Kilkenny homecoming at the heart of much-anticipated Vancouver Youth Choir concert
Áine Mahony, the choir’s executive director, is a Kilkenny native and cannot wait for the group to showcase their talents at St Canice's Cathedral
There’s a special homecoming at the heart of Vancouver Youth Choir’s concert in Kilkenny that gives the much-anticipated event an added emotional pull.
Áine Mahony, the choir’s executive director, is a Kilkenny native, and after more than a decade in Canada helping to shape one of the country’s most dynamic youth ensembles, she’s finally bringing them back to where it all began.
“It means so much,” she said. “I’ve been with the choir for over 11 years now and bringing them home has always been something I wanted to do.”
That long-held ambition became a reality around the choir’s trip to Ireland for the Cork International Choral Festival but Kilkenny wasn’t just an add-on. According to founder and artistic director Carrie Tennant, it was the starting point.
“The impetus was Áine,” she explained. “I knew that I wanted to connect with where she was from and bring the work she had done with our organisation back to her home.”
The Vancouver Youth Choir performs at St Canice’s Cathedral on Tuesday, May 5 at 8pm, alongside Music Generation’s Kilkenny Youth Choir, before travelling to Dublin the following evening.
Founded in 2013, the choir has quickly built an international reputation, performing at major venues including Carnegie Hall and at the World Symposium on Choral Music.
“They’re truly performing at a professional standard,” Mahony explained.
“A lot of people hear ‘youth choir’ and think they’re kids, but these are young artists up to 24.”
Part of what sets the group apart is its willingness to push boundaries.
Tennant describes the choir as one where “nothing is ever off the table”, and this means a constant exploration of genres and traditions.
“We actually commissioned a brand new arrangement of a Cranberries song,” she revealed (as she highlighted one of the pieces she’s most excited to bring to Ireland).
For the singers, this visit is far more than just a performance and it’s all built on months of preparation and significant fundraising.
“It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for so many of them,” Mahony emphasised.
As well as that, there’s also a sense of anticipation about performing in a venue like St Canice’s Cathedral.
“It’s a really special experience for us when we get to sing in spaces like that,” Tennant noted, highlighting the rarity of such venues in Canada.
For Mahony, the concert carries an extra layer of meaning as she prepares to step down from her role at the end of the season.
“It just feels like a really appropriate ending knowing that one of the last concerts they’ll do will be here in Kilkenny with me,” she says.
Tickets are affordably priced at €10 (plus booking fee) for adults and €5 (plus booking fee) for children, making it accessible for families and music lovers alike.