The National Symphony Orchestra celebrates Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday with concert and world premiere at the National Concert Hall in November

Bill Whelan at 75  The National Symphony Orchestra celebrates Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday with concert and world premiere at the National Concert Hall in November 

Friday 21 November 2025, 7.30pm  

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) proudly celebrates composer Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday with a concert at the National Concert Hall in November featuring some of his most popular works, including the world premiere of a new work commissioned from the Grammy Award-winning composer by the NSO and, in the year which marks the 30th anniversary of Riverdance, a performance of the Riverdance Symphonic Suite. Gavin Maloney conducts. 

Also in this birthday celebration are the title music from the film of Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, and ‘Caraçena’ from The Seville Suite, featuring Whelan’s signature use of traditional musicians in an orchestral context with uilleann piper Tara Howley and accordion player Damien Mullane performing as soloists. Séamus Ó Flatharta, voice, Irish harp and whistle, and Zoë Conway, fiddle, join to perform ‘An Chistin’ from The Connemara Suite, Whelan’s exhilarating and playful interaction between fiddles, feet and orchestra. The thrilling Riverdance Symphonic Suite, featuring all of the now-familiar melodies from Whelan’s hit score, sets aside the stage show’s traditional instruments and songs to release the majestic sweep of a full symphony orchestra for a fitting conclusion to this joyful celebration. 

Bill Whelan comment: 2025 is not only my 75th year on the planet, but it also marks the 30th year in the life of the most noted of my compositions, Riverdance. I am honoured that the National Symphony Orchestra is not only presenting this concert to mark these occasions, but that it has also commissioned a new piece from me to add to the repertoire. Events such as these provide opportunities to reflect on the arc of one’s work, and so the programme will include music from my earliest large scale orchestral composition, right up to the present.  

Within that arc the concert will feature that written for Expo ’92, ‘Caracena’ from The Seville Suite, the older sibling to Riverdance. It will also include some of the later chamber pieces, notably ‘An Chistin’ from The Connemara Suite, which received its US premiere performance in Carnegie Hall in 2005. It is a particular pleasure that Séamus Ó Flatharta, Zoë Conway and Damien Mullane, musicians with whom I frequently collaborate, will join as soloists. My work in film music will be recalled with the Main Title from the 1998 film Dancing at Lughnasa, which starred Meryl Streep and Michael Gambon. 

The occasion of writing a new work is always significant. In acknowledgement of my relationship with and affection for the National Symphony Orchestra, the new work will focus on each section of the orchestra, highlighting individual solo instruments as well as ensemble passages and ending with a full orchestral finale. 

The second half of the evening will feature the Riverdance Symphonic Suite, which incorporates the airs, songs and dance tunes from the show, re-orchestrated in 2012 to become a symphonic setting of the Eurovision original.” 

Joe Csibi, Head of Orchestra and Chorus at the National Concert Hall comment: “Bill’s creativity is unique, natural and groundbreaking in its varied incorporation of styles and influences from many music genres and traditions. His beautifully written melodic phrases and hypnotic rhythmic patterns captivate, the influences of Central and Eastern traditional music blend seamlessly with that which is intrinsic to the Irish tradition and orchestral writing. The NSO is thrilled to commission a new work for the full forces of a symphony orchestra from Bill and we look forward to its world premiere on the occasion of this 75th birthday celebration at the National Concert Hall.” 

 

Media Queries 

Assumpta Lawless, Marketing & Communications Manager, National Symphony Orchestra. 

Email: assumpta.lawless@nch.ie 

Mobile: 087 290 4168  

 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

Friday 21 November 2025, 7.30pm 

National Concert Hall  

 

Bill Whelan at 75

 

National Symphony Orchestra 

Gavin Maloney, conductor  

 

Zoë Conway, fiddle  

Tara Howley, uilleann pipes 

Séamus Ó Flatharta, voice, Irish harp, whistle 

Damien Mullane, accordion 

 

Bill Whelan 

Dancing at Lughnasa Main Title 

‘Caraçena’ from The Seville Suite 

‘An Chistin’ from The Connemara Suite 

New work for the National Symphony Orchestra World Premiere 

Riverdance Symphonic Suite 

 

Tickets: €15, €20, €28, €36, €44.50 (limited concessions available) 

Booking: Online: www.nch.ie / Telephone: 01 417 0000 

Full details: www. nch.ie 

 

About the National Concert Hall 

The National Concert Hall (NCH) is Ireland’s national cultural institution for music, proudly serving the Irish public since it opened in 1981 through live music performances and significant educational and cultural programmes. Based in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, next door to the picturesque Iveagh Gardens, the NCH is proud home to our National Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Chorus, Cór Linn and Cór na nÓg, as well as providing residence for a range of other music organisations including Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Music Network, Crash Ensemble and Music Generation. It is currently planning for a major redevelopment of all its facilities as part of the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040. 

