gallery of Ireland. 75 works from his remarkable output for piano will be performed by pianists both emerging and professional, in addition to a number of works from his chamber music catalogue.
The celebrations commence at 7.00 pm on Monday, March 1st, Chopin’s birthday, when pianists John O’Conor, Maria McGarry, Conor Linehan, Lance Coburn, Hugh Tinney, Anthony Byrne and Thérèse Fahy perform his Ballades, Scherzi and Andante Spianato in the magnificent surroundings of the Gallery’s Shaw Room. Tickets for this special anniversary concert are €20 (€12 concessions) and are available from 01 676 4412.
On Saturdays at 1.05 pm audiences can look forward to a veritable feast of piano-playing by some of Ireland’s finest emerging talents, all students at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Over the four Saturdays in March (6th, 13th, 20th and 27th) the Preludes, Nocturnes, Ballades, Scherzi, Etudes and many other works will be on offer. Tickets are €5 at the door.
Finally, on Thursday, March 25th at 6.30 pm, distinguished RIAM staff members join forces in a concert that highlights some of the composer’s chamber music works including his Piano Trio. Performances on this occasion are by cellists Annette Cleary and Miriam Roycroft, pianists Réamonn Keary and Conor Linehan, violinist Michael d’Arcy and flautist William Dowdall. Tickets are priced €10 (€5 concessions) and are available at the door.