IRISH Chamber Orchestra launched its next season of September to April concerts at the RDS Concert Hall with Mary Hanafin, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport officiating with orchestra CEO John Kelly and the artistic director, Anthony Marwood.

Happily, ICO grounds in Limerick again for the opening concert for 2010/11 at University Concert Hall on September 23. This first programme will be based on Beethoven and Milhaud. There will be a monthly concert in Dublin and Limerick until April next year, after which the summer policy of touring under orchestra leader Katherine Hunka resumes.

“We welcome back two friends,” announced Marwood, “the inspirational Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto, and Jörg Widmann, who collaborated so memorably with us in Berlin a few seasons ago”.

“Jorg is one of the most important composers of his generation and his October tour offers a rare outing in Ireland for his wide-ranging talents,” elaborated the ICO director. “We also welcome Matthew Halls, artistic director of the much admired Retrospect Ensemble, and Tonu Kaljuste, who’s Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir has achieved enormous international acclaim. He is a perfect fit for ICO’s Messiah performance in December”.

At the RDS, a partner venue for the Dublin concerts, Anthony Marwood revealed that the coming 2010/11 series is framed by his own collaborations, this year focusing particularly on masterpieces by

Beethoven. Weber, Vivaldi, Mozart, Widman and soloists Paul McMamara and Regina Nathan all feature in future concerts. Minister Mary Hanafin mello cellos orchestra member Malachy Robinson and leader Katherine Hunka in the refurbished RDS Concert Hall.