Brahms and more as new concert season kicks off

Music for Galway kicks off its new season next Wednesday, September 28, with a concert at NUIG’s Aula Maxima from the award-winning Van Kuijk Quartet, who will be joined by the viola player of the ConTempo quartet, Andreea Banciu, and concert pianist, Finghin Collins, the artistic director of Music for Galway.

The title of this year’s programme is Aimez Vous Brahms? and the musicians will perform some of his most iconic chamber music pieces, including his late masterpiece,  the second viola quintet Op. 111, as well as his only piano quintet.

The following day, musicologist and composer Gerry Murphy will talk about Brahms: The Man at 1.05pm in Hotel Meyrick. All are welcome.

While Music for Galway is focusing on Brahms for this season, other composers will also be in the spotlight.  Wednesday’s concert will begin with Haydn’s Sunrise quartet in which the Van Kuijk Quartet will demonstrate how they won the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet competition.

They will be joined by Andreea Banciu, the violist/founder of the RTÉ ConTempo Quartet, Galway’s Ensemble in Residence and a Chamber Music Visiting Teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.  Andreea has performed extensively in Ireland and abroad, including as a soloist with RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Esker Orchestra, NYSO/UK and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.