Patrick Rafter and Fiachra Garvey

We are delighted to welcome pianist, Fiachra Garvey, back to Sligo. Fiachra will be joined for this concert by acclaimed violinist, Patrick Rafter. Over his career Fiachra has been a prize winner of many prestigious piano competitions both in Ireland and abroad. He has performed in venues from the Fazioli Auditorium in Italy to the Wigmore Hall in London. Patrick Rafter is regarded as one of Ireland’s leading young musicians. He has studied with and performed alongside some of the greatest performers in the world today, including Maxim Vengerov, Barry Douglas and John O’Conor.

The programme celebrates ‘Love in all its forms. We start with Clara Schumann’s Romances, which left King George V of Hanover “completely ecstatic”. Ravel’s G major violin sonata is one of the most iconic in the repertoire. Evident in this work is Ravel’s love of jazz, a musical world he adored. Ysaÿe dedicated his Poème élégiaque to Fauré and this melancholic and turbulent work was credited as one of the most unique and original of his compositions. Lekeu’s mighty G major sonata to finish is a work of epic proportions, taking the listener on an emotional roller-coaster!’