Celebrating all that is inquisitive, innovative and exquisite in music performance in Ireland since 2009, Kaleidoscope was created by violinist Cliodhna Ryan and cellist Kate Ellis and was staged for four years in The Odessa Club, Dublin.
“Reeling from the shock of recession, the capital city’s culture vultures and musicians welcomed the series innovative and accessible approach with open arms from the get-go,” explains a spokesperson for Kaleidoscope.
A Kaleidoscope evening comprises four or five slots of "easily-digested duration", presented in a ‘salon’ or club/lounge environment, which is a far cry from the typical classical music performance scenario.
The combination of rarely-heard classical chamber music, of various genres, with contemporary and experimental projects is the essence of the series’ programming formula.
Irish composers are regularly featured. In 2014, violist Karen Dervan and cellist Lioba Petrie took over the curatorial reins of the series and in October 2015, the series moved to a new residence, the Bello Bar in Portobello to allow for a bigger capacity and a larger stage facility.
The series has also toured to all of the country’s major arts festivals, including Galway, Kilkenny, West Cork, Waterford, Carlow, Drogheda, Clifden, Limerick. And to many of Ireland’s most vibrant arts centres, such as The Dock (Carrick-on-Shannon), Glór (Ennis), The Model (Sligo) and Duncairn Arts Centre (Belfast). The series also curated a presentation for The Irish Times “Downstairs Dublin” installation in Merrion Square, as part of Culture Night 2014.
For the 100th show – which will be curated by Karen Dervan and Lioba Petrie, and will include a total of 19 performers – Kaleidoscope will move to the larger-capacity venue of The Sugar Club for their gala event /music for the evening, which includes Igor Stravinsky’s seminal “The Rite of Spring”, composed in 1913 for a ballet that, as a concert piece, is considered to be one of the most influential works of the 20th century. It will be performed, in a wind quintet arrangement, by Cassiopeia Winds, a quintet comprising five of Ireland’s top woodwind specialists.
Here’s the full programme details:
Igor Stravinsky: “The Rite of Spring”
Performers: Cassiopeia Winds
Leonard Bernstein: “West Side Story Suite” (arr. Jack Gale)
Performer: Cornucopia Brass Quintet
Airs and Dances from Dublin Castle
Performers: The Spackling Band
Rachel Grimes: “Book of Leaves”
Performer: Dublin Guitar Quartet
David Stalling: World Premier for Wind Quintet and Electronics
Performer: Cassiopeia Winds
For further information check out www.kaleidoscopenight.com