Music at the Museum was delighted to present Intonations Choir at the Medieval Museum.  The 30 member choir performed music from modern artists such as Pink and Gary Jules along with songs by the Beatles, show tunes from musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber and from Disney’s ‘Frozen’.

Recently formed Waterford Choir Intonations came together to provide an alternative to the more traditional choir, describing themselves and what they do as ‘Glee for adults – delivering songs in a fun style that audiences find engaging and enjoyable’. The choir comprises members from all walks of life in the community, from business owners to homemakers and everything else in between.

They have just returned from a highly successful and enjoyable performance at the AIMS Choral Festival in New Ross and looked forward to entertaining the Music at the Museum audience in their own unique style.

The post Intonations appeared first on Fado Waterford.

Hailing from Waterford, the soprano trio’s programme included popular jazz standards from the 40′s and 50’s with songs such as Sway , Fever & Misty .  Rachel, Annette and Jacqueline delivered a performance which  transported the audience to a place in time where the voice was essential and the melodies were pure. Accompanied by the talented Siobhan Keappock, they were joined by very special guest guitarist Mark Robinson.

For a chance to win tickets, lunch and museum visit and for updates on the other and upcoming events visit www.facebook.com/MusicAtTheMuseum or join our mailing list at musicathemuseum@gmail.com Tickets available on the door or online here>> Concerts kindly supported by Waterford City Council.

The post Soprano Trio Dulcet appeared first on Fado Waterford.

After a sell-out concert at the museum in January followed by a review from Waterford critic Liam Murphy stating ‘…Madrigallery in The Garden Room transported a capacity audience with the most sublime choral work, that was more than singing, and gloriously transformative..’, Madrigallery Chamber Choir returned for a lunchtime concert on Sunday 25th May at 12.30 pm, promising a serene, majestic blend of Madrigal and Sacred classics. The programme featured: Javi Busto’s Ave Maria; John Taverner’s Funeral IKOS; Palestrina’s Missa Aeterna Christi Munera; Stephen Paulus’ The Road Home; Monteverdi’s Beatus Vir and Viadan’s Exsultate Justi. Under the inspired direction of Kevin O’Carroll, Madrigallery have spread their artistic wings from madrigals to virtually every other musical style, genre and era. Now in its 3^rd decade, the choral ensemble has established itself as one of the leading choirs in the South East.

The post Madrigallery appeared first on Fado Waterford.

photo courtesy of Richie Tyndall

Back on the road again, Ger Wolfe returned to Waterford with a new album “I Have Been Loved”. The lunchtime concert at the Medieval Museum featured songs from his new album ”I Have Been Loved” which Hot Press magazine praised as a collection of “carefully crafted vignettes, exquisitely performed, arranged and recorded. Sublime.” As there is always a seasonal element for each of his gigs, Ger will sing some early summer songs including ‘Summer at my Feet’. A real Sunday treat!

Twenty years on the live music circuit and seven albums have earned Ger Wolfe a place among the best of Ireland’s songwriters. Songs such as “The Curra Road” and “The Lark of Mayfield” have captured the minds and hearts of listeners and critics alike, leading contemporary John Spillane to dub him ‘The Poetic Soul of Ireland’, no less. With a palate that moves from sweeping gentle melodies to pop driven bop along tunes, Ger really has carved his own way in the world of music, a true craftsman of song. The new album features songs that cover every facet of life in all its glory and sometimes sorrow, Ger uses every colour from the spectrum of human life, with Joy being the over-riding feature. This is music that shines like a rare diamond.

The post Ger Wolfe appeared first on Fado Waterford.

Sunday 27th April saw one of Ireland’s finest sopranos Niamh Murray accompanied by her brother Rónán Murray performed a selection of songs drawn from the world of opera, operetta, oratorio, lieder & French song.

