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Press Release
June 2010
Influencing the creation of new music DONEGAL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA welcomes composer IAN WILSON
Congratulations to the Donegal Chamber Orchestra who has been successfully awarded the Arts Council’s "Artist in the Community Scheme" managed by Create and the Arts Council. The aim of this scheme is to offer ensembles the opportunity to work closely with a professional artist on a regular basis.
This award offers the musicians of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra the unique opportunity of working with the renowned Irish composer Ian Wilson www.ianwilson.org.uk
Ian Wilson joined the Donegal Chamber Orchestra to launch this project on Saturday 19th June in An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny. The launch was attended by family and friends of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra, Traolach O Fionnan, Arts officer for Donegal County Council, representatives from the Donegal School of music and was hosted by Co. Donegal VEC music education partnership.
Over the coming months Ian will visit the orchestra regularly during their rehearsals at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. During rehearsals he will interview each member of the orchestra and encourage them to share their thoughts on their instrument and its potential for creative expression. These interviews will influence his compositional process and result in a new work written specifically for the unique talents of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra.
This exciting new work will be premiered by the Donegal Chamber Orchestra in concert with Concerto Málaga at An Grianán Theatre on the 10th October 2010. On the evening of the premiere, audiences will have the additional pleasure of attending a pre-concert given by the composer, Ian Wilson, in which he will share his thoughts on the piece and the project.
Ian Wilson, is a composer in huge demand internationally, he has worked regularly with top orchestras, chamber groups and soloists. During the project Ian will engage with the musicians of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra during their weekly rehearsals and his knowledge of the players shall then inspire the creation of a new piece for string orchestra which will be premiered at An Grianán Theatre. This world premiere will form part of a wonderful concert with the Spanish String Orchestra Concerto Málaga conducted by Italian Massimo Paris, in which the Donegal Chamber Orchestra will guest.
The Donegal Chamber Orchestra
Founded in 2006 by Hungarian violinist Orsolya Szabó-Yélamo (Violin resource tutor with Co. Donegal VEC) and Spanish cellist Víctor Yélamo (Artistic Director of the ensemble) – as part of the Co. Donegal VEC Music Education Partnership, the Donegal Chamber Orchestra features 16 classical string players from across the county. The orchestra is dedicated to helping students and amateur musicians achieve the highest level of excellence in performance.
For the Belfast born composer Ian Wilson, "This project with the DCO is an opportunity for me to work closely with these talented Donegal musicians and create a piece of music for them which reflects their personalities, their playing and their dedication to the DCO; uniquely, it allows them to influence the shape of the music”.
The special nature of this project means that the members of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra will be very much involved in the creative progress of the piece. One of the founder members Michael Carey comments "As a member of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra, it is with enthusiasm that I greet the possibility of working with famed contemporary Irish composer Ian Wilson. Having worked hard on interpreting the music of Sibelius, Elgar and friends, it seems a natural development to move on to another strand of the classical genre - that of contemporary music. This is a truly unique experience, to work so closely with a living composer and one which I look forward to engaging with"
Orsolya Szabó-Yélamo, violin resource tutor with Co. Donegal VEC and leader/director of the DCO: “Ian Wilson is arguably one the best living composers and also he had a background as violin player in his teens and he knows very well how to write for strings”.
Artistic Director of the ensemble Víctor Yélamo added “as professional musician it is a great pleasure to be in contact with living composers and to have the chance to see the process and development of a new composition. Thanks to the Arts Council and Create, the members of the orchestra will have this great opportunity. Also we are very lucky to perform the premiere at An Grianán Theatre, an ideal venue for a classical music concert and we are very grateful to Patricia McBride who is looking after this performance”.
The Donegal Chamber Orchestra is part of a wider Music Education Partnership in the county led by Co. Donegal VEC.
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