
THE Irish Chamber Orchestra concludes its three-city Water Music tour at University Concert Hall on Saturday September 20 under the dynamic baton of conductor Richard Egarr.
The programme pairs contemporary environmental consciousness with baroque celebration, featuring Deirdre McKay’s haunting Meltwater alongside Handel’s jubilant Water Music.
Enjoy Deirdre McKay’s Meltwater as it evokes the icy beauty of a world in flux. Delicate and deeply powerful, it’s inspired by melting ice, capturing the fragile, shifting nature of our changing planet in sound. As the planet warms, Meltwater becomes more than music, it’s the soundtrack to our changing world.
McKay says “The desolate beauty of our planet’s most extreme and inhospitable landscapes, like winter freeze, took captivity of this piece. In turn, it answers to the invocation of the ice world, as pared and fragile as its pulsing meltwater edge: diaphanous shards, floating, in its cathedral spaces.”

- External Walls: Up to €8,000 Grant
- Attic: Up to €1,500 Grant
- Cavity Walls: Up to €1,700 Grant
- Internal Dry Lining: Up to €4,500 Grant
Meltwater is gentle, fleeting but unforgettable.
Dive into the festive world of Handel’s Water Music as Richard Egarr unleashes this classic.
Enjoy how he brings out the personality and sparkle of each movement from noble fanfares to lively dances. A superb communicator, Richard’s energy and connection create an unforgettable ICO performance, full of joy.
The Limerick performance follows concerts at Dublin’s Whyte Recital Hall on Thursday 18 September and the Clifden Arts Festival on Friday 19, completing ICO’s exploration of water-themed classical music.
With McKay’s contemporary environmental meditation providing thoughtful contrast to Handel’s festive baroque masterpiece, the concert promises an evening that will “stir the soul and awaken the senses” at University Concert Hall.

