Monday, December 19, 2016

Christmas 2016 - Carols in Aldi, Knocknacarra

A fun fundraising initiative, some of our members spent a great day singing for customers in the Aldi supermarket in Knocknacarra.






Monday, December 12, 2016

Christmas 2016 - St Nicholas Fayre

One of our favourite Christmas season events is the St Nicholas Christmas Fayre, which is always fun, and a chance to catch up with friends from other choirs in Galway who are also participating.








Friday, December 9, 2016

PRESS RELEAS: A Welsh / Irish Choral Celebration

The Town Hall will ring when Galway Choral Association hosts North Wales’ premier male voice choir, Cantorion Gogledd Cymru, in concert later this month.

The concert features music from both sides of the Irish Sea. Galway Choral Association, under the musical direction of Norman Duffy, will present Six Irish Folksongs, Opus 78, Charles Villiers Stanford, alongside Fauré‘s Cantique de Jean Racine and a range of other choral favourites. Cantorion Gogledd Cymru, directed by Aled Wyn Edwards will present Y Ddau Wladgarwr (Two Welsh Patriots) by Dr Joseph Parry, along with other items from their repertoire of sacred, operatic, folk and popular music.

“This will be a thoroughly entertaining evening” says Carol Duffy, Chairperson of the Galway Choral Association. ”We first met Cantorion Gogledd Cymru, previously known as Cantorion Colin Jones, at the Mayo Choral Festival where they won the male voice categories, and were extremely impressed by their enthusiasm and pride in sharing Wales’ musical tradition.”

“It has been great to work with Stanford’s song-cycle,” says musical director Norman Duffy. “Although lighter than some of our typical works, these four-part settings of Thomas Moore’s poetry to traditional Irish airs are challenging for singers and engaging for the audience. And of course being Christmas, we’ve included some seasonal favourites, too, including O Holy Night featuring Cantorion Gogledd Cymru’s baritone soloist.”

Cantorion Gogledd Cymru founded in 1992 when some of North Wales’ finest male choral singers came together to form a male chorus with a very special sound and quality. The choir enjoys a busy concert schedule, with performances in the UK and recently in Southern France. And they are regularly engaged to sing at the opening of Welsh international rugby matches.

The concert is being held at 8pm on Saturday 17 December in the Town Hall Theatre. Tickets are €20 (€18 concession) and are available from the Town Hall, www.tht.ie phone: 091-569-777.

Further information is available from www.galwaychoral.ie, or you can find the choir on Facebook.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

May 2016 concert photos

A selection of photos from our preparations, concert and after-party with with Chor Levantate Ulm.

About this concert ...

Dress rehearsal






Evening concert





After-party at the Mechanic Institute











Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Celebrate Spring with Schubert!

Galway Choral Association, in conjunction with visitors from Ulm in Germany, is presenting a spring concert, featuring Schubert’s Mass no. 2 in G major D. 167.



Under the leadership of musical director Norman Duffy, the choir will be accompanied by organist Dr Ramin Haghjoo of Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe. Dr. Haghjoo has also been resident organist and choir director in the Augustinian Church since September 2015. Soloists include Matthew Harrison who has worked with the choir on many occasions.

Musical director,
 Julian Habryka
Also performing is German choir Chor Levantate Ulm. Under the direction of Julian Habryka, they will perform a selection from Brahms “Fuenf Gesaenge” and other classical and traditional pieces.

“This will be a delightful evening” says Carol Duffy, Chairperson of the Galway Choral Association. ”Schubert’s Mass is a favourite of choirs all over the world, and has a great tempo and energy about it. And we’re so pleased that Chor Levantate Ulm, from south-west Germany, have included Galway on their tour of Ireland and chosen to sing with us.

“This will be a varied concert,” says musical director Norman Duffy. “D 167 is Schubert’s 2nd Mass, and it includes some of his most approachable and attractive choral writing. The work has six movements, progressing quickly from the Kyrie and Gloria through the Agnus Dei in just over 20 minutes. This has given us the time to explore a range of other pieces from very different genres as well. The two choirs will jointly perform a number of pieces at the end of the concert which should make for a spectacular sound.

Chor Levantate Ulm, is a 60-voice mixed choir which was founded in 1984, They have performed a wide range of works, and in 2015 they performed Karl Jenkins work “The Peacemakers” in Carnegie Hall, New York. They are currently touring Ireland, with other performances in Dundalk and Dungarvan.

Chor Levantate Ulm

Concert details

The concert is being held at 8pm on Saturday 21st May, in St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, Lombard St. Tickets are €15 (€12 concession) and are available from Opus II on High St, Phone 091-500300, or from choir members.

Monday, January 18, 2016

PRESS RELEASE: Banish winter’s chill with Duruflé’s warm harmonies

Galway Choral Association is presenting Duruflé’s REQUIEM Opus 9 later this month to help raise funds to equip a Family Room in one of Galway’s disability support centres.

Under the leadership of musical director Norman Duffy, the choir will be accompanied by Galway Cathedral organist Ray O’Donnell and will perform with contralto soloist Sarah Ellen Murphy

Also performing is Cor Mhaigh Eo, an award-winning choir based in Castlebar. Directed by Dr Brian Lennon, the choir will perform works by composers ranging from 16th century Monteverdi right through to contemporary composers like Lauridsen and Lucaszewski.

“This will be an uplifting concert for bleak January!” says Carol Duffy, Chairperson of the Galway Choral Association. ”The Duruflé Requiem is a very approachable work, but it has some challenging material which the choir has greatly enjoyed learning. We understand that it hasn’t been performed in Galway for quite some time, and are really looking forward to sharing it with a local audience”.

St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church is one of the choir’s favourite venues, and has an acoustic which really shows the beauty of works from the choral repertoire.

“This Requiem is spiritual,” says musical director Norman Duffy. “Written by French composer Maurice Duruflé ((1902 – 1986), who was influenced by his colleague Fauré, it was completed in 1947. The work has nine movements, progressing from the Introit through to two texts from the traditional burial service, Libera me and In Paradisum. Overall the work has a calm, melodic quality”.

The Galway branch of Enable Ireland has been selected as the charity partner for the event. Funds raised will go towards equipment for a family room at their local centre, which will be used for life skills with teenagers and adolescents, as well as for liaising with parents about their child’s progress or therapy plans. “We are delighted to acknowledge the support which Enable Ireland provides”, Carol Duffy said, “and to assist them in their support of local families”.

The concert is being held at 8pm on Saturday 30 January, in St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, Lombard St. Tickets are €15 (€12 concession) and are available from Opus II on High St, Phone 091-500300, from Enable Ireland, or from choir members.


Saturday, January 16, 2016