Miniatures
Welcome to our Season 26/27 Opening Concert. Newry Chamber Music and the Fews Ensemble warmly invite you to Our NCM Hub at the Quays, Newry for a concert of exquisite Single Movement Strings Quartets interspersed with beautiful readings and poetry. We are delighted to welcome back Soprano Mary McCabe fresh from her appearance at NI Opera's critically acclaimed production of Bizet's Carmen and BBC NI Broadcaster and Newry native John Toal who will provide the narration for the evening.
Mia Cooper/Joanne Quigley McParland: Violin
Paul Cassidy: Viola
Jonathan Aasgaard: Cello
Mary McCabe: Soprano
John Toal: Narrator
Programme
Jesse Montgomery: Strum
Ernest Hemingway Extract from Death in the Afternoon
Joaquin Turina: La Oracion del Torero
Percy Bysshe Shelley The Sunset
Ottorino Respighi: Il Tramunto
Roisin Kelly Oranges
Caroline Shaw: Valencia
INTERVAL
Emily Dickinson: By The Sea
Osvaldo Golijov: How Slow the Wind
Rainer Maria Rilke The Sonnets to Orpheus (Book II, No. 29)
Anton Webern: Langsamer Satz
Anton Chekhov:Letter to A. S. Suvorin
Tchaikovsky: Andante from String Quartet No 1
Daniel Kemper: The Tango Argentine
Astor Piazzolla: Four for Tango
Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time
Olivier Messiaen’s extraordinary Quartet for the End of Time, composed in a prisoner of war camp in 1941, stands as one of the 20th century’s most radiant works — a meditation on faith, time, and transcendence. Scored for the unusual combination of clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, its stillness and ecstasy are given voice in the resonant atmosphere of Carlingford Heritage Centre.
Performers:
David Quigley – Piano
Joanne Quigley McParland – Violin
Francesco Paolo Scola – Clarinet
Jonathan Aasgaard – Cello
Nightfall: Violin & Piano
Joanne Quigley McParland (violin) and Danny O'Neill (piano) close the season with a reflective, intimate recital by candlelight. Music by John Williams, Einaudi, Korngold, Bernstein and Philip Glass to name but a few. A chance to slow down and relax in a reverie of beautiful sounds and colours.
Bloomsday at The Quays
Celebrate James Joyce's Dublin with an evening of song, story, and Irish musical tradition. Joanne Quigley McParland, Aaron O'Hare, Fiona Flynn, and Danny O'Neill join forces for a joyful tribute to Joyce and the particular genre of Edwardian parlour music he enjoyed. There are many musical references throughout his works, from the hauntingly beautiful Silent O'Moyle to Love's Old Sweet Song. We explore many of these pieces interspersed with some passages from his works. An evening for those who enjoy a touch of old world charm, fine words and music, and good company.
Elgar & Vaughan Williams: English Voices
Poetry, landscape, and the English spirit
Edward Elgar’s Piano Quintet in A minor and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge capture both the grandeur and intimacy of the English musical imagination. Rooted in poetry and landscape, these works intertwine melancholy, tenderness, and timeless beauty - a fittingly evocative opening to The Fews Ensemble’s 2026 season at Carlingford Heritage Centre.
Performers:
Aaron O’Hare – Tenor
David Quigley – Piano
Joanne Quigley McParland – Violin
Tom Jackson – Violin
Paul Cassidy-Viola
Jonathan Aasgaard – Cello
Candlelight Classics: The Arco String Quartet
A intimate candlelight concert for those who appreciate the particularly special quality of sound that a string quartet brings to music of any genre. The exceptionally talented Arco String Quartet was founded in 2003 by husband and wife Clare and Richard Hadwen when they were both members of the Ulster Orchestra. Through their versatile sound and artistic excellence they have firmly established themselves as one of the leading ensembles on the island. Constantly pushing boundaries, Arco specialise in performance of music from all genres from high classical to rock and pop. Their flexibility has made them a favourite quartet of recording artists and they have collaborated with such artists as Snow Patrol, Duke Special, Liam Gallagher, Voy Vance, Beoga and The Villagers. In this concert they bring a selection of their favourite quartet arrangements spanning film, rock, pop and classical music. Not to be missed!
From Old to New: Ulster Scots Song
Mezzo-soprano Carolyn Dobbin and pianist Tristan Russcher take us on a journey through the rich tradition of Ulster Scots song, tracing its evolution from ancient airs to contemporary arrangements. A rare opportunity to hear this distinctive musical heritage brought to life in an intimate setting
Contrasts
Join the Fews Ensemble for a dazzling season finale featuring guest Northern Irish soprano and rising star Mary McCabe. This expansive programme takes us on a journey from the lyrical beauty of Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock and the sumptuous romanticism of some of Rachmaninov’s most touching songs through to Bartók’s vibrant and folk inspired Contrasts and the expressive lyricism of John Ireland’s Piano Trio No. 3. A celebration of colour, emotion, folklore and musical brilliance to end our season.
Quayside Sessions
Join us at the NCM Hub at The Quays, Newry for an intimate new concert series. Four evenings of exceptional music-making in our unique venue—from Ulster Scots song to candlelit strings, Bloomsday celebrations to quiet reflection. With just 50 seats per concert, these are performances to experience up close.
Théo Ould, Accordian and Alison Langer, Soprano
NCM are delighted to partner with Music Network for a second time this season to bring you a fascinating concert which promises a fresh take on music from Bach to Kurt Weill. We warmly welcome French Accordion virtuoso Théo Ould and outstanding British-Irish Soprano Alison Langer to Warrenpoint for a early summer concert of exuberance, vitality, flair and artistry.
"Served by a masterly technique (an unbelievably supple left hand and an inexhaustible wealth of phrasing), Théo Ould’s interpretations show a personality expressing itself naturally … with all the enchanting freshness that word implies.”