The Music Network autumn touring programme begins next week with a series of concerts by singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, harper Úna Monaghan and cellist Kevin Murphy. The touring programme continues in October and November with concerts by violinist Mairéad Hickey and French harpist Anaïs Gaudemard; composer and pianist Kit Downes; and Russian violin and piano duo Alena Baeva and Katia Skanavi. 

Ó Lionáird, Monaghan and Murphy’s sixteen-date tour will see the trio perform together for the first time. The tour will run from 1 to 19 September, visiting venues in Roscommon, Drogheda, Limerick, Castlebar, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin, Belfast, London and more. The trio have also been commissioned by Music Network to compose a new work that they will perform during the concerts. 

Commenting on the first tour of the season, Music Network’s CEO Sharon Rollston said: 

We’re incredibly excited to be presenting this adventurous new trio of brilliant musicians for the first time in our National Touring Programme this autumn.  Their collaboration is shaping up to be very special indeed, and promises a sublime listening experience for concert-goers this September.

From 7 to 16 October, Mairéad Hickey and Anaïs Gaudemard will perform nine concerts across Ireland including Cork, Stradbally, Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny and Clifden. The duo will perform a new work commissioned by Music Network along with a programme of works by Bach, Saint-Saëns, Massenet, Viardot and Spohr. 

In October, Kit Downes will play at venues in Letterkenny, Newbridge, Dublin, Laois, Cork and more from 19 to 26 October, performing his 2019 album Dreamlife Of Debris. The tour will feature Downes accompanied by drummer Sebastian Rochford, saxophonist Tom Challenger and Lucy Railton on cello. 

The final tour of the autumn season will be a seven-date series of concerts by violinist Alena Baeva and pianist Katia Skanavi from 17 to 24 November. The pair will perform a programme of works by Beethoven, Stravinsky, and a Music Network commission by Finola Merivale titled Release.

Further information on the programme and tickets can be found on the Music Network website: https://bit.ly/3sG3g6J