Renowned Irish pianist Barry Douglas and his distinguished 40-piece chamber orchestra, Camerata Ireland, will play at Union College's Memorial Chapel on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. as part of the Union College Chamber Concert Series.
The performance will include Beethoven's Piano concerto No. 4 and Symphony No. 7; Penderecki's Passacaglia & Larghetto; and Elliot Carter's Elegy for Strings.
This will be the second coast-to-coast tour in the United States for Douglas and the orchestra.
Founded in 1999, Camerata Ireland has been described as having the “sensuality, charm and impulse of the best world-level ensembles.”
It celebrates Ireland, its music-making and the wealth of Irish musical talent. The orchestra is composed of exceptionally talented Irish musicians, many of whom also play in top positions in other premier orchestras, including the London Symphony and the Halle orchestras.
Recognized internationally as a soloist, chamber musician and conductor since winning the bronze medal at the Seventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1985, Douglas has performed with many of the great orchestras of the world. These include the Berlin Philharmonic and the Leipzig Gewandhaus in Germany; the orchestras of Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland and Los Angeles in the United States; the NHK and Tokyo symphonies in Japan; the Israel Philharmonic; and all major London orchestras.
He also received a gold medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. The Los Angeles Times has praised him for having “the mind of an analyst, the sensitivity of a poet and the fingers of a magician,” while the Dallas Morning News has applauded his “awesome demonstration of technical skill and artistic maturity.”
At the heart of Camerata Ireland's work is its commitment to young Irish musicians. Each year, the orchestra funds 12 students for a week-long series of master classes with Maestro Douglas and other international artists. One exemplary artist is awarded the Camerata Ireland Young Musician of the Year Award with the opportunity to perform a concerto with the orchestra. This commitment to, and investment in, the musical future of Ireland is central to the mission of Camerata Ireland.
For additional information about Camerata Ireland, please visit www.camerata-ireland.com.