The Galway Early Music Festival, County Galway
May 15-17, 2007
2009 Festival Programme
Full Programme and Ticket Booking Now Available at
www.galwayearlymusic.com.
Galway Early Music is delighted to announce that the fourteenth Galway Early
Music Festival will take place May 15-17, 2009.
This year's Festival is an exciting voyage to Ireland, Cyprus, Guernsey and
other ports of call, sailing through waters alive with mermaids, sirens,
sailors and romance. Once again the festival committee has prepared a
remarkable programme full of high quality early music performed by the world's
foremost musicians who, just for one weekend, will become our musicians in
residence and will be giving recitals for adults, concerts for children and
workshops for local musicians.
The Harp Consort, led by continuo-wizard and harp virtuoso Andrew
Lawrence-King, will range wide over the high seas with their programme
designed especially to suit the festival theme - 'The Boatemen: Songs of the
17th century Seas'. Performances by this ensemble of harp, guitar, cornetto,
percussion, voice and other instruments have "the spontaneity of improvised
jazz and the perfection of state-of-the-art Early Music" and are simply
unforgettable.
Steve Player's wonderful dancing adds to their outstanding on-stage energy.
Brilliant sound and virtuoso performance coupled with boundless joy; this sums
up the other festival early music group - Ensemble Unicorn. It is Ensemble
Unicorn who will bring the romance into our voyage with their programme 'The
Isle of Aphrodite: Love Songs from the Court of King Janus in Nicosia'.
This unusual programme is based on a single manuscript written between 1413
and 1426, the songs and melodies of which are not to be found elsewhere. We
certainly haven't forgotten the Handel and Purcell anniversaries this year -
Ireland's own harpsichord maestro Malcolm Proud will pay them a tribute with
his programme "Music from the Sceptred Isle".
Malcolm performs on a copy of a Ruckers harpsichord of 1638 in the Chapel of
the Poor Clares, Nun's Island. And the festival's final chord will be played
by the inimitable and exciting Andrew Lawrence-King who will give a solo
concert of historical harp entitled 'The Lament of Tristan' which explores the
music surrounding the legends of Tristan and Iseult, a story which started in
the island Celtic areas of Europe and traveled far and wide.
After each concert our cosy Festival Club in the House Hotel will open its
hospitable doors to all who want to join the performers for a drink and chat.
And after the final concert a nice surprise will be awaiting the audience who
is welcome to join us for the closing reception.
In addition to the concerts there are workshops with Andrew Lawrence-King and
Michael Posch, a schools concert and a special visit by the Kiili Youth Early
Music Group from Estonia.
Free events in the pubs, on the streets and canals, and in the City Museum
will once again give the Galway Early Music Festival a wonderful atmosphere
and will highlight its watery island theme. A fitting theme for Galway City, a
city made up of a number of islands joined to the mainland by bridges, guarded
at the mouth of the bay by the Aran Islands, and the westernmost city on the
island of Ireland.
Become a Friend of Galway Early Music On-Line
Our new website also allows you to become a friend or patron of the Festival
by donating money on-line with paypal. If you have enjoyed our Festival in the
past and would like to see it continue, go to www.galwayearlymusic.com and
click on the donate button. We are grateful to our friends and patrons,
without whom this Festival could not continue.
We hope to see you at this year's Festival!
Galway Early Music is supported by The Arts Council of Ireland, Galway City
Council and Bord F�ilte/Ireland West TourisGalway Early Music
Caherfurvaus, Craughwell, Co Galway
+353-87-930 5506
www.galwayearlymusic.com
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