January 6th 2008 12 noon

Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op. 26
Berg Sonata Op. 1
Beethoven Sonata in F minor Op. 57 "Appassionata"

This is one of the free weekly Sunday At Noon concerts at the Hugh Lane Gallery in central Dublin, supported by Dublin City Council and the Arts Council. Finghin has played several times in this series over the years, but this is his first solo recital there.

January 8th 2008 7.30pm

Haydn Variations in F minor Hob. XVII:6
Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op. 26
Berg Sonata Op. 1
Beethoven Sonata in F minor Op. 57 "Appassionata"

A Viennese programme for a Viennese setting! Finghin is very excited about his début in the most musical city of them all. The recital is presented by Jeunesse Austria as part of an extensive programme of concerts and recitals across Austria. More information and booking at www.jeunesse.at.

January 11th 2008 8.00pm

Mendelssohn Concerto in E major for two pianos
with Dearbhla Collins piano
RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland
Oleg Caetani conductor

Mendelssohn was probably the greatest child-prodigy composer of all time. He composed this double piano concerto for himself and his sister Fanny t o play when he was just 14 and she was 18. Finghin and Dearbhla might be slightly older but they hope to bring suitable enthusiasm to his youthful work and they should be ably assisted by Oleg Caetani, an Italian conductor with whom Finghin performed many years ago in Stuttgart. This concert is part of the RTE NSO's 2007/08 season at the National Concert Hall, in association with Anglo-Irish Bank.

January 18th - 20th 2008

Schubert Selected Lieder
with Lenneke Ruiten soprano
Paul Roe clarinet
Lesley Bishop horn

These concerts take place during a Schubert Festival weekend organised as part of Music for Galway's concert season. Finghin's regular collaborator Lenneke Ruiten from Holland will join him and other Irish soloists for a selection of Schubert songs, including "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" with clarinet and "Auf dem Strom" with French horn. The Festival also features the ConTempo Quartet, pianist James Lisney and other artists. More information here.

January 26th 2008 8.00pm
Large Room, City Hall, Waterford

January 27th 2008 4.00pm
Clonard Church, Wexford

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor
with Wexford Sinfonia
Fergus Sheil conductor

Made up of professional, semi-professional and amateur musicians from Ireland's southeast, Wexford Sinfonia makes a valuable contribution to the musical life of the region and presents regular concerts under its conductor Fergus Sheil. This will be Finghin's third performance in Waterford in as many months; he is certainly becoming a very regular performer in the southeast!

February 10th 2008 3.00pm

Mahler Piano Quartet
Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor K .478
Schubert Trout Quintet

Finghin Collins and Friends
Isabelle van Keulen violin
Diemut Poppen viola
Marc Coppey cello
David Daly double bass

This is Finghin's third visit to the Music Society at Vinehall School in Sussex and this time he was delighted to be invited to choose some friends for an afternoon of chamber music. He has lined up a stellar cast from around Europe for a gorgeous programme of classics, including Mahler's rarely performed early piano quartet. Further information about the concerts at Vinehall at www.vinehall.info.

February 15th 2008 7.45 pm
Waterfront Hall, Belfast

February 21st 2008 8.00pm
National Concert Hall, Dublin

Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major

with the Ulster Orchestra
Kenneth Montgomery conductor

In recent years the Ulster Orchestra has been performing more regularly in Dublin, thanks to sponsorship from Ulster Bank. In these concerts in Belfast and Dublin both Liszt piano concertos will be performed, with Hugh Tinney tackling the first concerto. It's a rare opportunity to hear both concertos back to back, with the Orchestra's acclaimed Principal Conductor, Belfast-born Kenneth Montgomery, at the helm. More information and booking here. Finghin, Kenneth and the UO have exciting plans for later in the year-check back soon to find out what they'll be up to!

