The main fun will be happening in Meeting House Square where they’ll be rolling out the green carpet (yes, the grassy sort!) so bring your picnic blanket and your shades (no harm being optimistic!) and get ready for :

• Mr Balloonatic & Face Painting
• Leprechaun Storytelling
• The National Concert Hall’s ‘Blow the Dust Orchestra’
• Yodel
• The Electro Acoustic Journey of the Joculator
• Dublin Gospel Choir
• Ottoni Brass Ensemble

It’s going to be a brilliant day. See you in there

YouTube link (can’t embed it, sorry).

FullCodePress

Absolutely love the idea of FullCodePress. Get a team together and build a website for a charity in 24 hours for free. If I don’t do something like that between now and this time next year, I’ll certainly get involved next June. Progress pics here. Thanks Stu.

Congrats to the team from my beloved BSc in Multimedia in DCU who scooped the overall prize at the Digital Hub’s ‘Best in Show‘ competition with their series of short films for the Pashli charity.

Come along and join the Pride Parade on Saturday at 2 from the Garden of Remembrance – it’s always spectacular!

Or if your more enticed by things of a dead nature there’s a zombie walk happening at the same time from Stephen’s Green. Get the full info here.

Console’s annual benefit gig is on at the NCH next weekend. Jack L, Maynooth Gospel Choir and Acabella doing the honours. What’s stopping you?!

Apple-loving Stephen Fry on iPhone 4. Blog post entitled ‘A Welcome and a Warning‘.

I enjoyed the festival so much last year I decided to get stuck in and volunteer this year. If you can’t make it down to catch any of the live music you might like to keep track of things including results of the various national and international competitions via these channels:

• Cork International Choral Festival page on Facebook
• YouTube channel
• Blog on Posterous
• On Twitter at @corkchoralfest

Here’s one of the most amazing performances I’ve seen so far – really looking forward to hearing them again later on this weekend. The University of Santo Tomas Singers from the Philippines:

I’ll be down there until Monday morning and getting as much of the festival in as possible. Thankfully, I have access to a much better camera than last year and will hopefully get some video clips up over the next few days as the performances roll on .

Will I see you there?

The festival is in it’s 56th year and runs from Wednesday to Sunday next with a huge variety of choral styles and performances from all over the world taking part. A few weeks ago one or two people who were interested in going along this year asked me to give a heads up for what I think are the highlights and events worth going along to so now that the programme is out and tickets on sale here’s my quick guide to the cream of the crop for 2010:

Opening Gala Concert – A Tribute to Aloys Fleischmann

When: Wednesday 28th April 2010, 8pm, City Hall, Cork

Volalists from Cork (Fleischmann Choir) and Dachau (Liedertafel)  join forces with the Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra for a spectacular performance at City Hall as part of the continuing Fleischmann Centenary celebrations. Read more about the programme here.

Scala

When: Thursday 29th April 2010, 8pm, City Hall

Scala are a 200-strong girls choir (ranging in age from 16 to 26) from Belgium who have gained huge popularity since their foundation by the Kolacny brothers in 1996. What started out as some vocal experimentation has given the choir a huge international reputation and fame as one of the world’s most popular “rock choirs”. The last time that Scala performed in Ireland was at the 2006 festival so don’t miss out on your opportunity to hear this wonderful contemporary, edgy and youthful sound!

The National Chamber Choir of Ireland : To Music

When: Friday 30^th April 2010, 7.30pm, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork

One of the country’s most distinguished and highly regarded choirs The National Chamber Choir of Ireland are attending this year’s festival as the Choir in Residence. They will be performing ‘To Music’ – the first of two cathedral shows on the bill for Friday evening – in the beautiful surroundings of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. The programme will also feature two world première performances. More information on the evening’s repertoire is available here.

Evocations: Anuna

When: Friday 30^th April, 10.30pm at the Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Anne (North Cathedral), Cork

One of Ireland’s most celebrated and internationally successful choirs will be giving the second of the cathedral performances on Friday night when they perform ‘Evocations’ – a collection of medieval and Celtic song.

