Cello, is it me you’re looking for?
It has been quite the year for globetrotting Cork cellist Sinéad O’Halloran but for her, nothing beats returning home to Leeside.
This month, Sinéad is back in the Rebel County for the Ortús Chamber Music Festival which she co-founded in 2016 with violinist Mairéad Hickey.
The festival, which runs from 26 February to 5 March, brings together top Irish and international musicians to perform around Cork city and county, highlighting the musical ability and innovation of young Irish musicians and composers while bridging connections with musicians around the world.
The festival also includes educational and outreach projects in schools and public spaces across the community.
Taking the lead curating this year’s festival, Sinéad has had a hectic few months touring the world with the Marmen Quartet which is fast establishing itself as one of the most impressive and engaging talents in the chamber music arena. Of course, she’s also busy getting the final preparations ready for Ortús, while also learning a new concerto on the side!
“I am so excited to be premiering Shaun Davey's new cello concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra on St Patrick's Day,’ says Sinéad who has just finished her master’s studies in Germany.
“I did half of it in Düsseldorf and half of it on Erasmus at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where I was awarded the RNCM Gold Medal. A lot of the studies took place online due the various travel restrictions, so I am delighted to have finally graduated!”
Aside from performing and rehearsing, Sinéad has also discovered a love of teaching: “We have taught a lot over the past few months, both through the Peak Fellowship Quartet in Residence programme at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as well as our own quartet course for young musicians in Malmö, Sweden.
“We are also on the chamber music faculty of the Royal College of Music in London, where we greatly enjoy working with the students! I look forward to teaching some young Cork musicians during Ortús and also being involved in ConCorda Chamber Music Course this summer.”
Venues for this year’s Ortús Chamber Music Festival include St Brendan’s Church in Bantry and Blackrock Castle in Cork city.
Performances will also be taking place in UCC’s Aula Maxima, Sea Church in Ballycotton, My Place Midleton, St Peter’s in Cork city, and MTU Curtis Auditorium.
The full programme of events is available online at ortusfestival.ie. Ortús is also on Facebook and Twitter @ortusfestival.