THE Irish Chamber Orchestra was presented with the German Irish Chamber Kuratorium Award in recognition of its work, activities and support of the German Irish Chamber in recent years years.
The event took place at the Ambassador Hatthias Hopfner’s residence in Dublin before the weekend.
“On behalf of the ICO we are delighted to accept this award,” stated the delighted orchestra CE, Gerry Keenan. “We are very proud of our association with the German Irish Chamber, the German Embassy and our ongoing presence in Germany.
“Since our first concert in Berlin in 2007 we have forged a strong relationship with principal guest Conductor Jörg Widmann, performing numerous concerts there. Widmann has injected unprecedented energy into our programme which has seen the orchestra appear at De Singel Antwerp (2011), the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Rheingau Festival in (2013)”.
Keenan looks back on a full agenda, and the demanding schedule continues. He and the ICO returned from a multi-city American tour in November; they will be led by Jorg Widmann at University Concert Hall this Wednesday 2. Then the String section of the orchestra accompanies soprano Ailish Tyan in our St Mary’s Cathedral on December 17 and again in her native Mullingar on December 18.
“Last year we performed at the Storioni Festival Eindhoven, the Heidelberg Frühling Festival, the Mozartfest Würzburg, in addition to concerts in and Wiesbaden, Germany with Ailish Tynan.
“2016 marks a significant year for the orchestra as we commences our first international (3-year) residency in Heidelberg – resulting in several concerts at the distinguished Heidelberger Frühling Festival with Igor Levit. In addition, the ICO will perform in the Philharmonie, Cologne as well as returning to the Mozartfest Wῡrzburg with acclaimed violist Tabea Zimmermann”.
He feels The Kuratorium Award is “a great acknowledgement of ongoing our efforts’.
