Published on: Monday, 05 October 2015

2015 marks the fortieth anniversary of the death of composer Dmitri Shostakovich, one of the greatest composer of the 20th century. To commemorate this event, an exciting four-day festival will see both international and Irish artists perform all of Shostakovich's greatest chamber works in the CIT Cork School of Music, Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th November. The highlight of the festival will feature the Carducci Quartet performing all fifteen of Shostakovich's string quartets in four concerts over three days, which will be the very first time that all fifteen quartets will be performed as a single cycle in Ireland.  Ranging from the earliest of his mature compositions to among his very final musical thoughts, the cycle of Shostakovich's fifteen string quartets tells the composer's life story through his own music and promises to be a deeply moving musical journey.

The festival will also feature international artists, pianist Barry Douglas from Belfast and the Cork-based Vanburgh Quartet, alongside a number of other emerging performers from the CIT Cork School of Music.  The festival will offer a dazzling array of music from Shostakovich's vast output, ranging from the a performance of the composer's rarely heard works for two pianos to the festival's final event which will see the Irish premiere of the entire cycle of Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues, performed over two concerts on Sunday 8th November.  Alongside a solo piano recital and a fun-filled concert for young people, other festival highlights include the performance of Shostakovich's three duo sonatas performed on Friday 6th November including a specially intimate late-night performance of the composer's final work, the Viola Sonata, which he completed in his dying days.

This intensive four-day festival, dedicated exclusively to the works of Dmitri Shostakovich, is the first of its kind in Ireland.  Featuring such international names as the Carducci Quartet, Vanburgh Quartet and Barry Douglas performing the greatest works of one the 20th century's greatest composer, Shostakovich Festival 2015 promises to be an unforgettable musical experience. 

Programme and pricing details are available from the Cork Orchestral Society website and Shostakovich Festival 2015 Facebook