The National Symphony Orchestra to celebrate composer Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday with a concert in November

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) will celebrate composer Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday with a concert at the National Concert Hall, set for November 21.

Tickets are available now. The show will feature Whelan’s most popular works, including the Riverdance Symphonic Suite, the title music from Brian Friel’s film Dancing at Lughnasa, ‘Caraçena’ from The Seville Suite and the world premiere of a new work commissioned from the Grammy Award-winning composer by the NSO. Gavin Maloney will conduct.

“2025 is not only my 75th year on the planet, but it also marks the 30th year in the life of the most noted of my compositions, Riverdance,” said Whelan. “I am honoured that the National Symphony Orchestra is not only presenting this concert to mark these occasions, but that it has also commissioned a new piece from me to add to the repertoire. Events such as these provide opportunities to reflect on the arc of one’s work, and so the programme will include music from my earliest large scale orchestral composition, right up to the present.”

Musicians featured in the concert include Tara Howley on uilleann pipes, Damien Mullane on the accordion, Séamus Ó Flatharta on vocals, Irish harp and whistle and Zoë Conway on the fiddle.

“Bill’s creativity is unique, natural and groundbreaking in its varied incorporation of styles and influences from many music genres and traditions,” said Head of Orchestra and Chorus at the NSO, Joe Csibi. “His beautifully written melodic phrases and hypnotic rhythmic patterns captivate, the influences of Central and Eastern traditional music blend seamlessly with that which is intrinsic to the Irish tradition and orchestral writing.”

Tickets for the concert are available here.