Tom Humprhies at The National Concert Hall

Read Tom Humphries article on his experience at The National Concert Hall in The Irish Times.

England's First Family of Folk at The National Concert Hall

Having collected three Mercury Music Prize nominations and two MBE's, the Waterson Family are one of Britain's most successful and influential folk bands. Bringing the 2009 ESB Beo Celtic Music Festival to a close on Sunday 29 August, these ambassadors of British Folk music will take over the Main Auditorium in what will be a memorable evening of folk music- past, present and future.

Eliza Carthy is winner of 2 Mercury Prize nominations over a 15 year career during which she has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists from Paul Weller to The Wainwrights, Nick Cave and Joan Baez. Martin Carthy’s (MBE) settings of traditional songs with guitar have influenced a generation of artists, including Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Billy Bragg and many more. Norma has also been awarded the MBE and was the first folk artist to be nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. The extended Waterson Family concert is a memorable evening with folk music’s most emotive singers and last celebrated a unique concert performance in the Royal Albert Hall in 2007.

Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy were also part of Hal Wilmer’s Rogue’s Gallery, Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys which was on tour last year and joined artists such as Tim Robbins, Suzanne Vega, Beth Orton, Shane McGowan, Neil Hannon, Pete Doherty, Martha Wainwright, Julie Fowlis, Gavin Friday, Teddy Thompson and many more featuring songs from the two disc compilation Pirates of the Caribbean starring Johnny Depp.

Join us for their National Concert Hall debut as part of ESB Beo Celtic Music Festival. Tickets from €20. Main Auditorium, 8pm.

Neil Cowley Trio-Free Digital Download

The magnificent Neil Cowley Trio play The John Field Room, on 14th July, 8pm and exclusive to ticket holders who apply before 10th July, a digital download of their new ‘Revolution’ EP is available absolutely free of charge!
This digital only EP features their version of the Beatles track 'Revolution no.9' recorded for Mojo magazines recent 'White Album Recovered'. Also included on the EP are 3 original and previously unreleased tracks.
On purchasing a ticket from the National Concert Hall box office, you will be given a ticket order number. This can then be used to collect your free ep by emailing this ticket number to office@note.ie This is an exclusive offer for their only Dublin date.
See you there!
Tickets: €20 Euro

Andy Irvine, Hazel O'Connor and Freddie White in Headline Summer Series

Kicking off a series of three one-off gigs in the intimate setting of The John Field Room, founding member of the groundbreaking Planxty, Andy Irvine will perform a one off solo show tomorrow, July 8th at 8pm. Expect Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dance tunes, and a compelling canon of his own material . Tickets: €22.50 (Concessions: €20) Click HERE for more details.

On Thursday, 16th July, 8pm. Hazel O'Connor, accompanied by Cormac & Ruairí De Barra returns to her Celtic, soul folk roots in a captivating and intimate performance. Although her Debut album "Breaking Glass" catapulted her to fame in 1980, Hazel's work has spanned traditional, Rock, Pop, Blues and Soul. Not to be missed! Tickets: €20 (Concessions: €18) Click HERE for information.

Freddie White brings the series to a close on Wednesday 22nd July, 8pm. Expect to hear many of his stunning interpretations and originals in an evening of high quality renditions from a legendary career spanning four decades. Whether interpreting songs by his favourite writers, such as Randy Newman, Tom Waits, John Hiatt and Guy Clark, or performing his own compositions, Freddie’s live performances are nothing short of legendary. Tickets: €20 (Concessions: €18) Click HERE for concert details.

Whats on in July & August?

Click the below image to launch the full July & August digital calendar in a new window.

Zakir Hussain Percussion Masterclass: World-renowned tabla virtuoso

Zakir Hussain is one of the greatest tabla players ever, appreciated beyond the field of percussion as a phenomenon in the world of music at large. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in his own country, India, but an international star.

He is holding a percussion masterclass on Thursday 18th June @ 3.30pm at The National Concert Hall and its only €5 ! Come and learn about Zakir’s technique and tradition as he mentors Ireland-based percussionists in this intimate, once-in-a-lifetime event. To book tickets - go here.

Watch a clip of Zakir performing below.

BORIS BEREZOVSKY AT THE NATIONAL CONCERT HALL – 23/05/2009

Reviewed by Pat O’Kelly, Irish Independent

While not exactly keeping the best wine until last, the visit of Russian pianist Boris Berezovsky for the final recital in the National Concert Hall’s own 2008/09 celebrity series certainly means tasting the ‘crème de la crème’.

Here is an artist not only possessing incredible technique, which seems to have come naturally to him, but also enjoying unusual musical insight.

His choice of composers – Rakhmaninov, Chopin, Godowsky and Liszt – recalls legendary figures who were themselves phenomenal pianists and Berezovsky follows the path of these Herculean characters to stand in the upper echelons of today’s virtuosi.

He begins with Rakhmaninov’s First Sonata, itself something of a rarity due to its prodigious difficulty. Berezovsky ensures its melodic line is unerringly clear no matter how dense the surrounding textures.

The calmer central Lento has a constantly swaying undercurrent beneath its elongated lyrical phrases. The piece meanders quixotically but Berezovsky gives it a meaningful sense of purpose.

He makes the massive chordal sequences of the fiendish Finale resound like the bells of the Kremlin. The music is wildly self-indulgent, and even undisciplined, but Berezovsky’s interpretation raises it to Himalayan peaks.

Chopin’s First Scherzo is a shade too fast but a selection of his Studies in their original form and in Leopold Godowsky’s spectacular transformations are simply fantastic. The famous ‘Revolutionary’ Etude in Godowsky’s ‘left hand alone’ version loses some of its éclat but is still dazzling.

Five of Liszt’s Transcendental Studies come in awesome proportions with Berezovsky providing incredible variety through delicate pastel shading and outrageously flamboyant colour.

A musician of enormous stature, Boris Berezovsky is in class of his own.