Niamh Murray has won most of the major singing awards in Ireland including the Dublin and Sligo Feis Ceoil, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, the Derry Festival of Light Opera, the Northern Ireland Festival of Light Opera, and the Association of Irish Musical Societies. Niamh was the first ever recipient of the Margaret Burke Sheridan gold medal, which she greatly treasures along with her award of the John Count McCormack gold medal. Her versatility can be seen from her extensive repertoire and leading performances in opera, oratorio, musicals and recitals including: The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, Oklahoma, The Pirates of Penzance, La Bohème, Cavalleria Rusticana, Faust, Alcina, Maritana, Carmen, Messiah, Stabat Mater, Carmina Burana, Coronation Mass, Oratorio de Noël, Schubert’s Mass in B flat Op.141 and Brahms’ A German Requiem Op.45. She has appeared with the RTE Concert and Symphony Orchestras; Opera Ireland and Wexford Festival of Opera. During November and December 2011 she presented an eight part bi-lingual music programme on TG4 called ‘Pitch Perfect’, in which she travelled the country auditioning singers who had a love of the Irish language as well as a love of singing. The choir which was subsequently formed sang in Croke Park at the All Ireland Football Finals. Niamh is a prolific recording artiste with numerous albums to her credit including, ‘A Fairer Paradise’ (which was nominated for an IRMA award in 1994).

Rónán Murray was born into a musical Dublin family and is a third generation organist and pianist. Having studied organ under Peter Sweeney at the DIT Conservatory of Music, he was awarded Associateships of The Royal College of Organists and Trinity College London. Rónán is titular organist of St. Joseph’s church, Glasthule, where he presides over one of the country’s finest instruments. With an especial love for improvisation, he plays music in almost any genre, from classical to popular, via traditional and jazz.

The post Soprano Niamh Murray appeared first on Fado Waterford.

Music at the Museum welcomed Jane O’Brien Moran, Orm Kenny & Peter Vogelaar to the Sunday lunchtime concert series. The trio performed classic songs from the Great American Songbook such as Skylark and Lush Life along with more recent compositions.

Jane O’Brien Moran has been performing for many years in a range of social contexts. In 1989 she founded the nationally acclaimed group Miss Brown to You and has received positive exposure as a performing musician on national and local radio and on RTE and BBC television. Jane directs the Tramore Gospel Singers, the Passage East Singers, and is one of four musicians employed by Waterford Healing Arts Trust as part of their Music in Hospitals programme. She has recently completed a degree at Waterford Institute of Technology majoring in jazz vocal performance under the guidance of Bridget Knowles.

Orm Kenny first started playing and listening to jazz while studying for his music degree at UCC. Inspired by performances at the Cork Jazz Festival by such world-renowned artists as Waterford’s own Louis Stewart, Orm started studying jazz guitar with Liam Foley, a mainstay of the Cork jazz scene. After graduating from UCC, Orm moved to Dublin to study at the Newpark Music Centre with Ronan Guilfoyle, Mike Nielsen and Tommy Halferty amongst others and, while studying at Newpark, Orm represented Ireland at the annual International Association of Schools of Jazz meeting in New York. As well as performing with Jane O’Brien-Moran, Orm is a member of Waterford-based big band Opus Pocus and performs in small-group settings with local jazz musicians.

Peter Vogelaar has  been a staple of the Waterford music scene having played with Orm Kenny in various ensembles over the years. Playing recently with Deaf Joe and The Dead Heavys, he also plays bass, writes & produces for Solar Taxi whose debut album ‘Broken Brothers Secret Bells’ achieved national airplay, licensed songs to film  & TV, and was a finalist in the Hotpress readers poll ‘best debut album’.

The post Jane O’Brien – Moran & Orm Kenny appeared first on Fado Waterford.

The choir is the most senior of the 3 choirs at Newtown School, Waterford. The group’s repertoire includes a range of religious music, folk music, spirituals and music from the popular and contemporary genres. The choir has toured Germany, where they represented Ireland at the youth artistic programme at expo in Hanover in 2000. They have also travelled to the Czech Republic (2005), Italy (2008), Northern Ireland (2010), and in 2011 had the privilege of performing as guests of the Lochrian ensemble at a St Patrick’s Day concert at the church of St. Martin in the fields in London.

