News 04/17 –
Gwendolyn Masin & Finghin Collins Series in Dublin's National Concert Hall

There is no other thrill as unique as that which happens when you sit down with friends or strangers and embark upon a piece of chamber music, especially one that has never been performed before by anyone in the room. Every time it is a gamble to see whether the chemistry between the players will create the necessary spark that can move us—the audience, the composition, and the players themselves. This thrill can bring everyone together, it moves people forward, toward a parallel sense of the present. The ordinary dissolves into the extraordinary, and the journey of the music releases profound meaning. The black dots on the page translate into emotion, instruments no longer just sound, they sing. This feeling is like arriving in a city that you've never been to, where all you have is a rudimentary map and a sparse knowledge of the language; and yet you know you will find your way. You listen to the rhythm of the place, you connect with people, and your adventure begins. In this way, as with the music being shared here during this series, the players and the audience are all tourists to the experience of these pieces being performed.

The gratitude and appreciation I have to sit down with my esteemed and dear friend, Finghin Collins, and set out on this musical journey and therein share the curation, is a boundless joy. That we can play in the Kevin Barry Recital Room is an honour. We very much hope that we can offer our audiences, and the guests we've invited to play with us, moments of magic, inspiration, and friendship in music.

> view the complete programme
> book tickets
> watch the trailer

Performances

First Guest in the Series: István Várdai