Christmas Message from our CEO

As 2024 comes to a close and we look ahead to an exciting year of music in 2025, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to our friends, patrons, partners, musicians, and audiences for your unwavering support of the National Concert Hall. Your presence has been invaluable, and we are privileged to continue offering inspiring and culturally enriching performances.

I also extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated staff, Board, and management team, whose hard work and commitment make all of this possible.

It has been a momentous year at the NCH as we marked significant milestones in the once-in-a-generation redevelopment of our site. This transformation will create a world-class, vibrant cultural campus, doubling our visitor capacity, restoring an iconic building, and establishing cutting-edge spaces for performance, education, and inclusivity. The redevelopment will position the NCH as a national centre for music, on par with the greatest music destinations worldwide.

Central to this redevelopment will be the NCH Discover Centre, a vibrant hub for learning and participation, featuring upgraded concert, workshop, and rehearsal spaces. This expanded facility will support our growing education and outreach programmes, foster early music engagement, promote health and wellbeing, and offer performance opportunities that inspire and uplift our entire community.

2024 has been a year of unforgettable highlights at the NCH. We began with the NCH Lifetime Achievement Award Gala, where we honoured Dame Ann Murray, joined by the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and special guests. The NSO enjoyed its best-attended season in many years, with over fifteen sell-out concerts. 

During Jaime Martín’s final season as Chief Conductor, we welcomed outstanding soloists including Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Maxim Vengerov, Elīna Garanča, and Wayne Marshall. Concert highlights included a celebration of Brendan Graham’s music, an incredible return by Marin Alsop conducting The Rite of Spring, Anja Bihlmaier’s unforgettable performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Ailish Tynan, Niamh O’Sullivan, the National Symphony Chorus, and Cór Linn choir. John Wilson conducted the awe-inspiring Holst: The Planets. Jaime concluded the season with a stunning performance of Verdi’s Requiem. The introduction of our Symphony Shorts series has further demonstrated our commitment to offering extraordinary orchestral experiences to younger audiences.

We’ve built on the success of the 23/24 season by launching our 24/25 season in May, with over 60 concerts, bringing together the NSO and International Concert Series together for the first time with three new Artists-in-Residence, and expanded screenings and family performances. We’ve also enhanced our ticket pricing to reduce financial barriers and make our concerts even more accessible.

Our Perspectives series has showcased groundbreaking artists, and it’s been a privilege to welcome exceptional talents such as Samara Joy, CHRISTEENE, Anohni, Max Richter, Arooj Aftab, and Nils Frahm to our stage. 

The Tradition Now festival, supported by The Arts Council, continued, as did the Drawing from the Well series with the Irish Traditional Music Archive, bringing the finest traditional Irish artists to perform. 

This year has featured many Irish and world premieres, alongside new music as part of New Music Dublin. Our NCH Talks series has also hosted renowned writers, including Sally Rooney, Yotam Ottolenghi, Jon Ronson, and Armistead Maupin.

We take great pride in the work of our choirs; National Symphony Chorus, Cór Linn and Cór na nÓg and we were thrilled that Cór Linn recently won first place in the Youth Choir category at the City of Derry International Choir Festival. 

Early 2025 brings a dynamic programme of performances, including NSO concerts with renowned guest conductors and soloists. Highlights include the debut screening of SING SING with live score by Bryce Dessner (NCH Artist-in-Residence), performed by the NSO, and Life on Our Planet in Concert, in partnership with Netflix and Silverback Films. Acclaimed pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii will perform Chopin and Liszt, followed by Alice Sara Ott playing Beethoven Sonatas. 

In February, the Prague Symphony Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Alexander Sitkovetsky. The NSO will present several premieres: Stephen McNeff’s The Celestial Stranger (January) as well as Arvo Pärt’s Berliner Messe and Mozart’s Requiem (February), and Ailís Ní Ríain’s The Land Grows Weary of its Own (February).

Also in February, Tara Erraught will launch Celebrating the Voice, a professional development programme for Irish singers, with performances alongside the NSO. St. Patrick’s Week will feature the NSO with Martin Hayes, and young Irish pianist Jamie Duffy will make his main stage debut on St. Patrick’s Night.

March brings a special International Women’s Day concert, celebrating Irish female voices such as Moya Brennan, Una Healy, Tolu Makay, Aimée, RuthAnne, Erica Cody, Stephanie Rainey, Soule, and many more.

In 2025, we’ll also launch a new city-wide festival, Festival of Voice, celebrating singing and choral music in all its forms. In the autumn we look forward to the return of our building-wide celebration of electronic arts, Haunted Dancehall.

Whatever your taste in music, we hope you find something to excite and enthral and we look forward to welcoming you back to the NCH in the New Year.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise Daoibh.

Robert Read