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     Westport Festival of Chamber Music Update

The second Westport Festival of Chamber Music will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 5-7 September 2014. Westport House and Holy Trinity Church will again host concerts providing a most appropriate setting for a music festival. Violinist Catherine Leonard and pianist Hugh Tinney, artistic directors, will be joined by a starry line-up of international musicians – American violist Jennifer Stumm, Israeli clarinettist Chen Halevi, English oboist Nicholas Daniel and cellist Guy Johnston as well as Irish pianist Finghin Collins. Concerts featuring all the musicians performing works by the great masters of European 18^th to 20^th century music will include Friday night in Westport House, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon in Holy Trinity church. On Saturday morning a Young Musician Invitation Concert will be given by Roscommon born pianist Peter Regan and on Sunday at noon there will be an opportunity to Meet the Musicians and their instruments.

Catherine Leonard and Hugh Tinney are widely regarded as Ireland’s premier violin and piano duo. In critical acclaim of their recent National Concert Hall Beethoven series, the Irish Times described the Duo as performing “with perfect poise and balance. Nothing understated, nothing forced, everything spot on ". Their illustrious guests are all highly successful on the international stage as soloists as well as regular performers in chamber music festivals around the world. They are looking forward to their stay preparing and performing concerts in Westport. With many excellent and award winning hotels, restaurants, shops and pubs, Westport is an ideal week-end destination. For visitors who also like outdoor activity, Westport has an 18-hole championship golf course and the Great Western Greenway providing magnificent views for walkers and cyclists.

Neil Mooney, Festival Chair says “We are looking forward to welcoming back last year’s audiences and many new visitors and guarantee a wonderful week-end of music performed by these world-class musicians”.

The Festival is grant aided by The Arts Council, Westport Town Council, Mayo County Council and Forás Éireann and supported by RTÉ Supporting the Arts. Patronage and donations also play a significant part in establishing and continuing a world-class chamber music festival. Full details and on-line booking are available on www.classicallinks.ie or from madeleine@classicallinks.ie tel. 087 2809932. Tickets are available to personal callers in the Clew Bay Hotel.