March 9th 2008 8.30pm
North Leitrim Glens Centre, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim

March 10th 2008 8.00pm
Church of Ireland, Clifden,
Co. Galway

March 11th 2008 8.00pm
Church of Ireland, Castleconnell,
Co. Limerick

March 13th 2008 8.30pm
Tech Amergin, Waterville, Co. Kerry

Brahms Sonata in E minor for cello and piano op. 38
Debussy Sonata for cello and piano
Franck Sonata in A major for cello and piano
with Christian Benda cello

Last November Finghin performed with great success at a packed Sala Verdi in Milan with the Prague Sinfonia conducted by Christian Benda. Indeed, such was the success of the concert that he was immediately invited back to Milan for a concerto performance with a different orchestra in October 2009. Meanwhile, Maestro Benda is coming to Ireland in March 2008 to don his other hat as cellist and Music Network is presenting Finghin and himself in four recitals in Ireland's West.

March 15th 2008 8.00pm

Schumann Vier Nachtstücke Op. 23
Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op. 26
Schumann Bunte Blätter Op. 99

Following the release of Schumann Piano Works Volume 1 in 2006, Finghin is now preparing to record Volume 3 in the series for Claves Records later this year. This recital in the perfect acoustical surroundings of Castalia Hall will give him the chance to perform some of the works to feature on the new recordings. More information and booking from Music in Kilkenny, 05677 61497.

March 23rd 2008 8.00pm
 

March 24th 2008 8.00pm

Dohnanyi Piano Quintet No. 1 in C major
with the T'ang Quartet

Schnittke Piano Quintet
with the Callino Quartet 

This year the Callino and Friends Easter Festival, presented by West Cork Music, moves from Bantry to the impressive new facilities at the Cork School of Music. Finghin teams up with the Callino Quartet from Ireland and the T'ang Quartet from Singapore for two unusual and contrasting piano quintets, both new to his repertoire. The Festival also features string quartets, string quintets and string octets by Haydn, Mozart, Shostakovich, Schumann, Gorecki, Dvorak and Svendsen. Further information from West Cork Music. 

April 11th 2008 8.00pm

Schumann Kinderszenen Op. 15
Schumann Vier Nachtstücke Op. 23
Schumann Bunte Blätter Op. 99

Another all-Schumann programme, this time in the opulent surroundings of the five-star St. Cleran's House Hotel in east Galway. The recital is followed by a world-class themed dinner specially prepared by the hotel's charismatic Japanese chef Hisashi Kumagai. More information and booking here.

April 23rd 2008 7.30pm

Ravel Mother Goose suite (piano duet)
Schumann Vier Nachtstucke Op. 23 (Finghin)
Schumann Abegg Variations Op. 1 (Finghin)
Schumann Carnaval Op. 9 (Cédric)
Fauré Dolly Suite Op. 56 (piano duet)
with Cédric Pescia piano 

Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia is collaborating with Finghin on Claves Records' survey of Schumann's complete piano music. His Volume 2 was released shortly after Finghin's Volume 1 and was received with equal acclaim. Now he is preparing to record Volume 4 in 2009 to follow Finghin's Volume 3, scheduled for release in late 2008 / early 2009. Finghin and Cédric team up for this recital in Vevey, town of Clara Haskil and the setting for the piano competition that bears her name. The recital features solo Schumann offerings from each pianist which are framed by popular works for four hands. It is presented by Arts et Lettres Vevey.

April 29th 2008 7.00pm
Pärnu Concert Hall (Chamber Hall), Pärnu, Estonia

April 30th 2008 3.00pm
Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn, Estonia

Bach Partita No. 2 in C minor
Beethoven Sonata in C minor Op. 111
Schumann Etudes Symphoniques Op. 13

Finghin's two previous visits to Estonia have been very successful, the Postimees newspaper saying in 2004 that he "makes the piano sound like a good wine - a delicate and crisp body interspersed with aromatic zesty accents". Now Finghin returns for two solo recitals, including an afternoon performance in the beautiful Estonia Concert Hall in the capital Tallinn. The concerts are presented by Eesti Kontsert, a dynamic state-funded agency which organises between 800 and 900 concerts in this small Baltic country. More information here. 

