We are very grateful to Anna Weiss, a native German speaker and qualified pedagogue, who joined us in the second half of tonight’s rehearsal to give us her expert feedback and guidance on our German diction. Anna regularly coaches singers in the Royal Irish Academy of Music and has previously worked with Irish National Opera.

It was wonderful to work in detail on subtle nuances and tell-tale signs, such as the ich-Laut, that can separate native German singers from non-natives. Small tweaks in pronunciation can make a big difference to the beauty, clarity and expressiveness of our singing.

Tonight’s workshop focused in particular on the text of Psalm 91 in Felix Mendelssohn’s Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen, as we prepare for an upcoming European Grand Prix competition (watch this space for more details!).

We were privileged to open the annual Dún Laoghaire Summer Organ Concerts series with music for solo organ, unaccompanied choir, and choir & organ. Performing with Cuore was the Artistic Director of the series, organist Judit Máté.

• J.S. Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Dorian, BWV 538)
• Felix Mendelssohn - Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen (MWV B 53)
• Gerald Finzi - Lo, the Full Final Sacrifice (Op. 26)
• Bach - Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 645)
• Jonathan Dove - Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars
• Janet Wheeler - Alleluia! I Heard A Voice
• Tibor Pikéthy - Toccata in G major (Op.101)

Cuore sang three pieces as special guests at Cór Duibhlinne’s summer concert:

• Felix Mendelssohn - Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen (MWV B 53)
• Janet Wheeler - Alleluia! I Heard A Voice (Dublin premiere)
• arr. Michael McGlynn - ‘Sí do Mhaimeo Í

This concert marked Cór Duibhlinne’s 35th anniversary.

Thank you to our wonderful audience of 250 people who came to our anniversary concert, celebrating the rich musical tapestry we’ve woven since our first concert in April 2015.

We took a retrospective journey through the first decade of Cuore’s music-making, revisiting choir and audience favourites, and hidden gems from our repertoire. We were delighted to be joined by many alumni in the audience, and especially those who accepted our invitation to sing Kodály’s ‘Esti Dal’ with us.

We were also thrilled to present the world premiere of our anniversary commission in the presence of the celebrated Polish composer Michał Ziółkowski, with his beautiful setting of the evocative W. B. Yeats poem, To a Child Dancing Upon the Shore, crafted especially for Cuore’s 10th anniversary.