They are past winners of the mixed voice post-primary schools competition at the Cork International Choral Festival on a number of occasions, most recently in 2011. They have enjoyed premiering pieces by leading Irish composers Michael McGlynn (Suantraí), Greg Scanlon (Oíche), and Br. Ben Hanlon (Duilleoga) at the festival in 2005, 2007 and 2010 respectively. Newtown School Chamber Choir is directed by Fintan Scanlon.

The post Newtown Chamber Choir appeared first on Fado Waterford.

Following their widely praised concert Watersong at the museum early last year poet Mark Roper, composer Eric Sweeney and photographer Paddy Dwan made a welcome return on Sunday 9th March. The Backstrand in Concert  featured original music from Eric Sweeney, a slide show of photos by Paddy Dwan and readings by Mark Roper. Images and text were taken from The Backstrand: Tramore’s Open Secret, published by Dwan and Roper in Autumn 2013. The book, acclaimed by Michael Viney in The Irish Times as “deeply lovely”, has proved to be as popular as their previous The River Book (2010). The Backstrand is a tidal lagoon lying behind a stretch of sandhills rising east from the main beach at Tramore. The lagoon is filled and emptied at the eastern end by the Rinnashark channel. Much loved by walkers, fishermen, cocklers and naturalists, the area has a rich and fascinating history. This concert was a journey around the 4 sides of the Backstrand, in image, music and text.  Coincidentally, Tramore woman Grace O’Sullivan, who features in the The Backstrand: Tramore’s Open Secret, lead a guided walk visiting the backstrand area in the afternoon at 3pm.   For updates on this and upcoming events visit www.facebook.com/MusicAtTheMuseum or join our mailing list at musicathemuseum@gmail.com.

The post THE BACKSTRAND IN CONCERT appeared first on Fado Waterford.

Soprano Caroline Reid-O’Brien, accompanied by Yvonne Collier on piano and classical guitarist Gareth Duffy, performed classical favourites and songs from the musicals. With over 25 years of experience, the soprano’s musical repertoire is hugely varied ranging from classical to traditional Irish and Celtic; from sacred to musical theatre and contemporary music. She has extensive experience both as a professional soloist and with choral ensembles Janus and Lumen.  She also performs as part of the opera trio The Celtic Divas. In 2009 Caroline was guest soloist for the world premiere of Wallace, Balfe and Mr. Bunn, a specially commissioned work marking the re-opening and re-dedication of the Theatre Royal. As part of the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera in November 2010, Caroline delighted her audience with two lunchtime performances at the House of Waterford Crystal. Her most recent appearance was at the Dine in Style event in conjunction with the Waterford Harvest Festival in September 2013.  Caroline sings with elegance and passion, enthralling the listener with her pure, but emotive voice.

The post Caroline Reid – O’Brien appeared first on Fado Waterford.

First for the Sunday lunchtime concert series at the Medieval Museum in 2014 was Madrigallery. Under the inspired direction of Kevin O’Carroll, Madrigallery have spread their artistic wings from madrigals to virtually every other musical style, genre and era. Now in its 3rd decade, the choral ensemble has established itself as one of the leading choirs in the South East earning Waterford critic Liam Murphy’s award for “CONCERT OF THE YEAR 2010″. This concert provided an uplifting, eclectic mix of jazz, madrigal and religious classics including; I’m Beginning to See the Light (James, Ellington, Hodges, George, 1944); Skylark (Mercer, Carmichael, 1924); Il Bianco E Dolce Cigno (Arcadelt, 1538); O Magnum Mysterium (Lauridsen, 1994); Totus Tuus (Gorecki, 1987) and Bel Piacere (Handel, 1685-1759).

For competitions and updates on this and upcoming events visit www.facebook.com/MusicAtTheMuseum or join our mailing list at musicathemuseum@gmail.com Concerts kindly supported by Waterford City Council.

The post Madrigallery appeared first on Fado Waterford.