Music of the Cloisters
Cork’s beloved chamber choir Madrigal ‘75 come together with the Cork Baroque Players to bring a programme of music inspired by the Baroque cloisters, in the ideal setting of Nano Nagle Place. A concert that will transport you to the seventeenth century where a contingent of talented nun-composers followed their musical dreams inside cloistered walls, eschewing respectable marriage and outside life to create musical wonders, and fighting for their rights to do so.
Madrigal ‘75 and Cork Baroque Players will treat you to works from Isabella Leonarda, Claudia Francesca Rusca, and other gems of the period, with rarely-heard and beautiful settings of classic sacred and secular music.
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Madrigal ‘75
Madrigal ’75 is a vocal ensemble based in Cork City and its repertoire ranges from early music to modern, both sacred and secular. Founded in 1975 by University students, the choir now comprises of a diverse combination of singers from Cork and further afield. Madrigal ’75 has developed a reputation as a vocal ensemble of great skill and beauty, performing repertoire from as early as the 14th century right through to contemporary choral works including first performances of new commissions.
The group has performed at services at St. Paul’s Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral, London. In 2005 Madrigal ’75 was a prominent participant in the Cork European Capital of Culture events and toured France as cultural ambassadors for the city. Madrigal ’75 is also the winner of the Carols for Christmas 2006 competition on Lyric FM, Ireland’s national arts and culture radio station. Other successes include Best Choir at the Montreux Festival, several Best Performancesand First Prize awards at successive Cork International Choral Festivals, and the Irish Choir of the Year award. Since 2007, Madrigal '75 has been directed by James Taylor, organist and harpsichordist, who, having held posts in the UK, New Zealand and Canada, now lectures at CIT Cork School of Music. Until 2017, James was also Assistant Director of Music at St. Finbarre's Cathedral Cork. James has performed concerts across Canada and the United States, in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and New Zealand, and he has participated in numerous television and radio broadcasts as a soloist and accompanist.
Cork Baroque Orchestra
The Cork Baroque Orchestra was set up as ‘resident band’ for East Cork Early Music Festival. Conceived as a response to the growing interest in historically inspired music performance, CBO provides a precious opportunity for Irish and Irish-based musicians to work with the world’s leading early music specialists, as part of a high- level, professional orchestra, with an array of guest directors. CBO made its debut in 2013 with Finnish harpsichordist and conductor Aapo Häkkinen. In 2014, one of the world’s foremost Baroque violinists, Elizabeth Wallfisch, led a programme of Vivaldi, Schmelzer, Telemann and a new work by the Clonakilty-based Justin Grounds. According to the Irish Examiner the result was “...memorable for (its) energy, sense of phrasing, dynamic contrasts, and brilliance”. CBO’s debut at Cork International Choral Festival in May 2015 with Madrigal 75 was again hailed by the Examiner as “... a magnificent performance... Throughout, the orchestral playing was crisp and supportive.”