 

Preasráiteas 

Dáta eisiúna: Dé hAoine, an 4 Aibreán 2025 

Bill Whelan ag aois 75 

Ceiliúrann an Cheolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta breithlá 75 bliain Bill Whelan le ceolchoirm agus taibhiú domhanda ag an gCeoláras Náisiúnta i mí na Samhna 

Dé hAoine, an 21 Samhain 2025, 7.30pm  

Déanann an Cheolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta (NSO) ceiliúradh bródúil ar bhreithlá 75 bliain an chumadóra Bill Whelan le ceolchoirm sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta i mí na Samhna ina bhfuil cuid dá shaothair is mó a bhfuil tóir orthu, agus an chéad taibhiú domhanda de shaothar nua a choimisiúnaigh an NSO ón gcumadóir a bhuaigh duaiseanna Grammy agus, sa bhliain ina ndéantar comóradh 30 bliain ar Riverdance, taibhiú den Riverdance Symphonic Suite. Stiúirtha ag Gavin Maloney. 

Sa cheiliúradh breithlae seo freisin tá an ceol teidil ó scannán Dancing at Lughnasale Brian Friel, agus ó ‘Caraçena’ ó The Seville Suite, ina bhfuil an úsáid shínithe a bhain Whelan as ceoltóirí traidisiúnta i gcomhthéacs ceolfhoirneach leis an bpíb uilleann Tara Howley agus an boscadóir Damien Mullane ag seinm mar aonréadaithe. Tagann Séamus Ó Flatharta, guth, cruit Ghaelach agus feadóg stáin, agus Zoë Conway, fidil, le chéile chun ‘An Chistin’ a léiriú ó The Connemara Suite, idirghníomhaíocht spleodrach agus spraíúil Whelan idir fidléirí, cosa agus ceolfhoireann. Cuireann an Riverdance Symphonic Suitecorraitheach, ina bhfuil na séiseanna go léir a bhfuil cur amach orthu anois ó scór mór Whelan, uirlisí agus amhráin thraidisiúnta an seó stáitse i leataobh chun scuabadh maorga de cheolfhoireann shiansach iomlán a scaoileadh chun críoch oiriúnach a chur leis an gceiliúradh lúcháireach seo. 

Bill Whelan comment: Ní amháin gurb í 2025 mo 75ú bliain ar an phláinéid, ach is í an 30ú bliain í freisin i saol na ndaoine is suntasaí de mo chuid cumadóireachta, Riverdance. Is mór an onóir dom nach amháin go bhfuil an Cheolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta ag cur na ceolchoirme seo i láthair chun na hócáidí seo a cheiliúradh, ach gur choimisiúnaigh sí píosa nua uaim freisin chun cur leis an stór. Cuireann imeachtaí mar seo deiseanna ar fáil chun machnamh a dhéanamh ar stua do shaothair, agus mar sin áireofar sa chlár ceol ón gcumadóireacht cheolfhoirneach ar scála mór is luaithe, go dtí an lá atá inniu ann.  

Laistigh den stua sin beidh an cheolchoirm a scríobhadh le haghaidh Expo’92, ‘Caracena’ ó The Seville Suite, an siblín níos sine go Riverdance. Beidh roinnt de na píosaí seomra níos déanaí ann freisin, go háirithe ‘An Chistin ’ó The Connemara Suite, a fuair a taibhiú den chéad uair sna Stáit Aontaithe i Carnegie Hall in 2005. Is cúis áthais ar leith é go mbeidh Séamus Ó Flatharta, Zoë Conway agus Damien Mullane, ceoltóirí a mbím ag comhoibriú leo go minic, páirteach mar aonréadaithe. Meabhrófar mo shaothar i gceol scannáin leis an bPríomhtheideal ón scannán 1998 Damhsa ag Lughnasa, a raibh Meryl Streep agus Michael Gambon mar réalta air. 

