NCH Chamber Music Series Spring 2027: Appalachian Chamber: Appalachian Spring

NCH Chamber Music Series Spring 2027: Appalachian Chamber: Appalachian Spring

About the show

Appalachian Chamber
Violins: Martin Gwilym-Jones, Rachelle Hunt, Suliman Tekalli, Greta Mutlu, Ioana Petcu-Nolan
Violas: Beth McNinch, Sam Kelder
Cellos: Katie Tertell, Ailbhe McDonagh
Bass: Sam Suggs
Piano: Lana Bode
Flute: Sinéad Farrell
Basson: Sinéad Frost
Clarinet: Matthew Billing

Paul Wiancko  Toy Bricks  
Kenji Bunch  ‘Lowdown’ and ‘Overdrive’ from String Circle for String Quintet
George Gershwin  Promenade: Walking’ the Dog (arr. Sam Suggs)  
George Gershwin  Summertime in Venice 
Ailbhe McDonagh   String Quartet No.1 "Appalachian Quartet"*
i. Insurgence
ii. Prospect
iii. John Brown's Body
(*was commissioned by the inaugural Appalachian Chamber Music Festival in Harpers Ferry, USA and premiered in 2021) 
 Aaron Copland  Appalachian Spring  

A Musical Postcard from Appalachia

We close this year’s spring chamber music series with the story of Appalachia. Imagine an exhilarating performance unfolding in a rustic barn, a railway station or a community hall, surrounded by the warmth, energy and community spirit of Appalachia. This is a concert inspired by the laid-back atmosphere of porch-picking, long summer days and the rich musical traditions of the American mountains.

The programme brings together an eclectic mix of American influences and musical voices. Paul Wiancko’s playful Toy Bricks and Kenji Bunch’s energetic Lowdown and Overdrive set the scene, while Gershwin’s Promenade: Walking the Dog, in an arrangement by Sam Suggs, and Summertime in Venice add the unmistakable colour and charm of the American musical landscape.

At the heart of the programme is Irish composer Ailbhe McDonagh’s String Quartet No. 1, “Appalachian Quartet”, commissioned by the inaugural Appalachian Chamber Music Festival in Harpers Ferry, USA, and premiered in 2021. Across its three movements, Insurgence, Prospect and John Brown’s Body, McDonagh responds to the landscape, history and stories of Appalachia, creating a musical connection between Ireland and the American mountains.

The concert culminates in Aaron Copland’s iconic Appalachian Spring, one of the defining musical portraits of the American landscape and spirit.

​​​​​​​Performing this rich and colourful programme is the Appalachian Chamber ensemble, an elite collective of musicians, bringing that unique Appalachian spirit to the stage. 

Presented by NCH

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