![CCI](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/CCI_.jpg)
Chamber Choir Ireland, formerly known as the National Chamber Choir of Ireland, is the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
's national choral ensemble and national chamber choir, and the only regularly funded professional choir in the country. Primarily funded by the
Arts Council of Ireland
The Arts Council (sometimes called the Arts Council of Ireland; legally ga, An Chomhairle Ealaíon) is the independent "Irish government agency for developing the arts."
About
It was established in 1951 by the Government of Ireland, to encour ...
, the choir is the resident ensemble at the
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...
and Affiliated Artists to
Dublin City University
Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin'' in 1975, it enrolled its ...
.
Paul Hillier
Paul Douglas Hillier OBE (born 9 February 1949) is an English conductor, music director and baritone. He specializes in both early and contemporary classical music, especially that by composers Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt. He was a co-foun ...
, has been the choir's Artistic Director since 2008.
The choir's repertoire spans from early
Renaissance music to the present day. It also commissions new works by contemporary composers. In addition to its performances in Ireland and international tours, the choir has released recordings on the
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group.
Its Latin name ''harm ...
Orchid Classics and
RTÉ Lyric FM
RTÉ Lyric FM (stylised as RTÉ lyric fm) is an Irish classical-music and arts radio station, owned and operated by RTÉ. The station, which is based in Limerick, was launched in 1999 and is available on FM throughout Ireland (in some areas ...
labels.
Chamber Choir Ireland is a member of the European network of professional chamber choirs
TENSO
Artistic directors
*
Paul Hillier
Paul Douglas Hillier OBE (born 9 February 1949) is an English conductor, music director and baritone. He specializes in both early and contemporary classical music, especially that by composers Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt. He was a co-foun ...
(2008–present)
*
Celso Antunes
Celso Antunes (born November 12, 1959) is a Brazilian conductor (music), conductor located in Germany.
Biography
Antunes studied singing and conducting at the University of São Paulo, achieved recognition as assistant conductor of the São Paul ...
(2002 –2007)
*
Colin Mawby
Colin Mawby KSG (9 May 1936 – 24 November 2019) was an English organist, choral conductor and composer. From 1961 he was Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, then from 1981 he was the choral director at Radio Telefís Éireann. He co ...
, founding Artistic Director (1991–2001)
The Choir also regularly invites international guest conductors to work with the group, and since 2016 has worked with
Sofi Jeannin,
Grete PedersenNils Schweckendiekand
Jörg Widmann
Jörg Widmann (born 19 June 1973) is a German composer, conductor and clarinetist. In 2018, Widmann was the third most performed contemporary composer in the world. Formerly a clarinet and composition professor at the University of Music Freibu ...
.
Commissions
Since its inception, Chamber Choir Ireland has regularly commissioned choral work by both Irish and international composers such as
Gerald Barry,
Ian WilsonAndrew Hamilton Siobhán Cleary,
Tarik O'Regan
Tarik Hamilton O'Regan (; born 1 January 1978) is a British and American composer. His compositions number over 100 and are partially represented on 43 recordings which have been recognised with two Grammy nominations. He is also the recipien ...
David Fennessy Deirdre McKay and
Jennifer Walshe
Jennifer Walshe (born 1 June 1974) is an Irish composer, vocalist and artist.
Biography
Jennifer Walshe was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1974. She studied composition with John Maxwell Geddes at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, ...
.
Touring
Chamber Choir Ireland regularly tours throughout the island of Ireland, presenting choral concerts to audiences all around the country. Internationally, the Choir has toured extensively in Europe, Asia and North and South America including performances at the White House for President Barack Obama on St Patrick's Day 2011.
Learning & Participation
Chamber Choir Ireland has developed learning and participation programmes across the choral art form: Composers in the Classroom (for school children aged 15–18 to write new choral music), Axis SING (a community choir project in North County Dublin), Choral Music in Ireland: History and Evolution (a series of lectures on the history of choral music in Ireland) and Choral Sketches (a professional development programme for emerging Irish choral composers). Chamber Choir Ireland has also provided opportunities for young singers and conductors to participate in apprenticeship programmes.
Funding
Principal funding for Chamber Choir Ireland comes from the
Arts Council /an Chomhairle Ealaíon, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Fund, and Dublin City Council.
Recordings
The choir's recordings include:
*
Gerard Victory: ''Ultima Rerum'' –
Virginia Kerr (soprano),
Bernadette Greevy (mezzo-soprano), Adrian Thompson (tenor),
Alan Opie (baritone),
RTÉ Philharmonic Choir, National Chamber Choir of Ireland,
Cór na nÓg (children's choir),
National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland,
Colman Pearce (conductor). CD, 1994. Label:
Naxos/Marco Polo.
*''
White Stones
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
'' –
Secret Garden (ensemble), National Chamber Choir of Ireland,
RTÉ Concert Orchestra
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is one of the two full-time professional radio orchestras in Ireland that are part of RTÉ, the national broadcasting station. Since its formation as the Radio Éireann Light Orchestra in 1948, the RTÉ Concert Orchestr ...
,
Fiachra Trench (conductor). CD, 1997. Label:
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
*''One day fine'' (Irish choral music from the 14th to 21st centuries) – National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Paul Hillier (conductor). CD, 2011. Label:
RTÉ Lyric FM
RTÉ Lyric FM (stylised as RTÉ lyric fm) is an Irish classical-music and arts radio station, owned and operated by RTÉ. The station, which is based in Limerick, was launched in 1999 and is available on FM throughout Ireland (in some areas ...
*
Tarik O'Regan
Tarik Hamilton O'Regan (; born 1 January 1978) is a British and American composer. His compositions number over 100 and are partially represented on 43 recordings which have been recognised with two Grammy nominations. He is also the recipien ...
: ''Acallam na senórach: an Irish colloquy'' – National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Stewart French (guitar), Paul Hillier (conductor). CD, 2011. Label:
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group.
Its Latin name ''harm ...
''Carols from the Old and New Worlds'', Vol. 3– Chamber Choir Ireland, Fergal Caulfield (chamber organ), Paul Hillier (conductor). CD, 2014. Label: Harmonia Mundi.
*
Choirland: an anthology of Irish choral music' (scores for 15 pieces by Irish composers for unaccompanied mixed choir with accompanying CD) – National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Paul Hillier (conductor). CD, 2014. Publisher: Contemporary Music Centre (Dublin)
*
Barry Meets Beethoven' (works by
Gerald Barry) – Stephen Richardson (bass), Chamber Choir Ireland,
Crash Ensemble
Crash Ensemble is an Irish new music ensemble, which performs a range of contemporary classical music, as well as touring and organising festivals.
History
The group was founded in 1997 by composer Donnacha Dennehy, conductor and pianist Andrew S ...
, Paul Hillier (conductor). CD, 2016. Label: Orchid Classics
['' Gramophone'' (September 2016)]
"Review: ''Barry Meets Beethoven''"
Retrieved 7 November 2017.
References
External links
*
*Dervan, Michael (23 February 2007)
"National Chamber Choir must be championed" ''
The Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
''
Chamber Choir Irelandon
WorldCat
WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the O ...
{{Authority control
Irish choirs
National choirs
1991 establishments in Ireland
Dublin City University
Irish culture
Musical groups established in 1991