Special guests announced for Mayo Male Voice Choir Springtime Concert
AN exciting evening of music is promised when the 55-member Mayo Male Voice Choir and special guests take to the stage for the choir’s annual Springtime Concert, in the magnificent St. Mary’s Hall at the ATU, Mayo campus, Castlebar, at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 28.
Special guests for the evening are soprano Emma Nash and Rory Musgrave, baritone.
Emma Nash has been described as 'outstanding…with a vivid stage presence' by The Arts Desk, 'splendid' by Opera Magazine, and a soprano with an 'exciting, individualised vocal colour' by Opera Today.
Emma graduated with distinction from the MA in Opera Performance course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she was winner of the Lee Freeman Scholarship Prize, the Dolan Evans Award and a Leverhulme Scholarship.
Rory Musgrave performs extensively in concerts and recitals, including the National Concert Hall and Wexford Festival Opera. He performs as a guest soloist as well as with numerous ensembles including Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Crash Ensemble.
Rory, a graduate from the Royal Irish Academy of Music, with a Masters in Vocal Performance, has worked with all the major Irish opera companies.
Formed over 20 years ago, the Mayo Male Voice Choir has grown from strength to strength and is now one of the leading male voice choirs in Ireland.
The choir's musical director since day one is Deirdre Lee, and the accompanist is Rebecca Cresham Heneghan.
Choir members hail from all over Mayo, including Achill, Ballinrobe, Castlebar, Swinford and Westport.
The choir have had a busy 2022/23 with performances at Ashford Castle, the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Ballintubber Abbey and Knock airport. They recently performed at The Lodge at Ashford, raising €2,000 for two charities.
Said chairman Jim Tiernan: “We are really looking forward to our annual Springtime Concert - our first in years. We will be giving our best performance ever!
“With our two special guests, Emma and Rory, it will be a brilliant evening of song and music.”
The concert will take place in St. Mary’s Hall at the ATU, Mayo campus, Castlebar, at 8 p.m., Friday, April 28. Doors 7 p.m. Tickets are €15, available from any choir member or www.mmvcsprint.eventbrite.com (online booking fees apply).
* Pictured above are Mayo Male Voice Choir members 2022/023 (ft - First Tenor, st - Second Tenor, fb - First Bass, sb - Second Bass).
At front, from left: Martin Carney, ft, Tony Walkin, ft, Jonathan Adam, ft, Jimmy Feeney, ft, John Finlay, st, musical director Deirdre Lee, chairman Jim Tiernan, fb, accompanist Rebecca Cresham Heneghan, Frank Murray, fb, Brendan Duffy, fb, Tony McNulty, fb, Padraic McKeon, fb, and Niall Kilbane, fb.
Second row: Michael Mongan, ft, Tom O’Hora, ft, Peter Cartwright, ft, Roddy Moran, ft, Joe Nestor, st, Jarlath Duggan, st, Martin Lydon, fb, Steven Brady, fb, and Jimmy Murphy, fb (treasurer).
Third row: Sean Gavin, st, Tommy O’Malley, st, John O’Donnell, sb, Peter Jennings, st, Lar Davis, sb, Patsy Murphy, sb, Don Dillon, sb, Michael Golden, sb, Jackie Clarke, sb, Gerry Needham fb and Frank Larkin fb (Secretary). Back Row: Joe Cuddy st, Declan Durcan, st (PRO), Eugene McCormack, sb, John O’Donohue, st, Tony Conway, st (president), Pat McHale, st, Anto Heneghan, st, Iain Douglas, st, Luke O’Malley, sb, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, fb, Pat Friel, sb, Michael Tiernan, sb, Kieran Kirrane, sb, and Michael Murray, sb.
Missing from photo: Michael Brett, st, Paul Carney, fb, Darach Corcoran, fb, Joseph Garvey, ft, Finian Joyce, ft, Adrian Keena, sb, David Lorring, fb, and Michael Lyons, sb. Photo: John Mee