Irish Chamber Orchestra

Gábor Takács-Nagy Principal Artistic Partner/Conductor
Alex Petcu Marimba

Elgar Serenade for Strings
Sam Perkin 365 Variations on a Gesture for Solo Marimba and String Orchestra (World Premiere)
Brahms String Sextet No 1 in B flat major, Op 18

From the first strains of Elgar’s Serenade you are immediately struck by how the music seems to snap into sharper focus, thanks to the razor sharp tuning and consistency of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Elgar singled out his Serenade as his favourite work, written as an anniversary gift for his wife. The ICO has commissioned a new work for Marimba and String Orchestra, funded by the Arts Council and composed by Sam Perkin. The appeal to Brahms of a string sextet was based on the possibilities presented by the deep sonority of its two cellos and two violas playing off the soprano brilliance of two violins. Inspired by a Viennese holiday, Brahms revels in the gutsy strength and soulful expressiveness of the lower instruments.