UCD Choral Scholars Spring Concert in Christ Church Cathedral - 1st April 2004

UCD Choral Scholars

The Scholars will perform an exciting programme of Renaissance and Baroque poly-choral and chamber music including works by Gabrieli, Sch�tz, Piccinini, Priuli and Scheidt. This will be an evening of inspirational music that is rarely performed in Ireland and is a significant event in UCD's cultural calendar during the University's 150th anniversary year.

The concert will be recorded by LyricFM for broadcast at a later date.

The concert will take place in Christ Church Cathedral on 1st April 2004 at 8pm. 

Tickets for this concert are available by contacting the UCD Choral Scholars at 7162109 and will be on sale in the John Newman Building in the week prior to the concert.

Profile of performers:

Richard Wistreich
Richard Wistreich has performed as a soloist and as an ensemble singer in concerts, recordings, opera and recitals for more than twenty years. His special interest lies in the music of the 16th and 17th centuries. In the course of his career he has toured throughout the world and has been closely associated with early music ensembles and musicians such as The Consort of Musicke (with Emma Kirkby), the Taverner Consort (Andrew Parrott), Sch�tz Choir (Roger Norrington), The Academy of Ancient Music (Christopher Hogwood) and, since 1989 with the ensemble Red Byrd, which he founded together with the singer John Potter (ex-Hilliard Ensemble). 

The UCD Choral Scholars
The UCD Choral Scholars is an award winning vocal ensemble drawn from the student body of University College Dublin. The Scholars are young and gifted and come from a range of academic disciplines. The Scholars perform an extensive repertoire of choral works and this musical versatility ensures their wide appeal to audiences of all ages. The UCD Choral Scholars recently won two trophies at the 2003 Sligo International Choral Festival in the National competition and the motet competition In the past they have been awarded a prestigious Lyric FM prize in the category of 'best chamber choir' for their recording of In Dulci Jubilo.

Desmond Earley
Desmond is the Artistic Director of UCD Choral Scholars and a graduate and former Organ Scholar at UCD. Desmond studied conducting with James Cavanagh at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, organ with Peter Sweeney at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and harpsicord continuo techniques with David Adams. Desmond is also Organist and Director of Music at St Mary's Dominican Priory in Tallaght Village.

The Ruchetta Ensemble
The Ruchetta Ensemble was formed to explore the rich and varied repertoire from the Renaissance and Baroque periods and the players represent the very best of the younger generation of period performance specialists in London. Ruchetta Ensemble members all work regularly with top groups from the UK and abroad, such as The King's Consort, His Majesties Sagbuts and Cornetts, Ex Cathedra and perform at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.

Richard Sweeney
Dublin born Richard Sweeney has performed with many of the UK's leading ensembles including the Parley of Instruments, the London Handel Orchestra, the Early Opera Company, the Kings Consort, the Academy of Ancient Music, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Concordia and Sonnerie. As a soloist, he has performed at many major arts/music festivals in Ireland including the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, The Sligo & Galway Early Music Festivals and the Kilkenny Arts Festival. 

Catherine Redding
Canadian soprano Catherine Redding is a soloist and member of the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. Catherine holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Voice Performance/Preparatory Opera from the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC). To date, Catherine's international career has taken her to Brazil, England, Ireland, and Italy and she has appeared as a soloist in Bach's B Minor Mass, Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Great Mass in C, Faur�'s Requiem, Dvorak's Mass in D and Vivaldi's Gloria. 

Lucy Thurston
A recent graduate of UCD and former UCD Choral Scholar, UCD is now a full time member of The National Chamber Choir of Ireland.