NEWS
A BUSY SCHEDULE: SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2005/06 SEASON
1st August 2005
Finghin looks forward to a stimulating and diverse concert season in 2005/06. Highlights of the season include his début with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin at London's Cadogan Hall in April 2006. He will also make his solo début at the Lincoln Center in New York in February 2006, performing a recital in the Walter Reade Theater as part of the Great Performers series, presented by the Lincoln Center.
Many important anniversaries take place in 2006. Mozart celebrates 250 years since his birth; Shostakovich celebrates his centenary. It will also be 150 years since Schumann's death. All of these significant events will be marked in Finghin's schedule. He will perform Mozart concertos with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra (K. 453 in G major), the Ulster Orchestra (K. 595 in B flat major) and the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany (K. 413 in F major), as well as with the Con Tempo Quartet and colleagues at a special Mozart weekend presented by Music for Galway (K. 414 in A major and K. 415 in C major). Finghin has also been invited to make a substantial contribution to the Manchester International Piano Festival in March 2006, where all of Mozart's piano concertos will be performed by a variety of pianists.
The Shostakovich centenary will be celebrated by a performance of the composer's Second Piano Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as mentioned above. Schumann's anniversary will be marked by the release of a double CD set of some of the composer's most beautiful solo piano music, recorded in Lausanne by Claves Records in August 2005. These will be the first two of twelve CDs which Claves intends to release over the next few years as a complete edition of Schumann's solo piano music with six different pianists.
Other engagements include a performance of Bartók's Third Piano Concerto with the Hagen Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany, Beethoven's Choral Fantasy with the Cracow Philharmonic / David Agler at the closing concert of Wexford Festival Opera, a Mozart recital for the BBC in Cardiff as well as recitals in Prague, Germany, France and throughout Ireland.
As Finghin continues his position as Musician in Residence in South Dublin County Council for the calendar year 2005, he will shortly announce details of a series of free concerts at Rathfarnham Castle, taking place on Saturday afternoons in October and November. These recitals will feature the best of talent from South Dublin County and beyond, including Carol McGonnell (clarinet), Gwendolyn Masin (violin), Malcolm Proud (harpsichord), Dearbhla Brosnan (piano) and Buddug Verona James (mezzo-soprano).
Finghin is also delighted to announce that he has been appointed Artist in Residence at the School of Humanities in Waterford Institute of Technology for the academic year 2005 / 06. This will involve visits to the college at three-weekly intervals to give masterclasses to third-level piano and chamber music students.
So all in all, a busy year ahead! Check back regularly for more details.
