Longford County Choir summer choral concert in St Mel's Cathedral

Longford County Choir will hold its Summer Choral Concert in St Mel’s Cathedral, Longford on Sunday, June 1 at 7.30pm.

The concert will feature the delightful music of renowned French composer, Gabriel Fauré, as well as newly commissioned pieces for soprano and choir by Irish composer Fiona Linnane set to the poetry of Eileen Casey.

This music was commissioned by County Longford Arts Office for Longford Lights Festival perfectly matching Eileen Casey’s poetry.

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Fiona Linnane is a composer based in the West of Ireland. She is director of Limerick New Music Ensemble and represented by the Contemporary Music Centre, Dublin.

Linnane’s current compositional practice centres around use of text and includes opera, art song and featuring spoken word.

Eileen Casey is a County Offaly award winning poet (The Oliver Goldsmith International Poetry Award, A Katherine and Patrick Kavanagh Fellowship recipient, among others).

Fiona will attend the performance and accompany her own compositions.

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Joining the choir will be Longford soprano, Maria Matthews. Maria is a Wexford Opera Festival Factory Artist for the 2024-25 season where she will perform the roles of Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and both Adina and Gianetta in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore.

Maria featured recently on RTE television in a master class with internationally renowned Irish soprano Tara Erraught.

Local singer Dermot Deely will perform the baritone solo, ‘Hostias’ and ‘Libera Me’ from Fauré’s Requiem. Dermot sings with St Mel’s Cathedral Choir. Longford County Choir will also be joined by the members of St Mel’s Cathedral Choir.

The choirs are being prepared by our musical director Fintan Farrelly who will accompany the choir on the cathedral organ.

The conductor for the Fauré pieces will be the indomitable Anne Kielty, nee Farrell.

Anne is a renowned musician, a native of Longford Town, now living in Boyle.

Faure’s Requiem is one of the most popular choral pieces. It features dramatic and beautiful music. The ‘Pie Jesu’ and ‘In Paradisum’ will be familiar to many people.

The concert will also feature his ‘Pavane’ and ‘Cantique de Jean Racine’.

The Choir is very grateful for the support of Longford County Council and Creative Ireland and the continued assistance of the Council’s Arts Office.

We also wish to thank the Cathedral Pastoral Council and Administrator Fr McKiernan for permission to hold the concert in the Cathedral.

Tickets cost €15 and are available from Dennistons, Farrell Stationery, the Presebytery or any choir member.

Tickets will also be available at the door.