Tune into Cellissimo – Ireland’s music for the senses

True to its original vision, Cellissimo – Music for the Senses will celebrate one of the world’s most beloved and versatile instruments as the Music for Galway arts organisation raises the bar with top international performers.

At a time when audiences have been bereft of the real and the sensual impact of live music in a physical space, Music for Galway aims to bring a little of it back into music-lovers’ lives.

The eight-day festival programme (21 – 28 March 2021) maintains the stellar line-up of top international cellists such as Mischa Maisky, Nicolas Altstaedt, Natalie Haas, Marc Coppey and Tatjana Vassiljeva and features many of its original strands.

The core artistic programme will feature orchestral concerts by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Irish Chamber Orchestra, chamber music, cello and piano recitals and Bach solo performances throughout County Galway.

This will be complemented by a masterclass programme, a traditional music strand, the presentation of the newly commissioned Galway cello and much more.

Music for Galway has joined forces with local producers to offer experiences connected to specific elements of the programme, and will bring the taste and touch of the real west of Ireland during a series of online and hybrid live events. 

Through various tiered live stream options, Cellissimo – Music for the Senses will offer a range of tastings, craft classes and talks carefully chosen to enhance the online experience of some concerts.

Via a series of live stream concert links, access to talks, food and drink parcels and even wool and scent kits, the festival’s tiered ticketing system will allow those who wish for a more immersive experience to ‘expand’ their concert ticket. 

County Galway landmarks such as Kylemore Abbey, Portumna Castle and the Aran Islands, which lie of the Galway coast, will feature in the performances. Concerts can also be accompanied by the story of Irish cider, a knitting class led by an expert teaching one of the many traditional Aran stitches, and cheese provided by Sheridan’s Cheese Mongers.

More detail will be announced closer to the time, but for those who like the touch of wool, the heady taste of cider or the subtleties of crumbling cheese to accompany the sound of the cello, Cellissimo – Music for the Senses will be a delight. 

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