“If you offer something good, people will come”, says Angela Apitius, one of the organisers of an evening of classical music at the beautiful Church of Ireland in Lettermacaward.
The Church, built in 1788, is set in one of the most charming locations in Donegal and will come alive to the uplifting music of the Donegal Chamber Orchestra concert on Saturday evening.
It is one of a series of events to encourage people to the see the church as much more than a place to go on a Sunday or only at high holidays throughout the year.
Angela and her husband Rolf, who have lived in the area for more than twenty years, have been busy with fellow parishioners preparing for the concert.
Angela says: “Three years ago our church celebrated its 225th anniversary and we had two days of music; one day classical and one day traditional.
“We are in a rural area and we filled the church with people on both days. This was our first step. When you give good things, people come.
“You have to be brave. Church isn’t just for Sundays. It’s also a place to meet people from the wider community and to have music – traditional and classical.”
The community has been busy preparing for the evening concert and is hoping people from all over the area will support the evening.
“I’ve just seen the printed programme and it looks great. There are beautiful green and white flowers decorating the church and afterwards we hope everyone will join us at
Elliott’s bar for some refreshments. There has been lots of baking,” says Angela.
Another parishioner, Carolyn Robinson, adds: “It’s a chance to open the church to everyone.
“We hope to organise other events, talks and more music – to bring people into the church. It’s a great way to meet other people and for them to see what is going on here.”
The Donegal Chamber Orchestra was founded in 2006 by Hungarian violinist Orsolya Szabó-Yélamo (Violin resource tutor with Donegal Music Education Partnership) and cellist Víctor Yélamo.
The concert programme includes popular classics, Gabriel’s Oboe’, main theme from the 1986 film The Mission, composed by Ennio Morricone and the evocative ‘Lara’s Theme’, from Dr Zhivago, composed by Maurice Jarre.
Concert Programme
William Boyce (1711 -1779)
Symphony No. 1 in B flat Major, Op. 2 (1760) (7′)
Allegro
Moderato e dolce
Allegro
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Largo from the Winter, Op. 8 No. 4, RV 297 (c.1720) (3′)
Soloist: Lucia Spacirova
Giuseppe Torelli (1658-1709)
Concerto Grosso Op.8 No.6 in g minor (1709) (8′)
Grave-Vivace
Largo
Vivace
Soloists: Sarah Ponsonby, Grace Harkin, violins; Vyvyan Howard, cello
Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Elegy for string orchestra in G (1884) (7’)
Peter Warlock (1894-1930)
Capriol Suite for string orchestra (1926) (11′)
Basse-Danse
Pavane
Tordion
Bransles
Pieds en l’Air
Mattachins
Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945)
Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana” (1890) (4’)
Ennio Morricone (b. 1928)
Gabriel’s Oboe (from The Mission) (1986) (4´)
Soloist: Bianca Heitzer
Maurice Jarre (1924 – 2009)
Music from “Dr. Zhivago” (1965) (6′)
Main title – At the Student Café -Somewhere, my love (Lara’s Theme)
Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) & Josef Strauss (1827-70)
Pizzicato Polka, Op. 234 (1870) (3′)
Donegal Chamber Orchestra perform at Lettermacaward Church of Ireland, this Saturday May 7th at 8pm. Admission €10.
Photographs are kindly produced with the permission of John Soffe www.johnsoffe.com
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