Fleischmann International Trophy Competition

Where: Saturday 1st May, 3pm & 8pm, City Hall, Cork

At the heart of the festival is the prestigious Fleischmann International Trophy Competition which is held in two parts on Saturday. The competition this year will feature choirs from Norway, The Philippines, Finland, The Czech Republic, Germany, Singapore, Japan and Ireland! If that doesn’t guarantee a fantastic array of choral performances and styles I don’t know what will! The Choir in Residence (The National Chamber Choir of Ireland) will also be performing on the day along with other international choirs. You can hear samples of each choir in action as well as review the running order of both heats of the competition here.

Closing Gala Concert

Where: Sunday 2nd May 2010, 8pm, City Hall, Cork

This event is probably the most fun, entertaining and enjoyable of all the programme as the choirs and conductors relax and let their hair down after with competition now behind them. Last year’s closing concert featured some of the most jaw-dropping choral performances I have ever heard so fingers crossed that this year will be  just as spectacular. Find out more about who is taking part here.

So there you have it – my recommendations for a busy choral weekend in Cork city. There’s absolutely loads of events including public performances, seminars and workshops on all over Cork city and the suburbs so take a look at the day by day guide here to see what’s on.

Go grab your tickets so you don’t end up disappointed & hopefully see you there!

The programme of gala concerts has just been announced and includes:

• Gala Opening Concert – Fleischmann Choir, Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra and the Dachau Liedertafel Choir present Gala Fleischmann Concert
• National Chamber Choir of Ireland
• Anúna
• Fleischmann International Trophy Competition
• Closing Gala Concert

12 choirs have been selected from around the world to participate in the prestigious Fleischmann International Trophy Competition. Finland, Germany, Japan, Singapore, The Czech Republic, Norway, Slovenia, Philippines and Ireland will all be represented.

If you and your choir want to take part in National Competitions, you’ve got until January 31st to submit your application – all the info is here.

Looking forward to it already!

Looking forward to their 15th anniversary gig at the National Concert Hall in June 2010 already. By the way, they’re looking for sopranos and basses to join them – all the info is here.

If you fancy catching some carols over the next while here’s some of what’s on around Dublin:

National Concert Hall

• Wed 16, Thurs 17 & Fri 18 at 8pm – Hanel’s Messiah (returns only)
• Sun 20 Dec at 3.15 PM & 8pm – Christmas Carol Singalong
• Mon 21 Dec at 3.15 PM & 8pm – Carols by Candlelight
• Tue 22 Dec at 3.15 PM & 8pm – The Glory Of Christmas

Tickets for all these events can be booked at www.nch.ie.

Christchurch Cathedral

• Wed 16 at 7.15pm – Christchurch Christmast Concert (tickets in advance via Tickets.ie)
• Sun 20 at 3.30pm – Carol Service (no tickets required)

Pro Cathedral

• Sun 20 at 3.30pm – Carol Service with The Palestrina Choir & St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Girls’ Choir (in aid of Temple St. Hospital)

Dublin Gospel Choir

• 19 Dec at 11.30am – 12pm at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre
• 19 Dec at 1 – 2pm at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre

Immanuel Church

• Sun 20, 6.45pm to 8.30pm – Christmas Carol Service

If you know of any more choral goings on over the next week or so, pop em in a comment below – would love to add them in.

Happy singing!

You can download the syllabus here or read about my trip down to Cork for the 2009 festival earlier in the year. Really looking forward to going back in 2010!

In other choral news, the fabulous Gardiner Street Gospel Choir return to their usual slot of 7.30 at St. Francis Xavier’s Church on Gardiner St this coming Sunday the 13th – simply can’t wait

First brought to my attention by Darragh on Culch.ie, here’s a wonderful interpretation of Toto’s Africa by Perpetuum Jazzile which I think goes to show how awesome choral sounds can be. Happy weekend everyone.