Birr Festival of Music hits the high notes

THIS year's Birr Festival of Music really hit the high notes over the Bank Holiday weekend, leaving a very strong feel-good factor in its wake, an afterglow of having provided some of the best entertainment you could find at any festival anywhere in Ireland.
First started in 2016 the event has burgeoned and blossomed into something to be proud of, which lights up the town of Birr with beauty, energy and a sense of occasion.
It attracts some of the finest musical talent in Ireland and they love coming here. I was told that one of them, a soprano, said she had never experienced such welcoming hospitality from locals, such a happy atmosphere among the competitors and such an all round good feeling, at a classical musical competition before.
The festival is also noteworthy for its outreach to schools, the elderly and the sick. On Thursday May 1st the students of Coláiste Naomh Cormac Kilcormac and Killeen National School came together for a day of fun-filled singing workshops led by dynamic choral director Mary Amond O'Brien. Mary told us she believes strongly in the innate singing ability of all, whether children or adults.
On Friday the celebrated and friendly duo, baritone Bruno Caproni and pianist Julian Evans performed for the residents of Birr Nursing Unit. Bruno and Julian are highly talented and respected in their fields and they took the residents for a trip down memory lane, performing much-loved songs and melodies. They were joined by local mezzo soprano Breffni Fitzpatrick.
An Artistic Director was appointed by the festival committee for the first time this year. They chose the conductor and pianist Niall Kinsella who fits the role very well, bringing intelligence, patience and a good humoured disposition to proceedings. He organised the visit of the RTE Concert Orchestra to this year's event, which was a big coup for the festival, as well as being a huge treat for local classical music lovers.
The RTE orchestra performed in the Roman Catholic church on Friday evening, which was a perfect venue for the performance. The church was packed and the audience was very appreciative, rising to a standing ovation at the end. The finest orchestra in the land was on top form for the evening. The highlight for me was their performance of John F Larchet's “By the Waters of Moyle”, which is a wonderful arrangement of the haunting, melancholic Irish song “Silent O Moyle”. Conducted by Niall Kinsella, with internationally-acclaimed Irish soprano Ava Dodd and presenter Liz Nolan of RTÉ lyric fm, the concert featured beloved pieces by Mozart, Donizetti, Ravel, Puccini, and Bernstein.
On Saturday evening in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, acclaimed singer (and one of the three members of the iconic, comedy singing group Fascinating Aïda) Liza Pulman expertly explored the Great American Songbook in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, starting with the genius of Harold Arlen and moving onto Rodgers & Hart, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter; performing a mixture of toe-tapping and poignant songs. Liza was accompanied by the award-winning jazz pianist Gareth Williams. Gareth is Professor of Jazz Piano in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He's also one of the most dynamic and exciting performers in the UK.
In Myths & Magic, in St Brendan's Church of Ireland on Monday afternoon, Birr Young Voices performed songs inspired by folklore and legends from Celtic and European tales. Their beautiful performance explored the River Shannon through the legends of Sionnan, the River Goddess, and the River Monster, Cata. Working with animator Finn Nichol they had also created moving and still images to complement the music.
Throughout the long weekend there were also a host of pop-up performances around the town and masterclasses in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre.
On Sunday evening the Trench Award Gala Concert, the centrepiece of the festival, showcased emerging singers and instrumentalists from the Midlands. This year’s finalists each performed a 15-minute programme of their choice. All are pursuing professional careers in classical music and were selected by an international panel of music experts.
Recipients of The Trench Award, Birr Lions Club Bursary, Canto Al Serchio Prize (for voice), the Connolly Award (new this year), the Adjudicators’ Special Award For Outstanding Performance of a Piece in the Final (new this year), and The Lumcloon Energy Award (new this year) were announced.
This concert was a real treat and the standard of all six soloists was off the charts. There wasn't a hair's breadth between them in terms of who should win the overall prize. This was music-making of a professional, international standard. “World Class” is another definition I would use. The acclaimed Pianist Julian Evans (one of the adjudicators) summed it up perfectly at the end when he said that the level of musical talent in the midlands of Ireland is absolutely astounding.
“Musical talent in the midlands is pulsating and highly energised. The standard this evening was so high that we the adjudicators had to go into tiny details to arrive at our decisions. It is wonderful to see the standard of classical music at such a high level in the Midlands. It gives us a sense of hope. There was also such sincerity in every performer's music-making this evening. Every performer played from their heart. It was wonderful listening to the beauty which you were expressing because it stands in stark contrast to a lot of the world we live in,” he said.
Julian also highly praised the piano accompanist for the evening, Dearbhla Brosnan. He warmly praised Maureen de Forge and the festival committee who invested so much time and effort into this marvellous festival. “Every year Bruno and I come to the festival, we find it so positive and beautiful.” He pointed out as well that the six applicants were chosen from a long list of applicants.
MC for the evening Tommy Lyndon, who as ever did an excellent job, bringing thoughtfulness and wit to the role, announced The Trench Award winners. There were as follows:
The Trench Award - Shane Quinn (viola).
Birr Lions Club Bursary - Cerys MacAllister (soprano).
Canto al Serchio Prize - Deirdre Arratoon (mezzo-soprano).
The Connolly Award - Aimee Banks (soprano).
The Lumcloon Energy Award - Laoise McMullin (Piano).
Adjudicators’ Special Award For Outstanding Performance of a Piece in the Final - Catherine Cotter (Cello).
Audience Choice Award - Aimee Banks (soprano).