Drogheda Classical Music has today announced details of its 2023/24 season and also welcomes a new Artistic Administrator.
Now in its twelfth season, the series will have eight concerts from September through to April offering a mix of solo, chamber and larger ensembles all live in St Peter’s Church of Ireland, Drogheda. Celebrating the best of Irish and international artists the season offers something for all.
In addition to a new season of music and musicians, Dr Gavan Ring has been appointed to replace Pauline Ashwood as Administrator of the 2023/24 series. Pauline, who has guided the series to great success since its inception in 2012, left at the end of the last season to take up a job with Irish National Opera.
In addition to being one of Ireland’s leading opera singers, Gavan is a dynamic arts producer, activist and academic. He has worked with organisations and institutions such as Irish National Opera, Cork Opera House, RTÉ Lyric FM, Chapman University Los Angeles, Kerry County Arts and the Cahersiveen Festival of Music and the Arts.
Along the way Gavan has curated and delivering acclaimed classical music events both at home and abroad such as the momentous resurrection of Robert O’Dwyer’s forgotten Irish language opera Eithne in 2017 and the commissioning of Stephen McNeff’s 2022 work Ballads of a Bogman – the first major Irish art song cycle to be composed in decades.
Having studied at the Schola Cantorum at St Finian’s College Mullingar, Gavan read education and music at Dublin City University before pursuing postgraduate studies to doctoral level at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Although a Kerryman at heart, Gavan now lives in Co Louth with his wife and family.
Gavan told Drogheda Life that he was thrilled to be taking up this role with Drogheda Classical Music. Obviously at which he had the consummate pleasure of performing on numerous occasions since its inception in 2012.
“I have also made no secret of the incredible regard I have for Drogheda Classical Music as a cultural powerhouse; for the superlative bar of excellence Pauline Ashwood and her team have set with regard to the regionalisation of classical music in Ireland and concurrently how the festival has greatly enriched the social and cultural fibre of the north east of the country.
“I am honoured and humbled to be joining the Drogheda Classical Music team and becoming a part of the next chapter in the story of this festival’s already incredible legacy.”
The opening concert of this year’s series will set the bar very high for the coming season when five of today’s most exciting young artists come together for a programme full of romance and beauty.
On Sun 24 Sept at 7:30pm, pianist Lise de la Salle is joined by Hermés Quartet to perform works by Clara Schumann, her husband Robert Schumann plus a quartet and piano quintet by lesser-known but prolific French composer, Alexis de Castillon.
For purchase tickets and for more information on this and the other concerts in the series call 041 9833946 or www.droichead.com with further information available from www.droghedaclassicalmusic.com
