Spike, Dublin’s adventurous, intimate, alternative cello festival is back for three days 9th -11th February, bringing audiences and world-class musicians from home and abroad together for a weekend that consistently charms, delights, surprises and inspires both new audiences and experienced musicians of all tastes. For the sixth Spike Cello Fest the directors, cellists Mary Barnecutt & Lioba Petrie, have cooked up a divine mixture of jazz, pop, contemporary, folk and blues, with a particular celebration of female performers of the cello world.

An amazing double-bill of female cello artists will open the festival at Dublin’s Sugar Club, with performances from the Naomi Berrill Trio, and Gay-Yee Westerhoff and Eos Counsell from global sensation Bond making their debut appearance as FIRL. With Gay-Yee on cello & keyboards and Eos on violin & electronics, FIRL’s debut performance will feature original music, with a collection of cinematic, nature-inspired compositions for cello, violin, piano, and birdsong. The Naomi Berrill Trio, with Naomi Berrill (composer, cello, vocals and MD), Lorenzo Pellegrini (guitar synth and vocals) and Andrea Beninati (drums and cello) will present their recently released album “Inish” a jazz-based rumination on extremes that are part of island life and the strength and courage of island-dwellers.

Saturday daytime offers a programme of events of all ages. Spike continues its partnership with The Ark cultural centre for children, with presentations of “Sea Warrior – Maiden Voyage”, an exciting new, multilingual musical theatre piece by Naomi Berrill. . Sea Warrior – Maiden Voyage tells the tale of the fearless Grace O’Malley, (Gráinne Ní Mháille) one of the first Irish female Sea Warriors, with stories interwoven with live performances of music from Naomi Berrill’s album ‘Inish’.

Also on the Saturday, Spike’s “Cellinstallations,” a series of pop-up cello concerts from leading alternative cellists, will be taking place. Events will be happening from 11am-4pm in unusual spaces across the city including The Hugh Lane Gallery, Stoneybatter’s Unit 44, and The Ark.

“Who Let Her Sit Like That?” is the provocative title for a session of cello-chat about music, women and cello, followed by a special performance by Natalie Haas, one of the most sought after cellists in traditional music today. This event will take place with a wine reception on Saturday evening in the convivial environment of The Fumbally café, with other participating artists including American cellist and academic Katie Tertell.

On Sunday 11th in a continuation of the festival’s partnership with The Hugh Lane Gallery “Sundays at Noon” concert series, dynamic quartet Cellophonics, whose performances brim with warmth and sparkle with virtuosity, bringing to life the contrasting characteristics of the cello. Cellophonics will be performing a varied programme of old and new music, including a cello quartet by Irish cellist and composer Ailbhe McDonagh.

Spike Cello Fest will close with a soothing “Yocella” session, the cello and yin yoga event with Kitty Maguire that has become an integral part of the festival’s programme. For the first time a group of Spike cellists will create the soundscape for this blissful event, devised with drones, improvisations and specially arranged alternative classics.

Spike Alternative Cello Festival has been made possible thanks to The Arts Council of Ireland, with the young people’s events running in partnership with The Ark.