Message from the Artistic Director David Leigh
It is with great pleasure that we launch the programme for the Pipeworks Festival 2022; all the more so, given the privations of the last two years. We are thrilled to be opening the festival with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a programme with organ soloist Peter Barley playing the magnificent Willis organ in St Patrick’s Cathedral. This concert also marks a significant musical anniversary, that of the 150th year since the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the programme includes the rarely performed cantata Willow Wood with leading young Irish baritone Eoghan Desmond. Finally Eoghan and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will be joined by the Festival Chorus in the performance of the Five Mystical Songs. This community-based group is brought together especially for the Festival, and is drawn from choirs all over Dublin.
The mediaeval surroundings of Christ Church Cathedral offer a perfect setting for the concert given by Stile Antico on Thursday 16 June. This group has a reputation for vocal excellence combined with innovative programming, and this performance promises to be a memorable event. The concert charts a musical course from twilight to sunrise, and features Allegri’s famous Miserere and Gentle Sleep by Nico Muhly, which was written especially for the group. We are also delighted to be collaborating with Sandford Summer Recitals in a concert given by Martina Smyth, formally organ scholar of St Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals, and a Dublin native. She is a graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and of the Royal College of Music in London. She will perform a varied programme on the recently restored organ in Sandford Parish Church.
We are thrilled to welcome Ben van Oosten to give a celebrity recital in the Pro Cathedral on the evening of Friday 17 June. Hailed as one of the leading organists of our time, he will play a programme honouring the contribution made to the organ repertoire by César Franck, the 200th anniversary of whose birth falls this year.
On Saturday 18 June we look forward to two events in St Bartholomew’s Church, which houses a fine three manual instrument. At 6 pm we welcome Amanda Mole, a multiple international prizewinning young American recitalist, to play a concert. Amanda’s varied programme will pay homage to de Grigny, a further composer anniversary significant to the organ repertoire. Then at 9 pm, we look forward to an improvised accompaniment to the silent film “Phantom of the Opera”, to be played by David Baskeyfield. A former organ scholar of Dublin’s two Anglican cathedrals, David enjoys an international reputation as a recitalist and improviser. In addition to this, David plays the closing concert in the festival, for which, once again, we are delighted to co-present with the organ recitals series in St Michael’s Church, Dun Laoghaire.
Education and encouragement of young organists lies at the heart of our activities. We are delighted to present once again the Students’ Platform Concert, where outstanding young organists have a chance to perform in the Festival. We are also pleased to offer masterclasses with Ben van Oosten and Amanda Mole.
It is my earnest hope that all will find much to enjoy in this, the first corporeal festival since that of 2019, and I hope that we may see many of you in person!
Pipeworks 2022 Festival Programme
WEDNESDAY 15 JUNE 2022
RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Dulciana Vocal Ensemble, Pipeworks Festival Chorus, Peter Barley (Organ)
8PM SAINT PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL
Albinoni/Giazotto Adagio in G minor
Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani G minor
Vaughan Williams Overture “The Wasps”, Cantata “Willow Wood”, Five Mystical Songs
RTÉ Concert Orchestra (leader Mia Cooper) | David Leigh (Conductor) | Peter Barley (Organ)
Eoghan Desmond (Bass) | Dulciana Vocal Ensemble | Pipeworks Festival Chorus
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Pipeworks is delighted once again to welcome the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a varied programme featuring the well-loved Adagio in G minor for organ and strings, and Francis Poulenc’s enduringly popular organ concerto with soloist Peter Barley. The second half of this concert celebrates the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, the 150th anniversary of whose birth falls this year, and includes the rarely performed cantata Willow Wood. The RTÉ Concert orchestra and Pipeworks Festival Chorus are joined by the Dulciana Vocal Ensemble, directed by Judith Lyons and baritone Eoghan Desmond under the baton of Pipeworks’ Artistic Director David Leigh.
