Stanford Centenary Concert

2024 is the 100th anniversary of the death of one of Ireland's dearest composers, Charles Villiers Stanford. Stanford is well known for his large-scale orchestral works as well as his vast library of liturgical choral music. His Mass in G major Opus 46 is a combination of this - a concert sized mass setting for chorus, soloists and full orchestra. It is his earliest known mass setting, and underperformed, perhaps due its complex instrumentation. The score has never been fully published - they were kept in the London Oratory for decades and now reside in the library of the Royal College of Music, who have kindly provided the scores to The Guinness Choir for this celebratory performance. Perhaps best known as the teacher of such great English composers as Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, Samuel Taylor-Coleridge and Herbert Howells, Stanford is increasingly recognised as an important composer in his own right.

'The Weaver’, by Irish composer Judith Ring, on a poem by Diane Tierney, was commissioned by The Guinness Choir who performed its world premiere in May 2022.

And we are delighted to introduce our audience to the Irish premiere of ‘Cello Songs’ by the highly acclaimed US composer Jake Runestad.

For this special concert, The Guinness Choir and its professional Orchestra will be joined by our wonderful soloists Caroline Behan, Soprano; Sarah Luttrell, Alto; William Pearson, Tenor; and Matthew Mannion, Bass.