National Chamber Choir of Ireland 

Artistic Director: Paul Hillier

National Chamber Choir of Ireland is widely regarded as Ireland’s most distinguished choir. It is celebrated both in Ireland and internationally for its fresh and innovative sound. Founded in 1991 by composer and conductor, Colin Mawby and developed under the direction of Brazilian conductor Celso Antunes until early 2007, the National Chamber Choir of Ireland is the country’s only professional vocal ensemble. In 2008, the internationally celebrated conductor Paul Hillier will join the National Chamber Choir of Ireland as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor.

The National Chamber Choir is made up of extraordinary vocalists drawn from the ranks of Europe’s leading choral singers. Each vocalist has a different and wide-ranging background in solo, opera and choral performance, which enhances the choir’s ability to undertake some of the most diverse and challenging choral work and contributes to the warm and special sound that is unique to this Irish ensemble.

Through collaboration with some of the world’s leading choral conductors together with its dedication to performing the finest vocal music old and new, the National Chamber Choir of Ireland remains at the pinnacle of vocal performance in Ireland and beyond.
The National Chamber Choir of Ireland’s repertoire extends from early to contemporary music, regularly commissioning new pioneering vocal work from Irish and international composers. Listed amongst the many composers featured in its 2007 programme were Mendelssohn, Brahms, Mozart, Villa-Lobos, Poulenc, Pärt and Messian. Last year saw the National Chamber Choir of Ireland working with such distinguished guest conductors as Stephen Layton (Cambridge), Robert Hollingworth (London), Erwin Ortner (Vienna) and Catherine Simonpietri (Paris).

In 2008 the National Chamber Choir of Ireland will undertake two national tours of Ireland and two concert series in Dublin and Belfast. As well as its flagship work in Ireland, the National Chamber Choir is dedicated to performing internationally. In 2008 it will perform at the Midsummer Festival in Leipzig and the Festival Europaeische Kirchenmusik in Schwaebisch Gmuend, Germany together with the renowned instrumental group, the Rascher Saxophone Quartet, directed with James Wood.