Ad Astra Chamber Orchestra
About
The Ad Astra Chamber Orchestra is the most recent addition to the School’s range of performance ensembles. It was established as a taught module in 2019–20 following a number of chamber orchestra initiatives involving Ad Astra Music Scholars and members of the UCD Symphony Orchestra, in part to create a solo platform for some of our most talented musicians. It is directed by the eminent violinist and concertmaster Thérèse Timoney.
The chamber orchestra gave its first public performance in Belfield Church on March 5th 2020, just before the first national lockdown. The orchestra has a membership of around 15 students, comprising mainly string players, making it suitable for repertoire composed before 1800, with a particular emphasis on the Baroque era. The module runs in the Spring Trimester, with its main performance scheduled to take place in early March each year. A selection of music from this programme is then reprised as part of the final recital of the Ad Astra Academy for the Performing Arts in April.
Admission to the Chamber Orchestra is strictly by audition only. Members are expected to be at Diploma level (DipABRSM or equivalent).
A recent video recording of the orchestra performing Handel can be viewed (opens in a new window)here.
Further Information
For further information, please contact Dr Ciarán Crilly ((opens in a new window)ciaran.crilly@ucd.ie).