Is ócáid thábhachtach i gcónaí é saothar nua a scríobh. Mar aitheantas ar an gcaidreamh atá agam leis an gCeolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta agus ar an gean atá agam uirthi, díreoidh an saothar nua ar gach cuid den cheolfhoireann, ag cur béime ar uirlisí aonair aonair chomh maith le pasáistí ensemble agus ag críochnú le críoch iomlán ceolfhoirne. 

Sa dara leath den tráthnóna beidh an Riverdance Symphonic Suite, ina bhfuil na foinn, na hamhráin agus na foinn damhsa ón seó, a atheagraíodh in 2012 chun suíomh siansach den bhunleagan Eurovision a dhéanamh de.” 

Seo mar a labhair Joe Csibi, Ceann na Ceolfhoirne agus an Chorais ag an gCeoláras Náisiúnta: “Tá cruthaitheacht Billí uathúil, nádúrtha agus ceannródaíoch ina ionchorprú éagsúil stíleanna agus tionchair ó go leor seánraí agus traidisiún ceoil. Tá a fhrásaí séiseacha áille scríofa agus a phatrúin rithimeacha hypnotic mealltach, cumascann tionchair cheol traidisiúnta an Lár agus an Oirthir gan uaim leis an gceann atá ina dhlúthchuid de thraidisiún agus de scríbhneoireacht cheolfhoirne na hÉireann. Tá ríméad ar an NSO saothar nua a choimisiúnú d’fhórsaí iomlána cheolfhoireann shiansach Bill agus táimid ag tnúth lena chéad taibhiú domhanda ar ócáid an cheiliúrtha 75ú breithlá seo sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta.” 

 

Ceisteanna ó na Meáin 

Assumpta Lawless, Bainisteoir Margaíochta & Cumarsáide, Ceolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta. 

Ríomhphost: assumpta.lawless@nch.ie 

Uimhir fóin: 087 290 4168  

 

NÓTAÍ DO NA HEAGARTHÓIRÍ 

Dé hAoine, an 21 Samhain 2025, 7.30pm 

An Ceoláras Náisiúnta  

 

Bill Whelan ag aois 75  

Ceolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta 

Gavin Maloney, stiúrthóir  

 

Zoë Conway, fidil  

Tara Howley, píb uilleann 

Séamus Ó Flatharta, guth, cláirseach Éireannach, feadóg stáin 

Damien Mullane, bosca ceoil 

 

Bill Whelan 

Dancing at Lughnasa Príomhtheideal 

‘Caraçena’ ó The Seville Suite 

‘An Chistin’ ó The Connemara Suite 

Saothar nua don An chéad Taibhiú Domhanda na Ceolfhoirne Siansaí Náisiúnta 

Riverdance Symphonic Suite 

 

Ticéid: €15, €20, €28, €36, €44.50 (lamháltais theoranta ar fáil) 

 

Áirithint: Ar líne: www.nch.ie / Telephone: 01 417 0000 

Sonraí iomlána: www. nch.ie 

 

Faoi an Ceoláras Náisiúnta 

Is institiúid chultúrtha náisiúnta na hÉireann don cheol é an Ceoláras Náisiúnta, a fhreastalaíonn go bródúil ar phobal na hÉireann ó osclaíodh é i 1981 trí thaibhithe ceoil beo agus cláir shuntasacha oideachais agus chultúrtha. Lonnaithe i gcroílár Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus béal dorais le Gairdíní Uíbh Eachach, tá an Ceoláras Náisiúnta bródúil as ár gCeolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta, Cór Siansach Náisiúnta, Cór Linn agus Cór na nÓg chomh maith le háit chónaithe a chur ar fáil do réimse eagraíochtaí ceoil eile lena n-áirítear Cór Aireagail Éireann, Ceolfhoireann Bharócach na hÉireann, Music Network, Crash Ensemble agus Music Generation. Tá sé i gceist faoi láthair athfhorbairt mór á dhéanamh ar na háiseanna go léir mar chuid den Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta agus de Thionscadal Éireann 2040. 

 

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