By Dan Walsh
The 19th New Ross International Piano Festival takes place this week – Wednesday, September 24th-Sunday, September 28th – at St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, New Ross, featuring today’s most outstanding pianists.
The festival will host pianists of all ages from a variety of backgrounds from the young Irish pianist David Vasey at the start of his career to the doyen of Irish pianists, John O’Conor.
There are also new names coming to New Ross, like the German-Greek pianist Donae Dórken making her Irish debut presenting her new Odyssey programme with a mix and familiar of new, while the Hungarian pianist Daniel Labhardt offers a programme of Liszt masterpieces, including the momentous B minor Sonata.
Artistic Director of New Ross Piano Festival for many years now, Finghin Collins presents a programme of his new CD inspired by the great piano manufacturer Pleyel.
The award-winning Castalian Quartet from the UK will team up with three other pianists for a performance of cracking quintets by Brahms, Bloch and Dvorak.
Two young competition winners will perform at the coffee concerts; Malaysian pianist Magdalene Ho who stole the hearts of the jury at the 2023 Clara Haskil Competition in Switzerland while Japanese pianist Shunta Morimoto carried off the first prize in Hastings in 2022.
A new Saturday afternoon concert presents the charismatic Duo Pianistico in a popular ‘Stride and Swing’ programme.
This is always an enjoyable event, and the organisers would love to see as many as possible in those seats!
To book tickets call St. Michael’s Theatre (051 421255, or book online www.stmichaelsnewross.com.
For further festival information contact www.newrosspianofestival.com
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