May 2nd to 5th 2008

Brahms Waltzer Op. 39 for piano duet
with Ian Parker piano 
Beethoven "Kreutzer" Sonata for violin and piano
with Anke Dill violin 
Chopin Cello Sonata Op. 65
with Olivier Marron cello 
Philip Martin "The Rainbow Comes and Goes"
Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor Op. 34
with the Vogler Quartet 

One of the highlights of the Irish chamber music festival calendar, the Vogler Spring Festival is part of the ongoing legacy of the Berlin-based Vogler Quartet's residency in Sligo (1999-2004). The Festival takes place each May bank holiday in the intimate surroundings of St. Columba's Church in Drumcliffe, whose graveyard is the final resting place of WB Yeats. The entire area is full of Yeats resonances; Lissadell House is nearby and Ben Bulben's dramatic shape dominates the landscape. Full details here.

May 10th 2008 8.00pm
Shiloh Church, Dayton, Ohio

May 11th 2008 2.30pm
Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio

Bach Partita No. 2 in C minor
Beethoven Sonata in C minor Op. 111
Schumann Etudes Symphoniques Op. 13

Two solo recitals in Ohio; the first as part of a piano series "Soirées Musicales" in Dayton, and the second in the Jesuit Xavier University in Cincinnati.

May 19th 2008 7.30pm

Ian Wilson The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World
Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time
with Elizabeth Cooney violin
Carol McGonnell clarinet
Richard Harwood cello
Gavin Friday narrator 

A concert at the Brighton Festival to celebrate the centenary of Messiaen's birth and to present a second performance (and the UK premiere) of Ian Wilson's evocative work based on the Marquez short story. This work was commissioned in 2007 by the IIB Festival of Music in Great Irish Houses and its world premiere in Dublin last October was highly praised by The Irish Times. More information at the Brighton Festival's website.

May 23rd 2008 7.30pm
Sala de Camara, Auditorio
Nacional, Madrid

May 27th 2008 8.15pm
Sala Rodrigo, Palau de la
Musica, Valencia

Schumann Adagio and Allegro Op. 70
Shostakovich Cello Sonata Op. 40
Chopin Cello Sonata Op. 65
Piazzolla Le Grand Tango
with Han-Na Chang cello 

Young Korean cellist Han-Na Chang enjoys a very successful international career, performing all over the world with many of the most respected orchestras and conductors. These two recitals in two of Spain's finest concert halls present some of the most dramatic and diverse music written for cello and piano.

June 12th 2008 7.00pm

Ravel Piano Concerto in G major
with the Belarusian Philharmonic Orchestra
Alexander Anissimov conductor

Last year Finghin was invited by Alexander Anissimov to perform with the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra in South Korea; this year he travels to Minsk in Belarus (White Russia) to perform with Alexander's other orchestra, the Belarusian Philharmonic. This concert is the closing concert of the orchestra's 2007-8 season.

June 16th 2008 8.00pm

Bach Partita No. 2 in C minor
Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op. 26
Beethoven Sonata in C minor Op. 111
Wagner / Liszt isoldens Liebestod
Verdi / Liszt Rigoletto Paraphrase

A recital in St. Martha's Church in Nuremberg to celebrate Bloomsday. James Joyce was a keen singer and music-lover (winning a medal in the Feis Ceoil in Dublin in 1904) and makes reference in his novels to many of the composers featured in this recital.

June 17th 2008 8.00pm

Ravel Piano Concerto in G major
with the Hibernian Orchestra
John Finucane conductor

Perhaps Ireland's finest non-professional orchestra, the Hibernian Orchestra presents regular concerts in Dublin and Finghin has been their guest soloist on many occasions in the past. He joins them again tonight for a performance of Ravel's quirky and tuneful Piano Concerto, to be conducted by the charismatic John Finucane, their regular Music Director. The concert will seek to raise funds for Vita, an Irish charity helping communities in Ethiopia and Eritrea.