New beginnings for John Fitzpatrick
A stalwart of one of Cork's most loved festivals is stepping aside but he isn't moving too far away.
John Fitzpatrick, Festival and Artistic Director of the Cork International Choral Festival, announced his decision this week to step aside from his full-time, day to day commitment with the festival and its organisation and artistic planning.
He made the announcement at the meeting of the festival’s Board of Directors, held after this year’s 65th festival.
However, John will still be working with the festival. He assured members of the board that he would start to finalise the artistic programme for 2020 to ensure an easy hand-over to whoever would take over after him.
Also, as a mark of respect and acknowledgment of his singular service, John was invited to undertake a new role and to become president of the festival. He accepted the board’s invitation and said he “would be honoured to fill such a role”.
He will remain as an active member of the festival’s board, as one of its company directors, and as a behind the scenes adviser when required.
John said it had been “a particular honour to serve this special festival. The festival we now know is a vastly enriched festival to that which I inherited in 1993 but now is the appropriate time for me to move aside following a very successful 65th festival, confident in the knowledge that we now have a management team in place that will ensure the traditions of the festival, and its standards, are maintained going forward.”
He will continue to represent the festival on the international stage as a board member of the Choral Festival Network, an advisor for the Singing Network, an advocate for the benefits of choral music and as a strong promoter of the Cork International Choral Festival at home and abroad.
John’s involvement with the festival commenced in 1969 as a singer, continued as a conductor of various choirs over a long period, as an invited member of the festival’s Artistic Board from 1976, and from 1993 when he became its Festival Director at the invitation of then chairman, Alderman Jim Corr.
After 26 years at the helm in a voluntary capacity, John now moves aside with the distinction of being the festival’s longest serving director.