CLASSICAL: ICONic orchestra opens at Christchurch

FOLLOWING a very successful residency at the Kilkenny Arts Festival, the Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) presents ICONS, its first offering of the Autumn season, under the baton of  internationally  renowned conductor Gábor Tákacs Nagy. 

Icons such as Tchaikovsky and Schubert, rock gods of their era, rub shoulders with twentieth century stars, Jimmy Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, in a season opener that oozes ICO diversity at its best.  

Gifted Hungarian cellist Istvan Vardai has wowed ICO audiences since 2013 and his sparkling virtuosity proves irresistible no matter what he plays.

He adds colour and dimension to this imaginative programme. Gábor Tákacs Nagy has been Principal Artistic Partner of the ICO for the past five years.

His strong bond spans more than a decade and Gábor has nothing but praise for the orchestra.

“They are all at such a high level that we don’t know who is inspiring whom,” he said. “Their ideas and energies help them to push each other to higher and higher artistic and spiritual levels.”

Ian Wilson revisits his millennium string quartet Veer, arranging it for full string orchestra as the ICO performs its world premiere.   The ever-popular Souvenir de Florence is passionate, songful, flirtatious and beguiling.

Meanwhile, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata provides more than ample opportunity for soloist István Várdai to display his sparkling virtuosity and lyricism in this arrangement for cello.

The ICO and Várdai perform variations on two popular ‘hits’ from the 1960s that are arranged by the Swiss jazz-classical artist Daniel Schnyder.

‘Purple Haze’ is renowned as one of the archetypical psychedelic drug songs of the ’60s while  ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ is a classic Rolling Stones number. 

South African jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim, renowned for his colourful, narrative style, evokes vast African landscapes in his African Symphony.  Schnyder’s arrangement of Blanton provides a hugely atmospheric contrast between the bustle, rhythm and blues provided by the ‘Stones and Hendrix.    

The ICO re-locates to Christchurch Cathedral for its upcoming season with its first performance there on Wednesday, September 14.