Festival of Voice: Cór Ban Cúil Aodha

Cór Ban Cúil Aodha
​​​​​​​Peadar Ó Riada

Festival of Voice is a weekend festival celebrating the power, beauty and universality of the human voice.

Bhunaigh Peadar Ó Riada Cór Ban Chuil Aodha i 1985 mar gur shíl sé nách raibh cothram na féinne dá thabhairt don fhuinneamh bainnean sa cheantar agus Cor Chúil Aodha na bhfear ag tógaint lár páirce. Bíonn cleachta acu gach Ceadaoin sa Draighean i gCúil Aodha agus tá fáilte roim baill nua. Is i ngaoluinn a déantar curaim agus saothar an Cór seo.

Peadar Ó Riada formed this choir in 1985 as he felt that the female creative energy was not getting its fair share of attention while the men’s Cór Chuil Aodha held sway on stage at home and abroad. They rehearse every Wednesday in An Draighean, Cúil Aodha and all their meetings and works are through the medium of the Irish language.

The choir has two major works that are exceptionally long and difficult. These works were composed by Peadar Ó Riada and rehearsed and learnt over a 20 year period. They were performed back to back for the first time in Early May 2010. They are "Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoighre" and "Laoi na Laoithe". In recent times the choir has been assembling and recording a whole new series of works based on poems by Seamus Heaney, Donal Ó Liatháin, Padraig Mac Piarais and traditional songs and material.

Laoi na Laoithe

Tosnaíodh an saothar seo sa bhliain 2006 mar fhorbairt ar an stíl cumadóireachta a bhí tosnaithe ag Peadar agus an Cór le Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoighre. Críochnaíodh é in Earrach na bliana 2009. Tá sé timpeal 60 neomart ar fhaid agus tá sé bunaithe ar théacs iomlán Laoi na Laoithe ón mBíobla Criostaí.

This work was composed as a continuation of the musical experiment with the work Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoighre. It is approximately 60 minutes long in one movement. It is based on the complete text of the Song of Solomon in the Christian Bible. For texts, further information on this work and to hear an example press here.

Ó shoin, tá an Cór ban ag obair ar taifid nua agus píosaí nua oibre. Le linn deire 2016 dheineadar taifead ar saothar nua-bunaithe ar an ndán Móradh Dhuit le Pádraig Mac Piarais agus dheineadar é seo ar stáitse is craoladh be ar theilifís ón Ceol Árus Náisiúnta agus arís ón INEC do Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Foilsíodh an píosa ceoil seo ar an album Onóir faoi lipéad Ghael Linn ina dhiaidh sin. Bhíodar leis sa Bhruiséal chun coirm a dheineamh don Pairlimint Eorpach ach cuireadh ar ath-ló é seo ar an lá de dheascaibh buamáil san ionad.

Tá an Cor ag obair le roinnt blianta ar album nua. Dánta le Séamus Heaney, Dónal Ó Liatháin agus amhráin traidisiúnta nua-chóirithe atá ann. Tá an ceol uilig cumtha/cóirithe ag Peadar Ó Riada. Tá meascán de píosaí as gaoluinn agus foth amhrán as béarla leis.

Since then the Cór Ban has been working on a new series of recordings and on new works. During 2016 they recorded a new commemorative work based on the poem Moradh Dhuit by Patrick Pearse. This new work they performed in the National Concert Hall and again in the INEC as a live broadcast for Oireachtas na Gaeilge. It was subsequently released on the album Ónóir under the Gael Linn label. They also travelled to Brussels to perform in the European Parliament but a bombing of the venue on the day meant a postponement of that performance

The Choir has recorded a new album in recent years. These are all new works based on poems by Seamus Heaney, Dónal Ó Liatháin, Patrick Pearse and new arrangements of old traditional songs. There are pieces in Irish and English in the collection.

Presented by NCH and supported by IPUT Real Estate Dublin