TICKETS: €25/€20
THURSDAY 16 JUNE 2022
Stile Antico
8PM CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
Pipeworks is thrilled to welcome this renowned group to perform in the beautiful surroundings of Christ Church Cathedral. This concert will be eagerly anticipated by all aficionados of choral music. The group’s immaculate blend, peerless musicianship and innovative programming have made it one of the leading ensembles of its type in the world. Their programme “Towards the Dawn” charts a course from twilight to sunrise, echoing both the rhythms of liturgy and the mediaeval experience of night, seductive and uplifting in equal measure. Featuring music by Tallis, Byrd, Sheppard, Allegri’s famous miserere and a piece by Nico Muhly, Gentle sleep, which was specifically written for the group.
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TICKETS: €25/€20
Masterclass with Ben van Oosten
3PM ST PHILIP'S CHURCH, MILLTOWN
Students have the opportunity to play to internationally renowned concert organist and teacher Ben van Oosten on the acclaimed new Trevor Crowe instrument in St Philip’s church, Millltown. Ben’s masterclass will focus on the music of César Franck, of which he is a renowned interpreter. Participation is limited: please apply to directorpipeworks@gmail.com by Sunday 5 June. Free admission
FRIDAY 17 JUNE 2022
Martina Smyth
1:10PM SANDFORD PARISH CHURCH, RANELAGH in partnership with Sandford Summer Recitals
We are delighted to welcome back Martina Smyth, a Dublin native, former organ scholar of Saint Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedral and a prize-winning graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and of the Royal College of Music, London. Her varied programme showcases the organ of Sandford Parish Church, Ranelagh, recently restored by Trevor Crowe.
Co-presented by Sandford Summer Recitals, donations welcome.
Ben van Oosten
8PM ST MARY'S PRO CATHEDRAL
Since 1970 his numerous highly successful concert tours have taken Ben van Oosten to the foremost international organ venues, where he has emerged as one of the most remarkable organ virtuosos of our time. In addition to his concert career he gives organ masterclasses in many countries. He was Professor of Organ at Rotterdam Conservatory from 1994 until his retirement in 2021. He is an especially noted interpreter of French Symphonic repertoire, and in this 200th anniversary of César Franck’s birth, Ben’s programme in St Mary’s Pro Cathedral focuses on Franck’s music and that of his pupils.
TICKETS: €15/12
SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2022
Amanda Mole
6PM ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH, BALLSBRIDGE
Amanda Mole demonstrates the versatile organ of St Bartholomew’s Church, Ballsbridge, in a programme spanning the centuries from Nicolas de Grigny (whose birth occurred 350 years ago this year) to the American minimalist Calvin Hampton.
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TICKETS: €15/12
David Baskeyfield
9PM ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH, BALLSBRIDGE
Silent film improvisation “Phantom of the Opera”
A former organ scholar of Saint Patrick’s and Christ Church cathedrals, David is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester and a multiple prize-winner in many international competitions, including First Prize in the prestigious St Albans interpretation competition in 2011. His concerts and recordings have elicited rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. David has a long standing interest in improvisation, and in this concert will spontaneously create an accompaniment to the seminal silent move.
TICKETS: €15/12
Masterclass with Amanda Mole
3PM ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH, BALLSBRIDGE
Hailed as one of America’s rising stars, Amanda Mole is one of the leading concert organists of her generation and a multiple first prize-winner in international competitions. She is also renowned as an inspiring and encouraging teacher.
Participation is limited: please apply to directorpipeworks@gmail.com by Sunday 5 June. Free admission
SUNDAY 19 JUNE 2022
Young Organists Platform
2PM DUBLIN UNITARIAN CHURCH
This concert showcases some of Ireland’s most talented young organists currently studying at The Royal Irish Academy of Music and TU Conservatory of Music and Drama, on the recently rebuilt instrument in Dublin’s Unitarian Church in a varied programme.
TICKETS: €15/€12
David Baskeyfield
8PM ST MICHAEL'S CHURCH, DUN LAOGHAIRE in partnership with Dun Laoghaire Organ Concerts
In his second concert of the Festival, David presents a programme focusing on the German organ tradition the venerable Reiger instrument in St Michael’s, featuring music by Buxtehude, Bach and Mozart and concluding with Schmidt’s virtuosic Toccata in C. ​
TICKETS: €15/10