Music concert to go ahead despite robbery of musical instruments

A CONCERT tour featuring the music of the 16th–18th centuries is to go ahead despite the theft of a number of rare and unique musical instruments.

The Tonos Concert Tour ‘Songs of Identity and Belonging’ will take place at 8pm on Wednesday, October 21 in the Mermaid Arts Centre, Main Street, Bray.

The concert will feature soprano Ròisìn O’Grady, and performances on Renaissance and baroque guitars and a Renaissance lute by Eamon Sweeney.

The tour was in jeopardy following the theft of seven of Eamon’s instruments recently. The theft, which was widely reported in the media, included many rare historical instruments and left Eamon bereft. 

However, the concerts have been able to proceed with borrowed lutes and guitars.  

Eamon is well-known throughout Wicklow from his work with Music Generation, Seamus Heaney, Alchemy Music Series, Bray Music Centre, and the Kildare-Wicklow Education Training Board.

Róisín is one of Ireland’s most respected sopranos and works regularly with the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Chamber Choir, and Irish Baroque Orchestra.

She has also sung for President Barack Obama in the Whitehouse.

This Tonos concert taking place in the wonderful setting of the Mermaid Arts Centre focuses on themes of identity as expressed in songs from across the centuries and includes the oldest known song from 2000 years ago.

There will be music, song and poetry and the evening will include works by Turlough O’Carolan, Ruairi Dáll Ó Catháin, John Dowland, Gaspar Sanz, William Shakespeare and from the Irish traditional canon.

It is part of an eight-date Arts Council-funded national tour which coincides with the launch of the debut CD ‘Songs of Identity and Belonging’.

Tickets are on 01-2724030. See www.mermaidartscentre.ie for more.