The National Folk Orchestra of Ireland to Make UK Premiere

The National Folk Orchestra of Ireland will play in the UK for the first time on Friday 4 March at the Barbican Hall, performing the premiere of Macalla 1916 by acclaimed Irish composer Michael Rooney. Macalla 1916 is a new suite of music commissioned by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising.

The events of 1916 played a pivotal role in the birth of Ireland as a modern nation and Macalla 1916 will reflect on these events, the history leading up to the Rising and how Ireland has developed since, as well as celebrating the cultural and musical traditions of Ireland today.

The highly renowned National Folk Orchestra of Ireland will bring Rooney's moving composition to life in this their first performance outside of Ireland. Founded by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (Association of Traditional Irish Musicians) in the late 1980's, the Orchestra comprises over sixty of the finest young traditional and classical musicians and singers from 20 different counties in Ireland, as well as from Great Britain.

The orchestra unites classical and traditional instruments, including the harp, fiddle, accordion, concertina, bodhrán, banjo and Uilleann pipes. Conducted by Rooney, the musicians will play Macalla 1916 entirely from memory, in keeping with the way traditional music is learnt and performed. Their performance will be accompanied by images and video footage from the national archive.

The National Folk Orchestra of Ireland's performance of Macalla 1916 forms part of the 'Ireland 2016' year-long programme of creative, community and commemorative world-wide events, supported by the Embassy of Ireland and Culture Ireland.

Following the premiere of Macalla 1916 at the Barbican Hall, the Orchestra will feature in the official State events to commemorate 1916 in Dublin during Easter 2016, before embarking on a national tour of Ireland.

Seamus Brogan, Chair of the Comhaltas Britain 1916 commemoration committee, said:

'Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Britain is delighted to join Comhaltas in Ireland, the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland, the Irish Embassy and Culture Ireland to remember the 1916 Easter Rising at the Barbican Hall. Showcasing the vitality and relevance of traditional Irish music, Michael Rooney's extraordinary composition not only commemorates the historic events of 1916, but also celebrates the transformation of the relationship between Ireland and Britain, in the spirit of partnership and reconciliation.'

Tickets are priced at £25, available from Barbican Hall box office: www.barbican.org.uk / 020 7638 8891