The Cork International Choral Festival is held annually in Cork, Ireland and features choirs from all over the world. About 5,000 choristers take part every year; they come from all over Ireland, from Britain, from the European continent, and sometimes from as far away as Africa, America, and Asia. Since its foundation in 1954, there have been about 3,500 choir entries. [1] The festival will take place April 18 to April 22, 2018.
The festival was founded in 1954. It was part of An Tóstal, a national festival begun by Seán Lemass in 1952, as an attempt to set lift the country from a period of economic depression and high emigration. This initiative was supported by senior Army officers and Bórd Fáilte, the Irish Tourist Board; which played a leading role in its implementation. [2]
The first Tóstal began in Cork in 1953 with a pageant in which a large section of the business community took part; there were sporting events, Gaelic League activities, and an arts programme which included a performance of Handel's Messiah performed by the English Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli, with Our Lady's Choral Society of Dublin – in all 300 performers.
The following year the Choral Festival was established in its own right, and two years later the Cork Film Festival.
The Choral Festival set out to
Each year amateur international choirs are selected to compete for the Fleischmann International Trophy. The selected choirs also perform non-competitively in a range of Festival activities over the weekend, including Fringe concerts, church and informal performances. As well as foreign choirs, the Festival annually features up to 100 Adult, Youth and School choirs who participate in National Competitions. In 2011, 16 foreign ensembles came to Cork to participate in the Festival. [4]
Irish music is music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.
Events from the year 1954 in Ireland.
Seán Ó Riada, was an Irish composer and arranger of Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figure in the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s.
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Aloys Fleischmann was an Irish composer, musicologist, professor and conductor.
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The Marionettes Chorale of Trinidad and Tobago is one of the oldest performing arts organisations in the Caribbean. Formed in 1963, the choir has toured the Caribbean; North and Central America; and Great Britain; has won prizes at music festivals both in Trinidad & Tobago and internationally; has recorded seven albums; and received local awards. Founded in 1963 by Jocelyn Pierre and June Williams-Thorne, the choir has been led since 1974 by Gretta Taylor as conductor and artistic director; and founder member Joanne Mendes as secretary and production manager. Susan Dore served as assistant musical director 1974–2011, and was succeeded by Dr. Roger Henry. The choir has been sponsored by BP Trinidad & Tobago since 1972, and formed a Youth Chorale in 1995 and a Children's Choir in 2012. The group was incorporated as a non-profit in 2005.
Gretta Taylor is a musician and teacher from Trinidad and Tobago. She is the conductor and musical director of The Marionettes Chorale (1974–present). She received the Hummingbird Medal—Gold in 1990 for "outstanding services to music and culture in Trinidad and Tobago", and a Port of Spain City Day Mayoral Award for "contribution to culture" in 2018.
Les Sirènes is a Glasgow-based women's chamber choir consisting of 26 vocalists, all students and graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In October 2012, the choir was awarded the prestigious title of Choir of the Year 2012, after an extensive UK-wide search and a competitive Grand Final held at London's Royal Festival Hall.
New Dublin Voices, an award-winning chamber choir based in Dublin, Ireland, was founded by conductor Bernie Sherlock in October 2005. New Dublin Voices, whose concerts range in style and period from the medieval to the contemporary, takes special pleasure in exploring the music of living composers and has given many Irish premières, as well as numerous world premières of works by Irish composers. As well as giving concerts, New Dublin Voices is a regular participant in competitions, both internationally and at home in Ireland. The singers who make up New Dublin Voices come from many backgrounds, sharing in common high levels of experience and musicianship, a commitment to attracting new audiences, and above all a love of performing excellent choral music.
Bernie Sherlock is an Irish choral conductor, adjudicator, teacher, and lecturer in music.
The Wartburg Choir is a select auditioned a cappella choir from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Founded in 1937, the choir became one of the first American college groups to tour Europe. The Wartburg Choir performs sacred music from all historical periods and styles and often premieres new works by contemporary composers. Called a "mighty fortress of skill" by The Washington Post, the Wartburg Choir is one of Wartburg's three musical ensembles that tour internationally on a triennial basis. Beyond national and international tours, the choir has received invitations for special appearances in the United States and abroad.
Maria Theresa Mathilda Tilly Fleischmann was an Irish pianist, organist, pedagogue and writer of German descent.
Aloys Georg Fleischmann was a German composer, cathedral organist and choirmaster.
Pat Ahern is an Irish Roman Catholic priest, traditional musician, composer, and the founder, artistic director and producer (1974–1997) of Siamsa Tíre, the Irish National Folk Theatre which performed throughout Ireland and on three continents.
The Fleischmann Choir is an amateur mixed-voice choir and consists of more than 140 members ranging from college students to retirees. The choir was founded by Geoffrey Spratt in November 1992. The choir specialises in the performance of large scale works. Members are auditioned prior to joining. There are four vocal sections: Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. The choir rehearses in the Curtis Auditorium of the Cork Institute of Technology School of Music.
Ardú Vocal Ensemble are an award-winning a cappella group, based in Dublin, Ireland. They were founded in 2013 by tenor Ciarán Kelly. Ardú specialise in arranging well-known popular music for four, five and six voices, exploring the use of the voice as an instrument with percussive sounds as well as melody and harmony. Ardú have pioneered the genre of a cappella music in Ireland with performances at the Cork International Choral Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, London A Cappella Festival and have been featured on BBC Radio Ulster, RTÉ Lyric FM, RTÉ Radio 1 and The Ray D'Arcy Show on RTÉ 1.