Events and Tickets
Saint Sister, Hatis Noit, Eric Whitacre, and Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass Headline Major Celebration of the Human Voice in National Concert Hall’s Festival of Voice 2026 22-24 May 2026
Saint Sister, Hatis Noit, Eric Whitacre, and Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass Headline Major Celebration of the Human Voice in National Concert Hall’s Festival of Voice 2026
22-24 May 2026
Tickets On-sale 4th March 10am www.nch.ie
The National Concert Hall today announces Festival of Voice 2026 running from 22–24 May 2026 a weekend-long celebration of the power, beauty and universality of the human voice, headlined by Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre, alongside acclaimed artists Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit, Rachael Lavelle, and performances of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s landmark work Drone Mass. The festival, supported by IPUT Real Estate Dublin, brings together international stars, leading Irish ensembles, emerging artists and community choirs in a city-wide moment of collective listening, singing and storytelling.
Over three days, the National Concert Hall will become a home for voices in all their forms – from the soaring choral works of Eric Whitacre, who conducts National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, National Symphony Chorus Ireland and Chamber Choir Ireland in a flagship concert, Saturday 23 May, to genre-defying contemporary vocalists Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit, Rachael Lavelle in Ecstatic Visions with Festival of Voice Chorus under the baton of David Brophy, Friday 22nd May, and the immersive choral-electronic soundscape of Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass with Chamber Choir Ireland and Crash Ensemble, Sunday 24 May. The programme spans large-scale performances, intimate recitals, participatory workshops and community events, placing Dublin at the centre of a vibrant international conversation about the voice as a force for connection, identity and shared experience.
The festival also places a strong emphasis on access, wellbeing and community. Alongside world-class performers, Festival of Voice brings audiences into direct contact with the joy and therapeutic power of singing, from an open, inclusive workshop-performance with Wicklow Parkinson’s Choir, to Irish-language vocal traditions with Cór Ban Cúil Aodha and a special Festival of Voice edition of Dublin storytelling phenomenon Seanchoíche. Emerging artists are spotlighted through masterclasses and recitals with soprano Laurence Servaes, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of vocal talent.
In addition, The Wilton Park Summer Lunchtime Series will see four midday concerts throughout June celebrating two of Dublin’s most vibrant music scenes: contemporary traditional Irish music and indie-influenced vocal pop. Curated by Maitiú Ó Casaide and Theodora Byrne, the series showcases new work and guest collaborations from leading voices in Ireland’s evolving music landscape.
Nigel Flegg, CEO of the National Concert Hall, said: “The human voice is our first instrument and our most powerful means of communication and connection. In a city as culturally alive as Dublin, Festival of Voice is about more than performance, it’s about bringing people together through shared breath, sound and story. This festival places the voice at the centre of our artistic life: professional and amateur, traditional and contemporary, intimate and monumental. It reflects who we are as a society – diverse, expressive and deeply connected through music. I would like to thank IPUT Real Estate Dublin for their support of the festival which an exciting addition to our programme at NCH.”
The CEO of IPUT Real Estate Dublin, Niall Gaffney, lead sponsor of Festival of Voice, said: “Great cities are defined not just by buildings, but by the voices that fill them – the artists, the communities, and the shared cultural experiences that give a place its soul. We are proud to support Festival of Voice as a celebration of creativity, inclusion and the power of people coming together. This festival reflects the Dublin we believe in open, imaginative and alive with possibility.”
Festival of Voice 2026 is presented by the National Concert Hall and supported by IPUT Real Estate Dublin. Full programme details and booking information are available via www.nch.ie. Tickets for all main stage events start at €15 with 10% discount for groups of 10 or more, and for Friends of the NCH.
ENDS
Media Queries/Interviews: Sinéad Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, National Concert Hall, Dublin 2 087 1775334 or Roisin Dwyer, PR & Publications Executive, National Concert Hall, Dublin 2. 085 7129628
Festival of Voice 2026 – What’s On (Full Listings)
Friday 22 May
10:15–12:15, Kevin Barry Recital Room
Tickets: €5 (observer)
Laurence Servaes Song Recital
13:00, Kevin Barry Recital Room
Tickets: €12.50 (unreserved)
Cór Ban Cúil Aodha
15:00, Studio
Tickets: €12.50
Ecstatic Visions: Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit, Rachael Lavelle
Festival of Voice Chorus, David Brophy, conductor
20:00, Main Stage
Tickets: €15, €22, €27.50, €32
***
Saturday 23 May
Songs of Earth with Cór Linn
13:00, John Field Room
Tickets: €12.50
Wicklow Parkinson’s Choir (interactive workshop-performance)
15:00, Kevin Barry Room
Tickets: €12.50
Eric Whitacre conducts National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, National Symphony Chorus Ireland & Chamber Choir Ireland
19:30, Main Stage
Tickets: €15, €30, €42, €55
Seanchoíche: Ordinary People. Extraordinary Stories.
20:00
Tickets: €20
***
Sunday 24 May
Come and Sing with Eric Whitacre and Sing Ireland
14:30, Main Stage
Tickets: €15 unreserved
Jóhann Jóhannsson: Drone Mass - Chamber Choir Ireland & Crash Ensemble
20:00, Main Stage
Tickets: €15, €25, €29.50, €35
NCH Box Office: Tel: 014170000 or www.nch.ie or
ABOUT NATIONAL CONCERT HALL
The National Concert Hall is Ireland’s national cultural institution for music, proudly serving audiences since opening in 1981 through an extensive programme of live performance, education and cultural initiatives. Located in the heart of Dublin city centre beside the Iveagh Gardens, the NCH is home to National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, National Symphony Chorus, the NCH Cór Linn youth choir (for ages 14–19), and Ireland’s leading children’s choir Cór na nÓg. The NCH also provides a home for a range of resident music organisations, including Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Music Network, Crash Ensemble and Music Generation.
The National Concert Hall is currently planning a major redevelopment of its facilities as part of Project Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan. The NCH Discover Centre marks the first phase of this once-in-a-generation transformation, reimagining the National Concert Hall as a vibrant, accessible cultural campus, a true home for music in Ireland. The expanded campus will feature new and enhanced performance spaces, learning and participation facilities, and welcoming civic spaces, engaging more than 500,000 visitors annually. At its heart, this redevelopment will deepen the NCH’s national impact, ensuring music is experienced, explored and shared by generations to come.
Saint Sister, Hatis Noit, Eric Whitacre, agus Drone Mass de chuid Jóhann Jóhannsson ina bpríomhaíonna ar Mhórcheiliúradh ar an nGuth Dhaonna i bhFéile an Ghutha 2026 de chuid an Cheolárais Náisiúnta.
22-24 Bealtaine 2026 Ticéid Ar díol 4 Márta 10r.n. www.nch.ie
Fógraíonn an Ceoláras Náisiúnta inniu Féile an Ghutha 2026, a bheidh ar siúl ón 22-24 Bealtaine 2026 – ceiliúradh deireadh seachtaine ar chumhacht, ar áilleacht agus ar uilíochas an ghutha dhaonna. Beidh an cumadóir agus stiúrthóir ceoil a bhuaigh Gradam Grammy, Eric Whitacre, mar phríomhaoi na féile, i dteannta na n-ealaíontóirí iomráiteacha Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit, Rachael Lavelle, agus léirithe de shaothar suntasach Jóhann Jóhannsson, Drone Mass. Le tacaíocht ó IPUT Real Estate Dublin, tugann an fhéile réaltaí idirnáisiúnta, príomh-ensembleanna Éireannacha, ealaíontóirí atá ag teacht chun cinn agus cóir pobail i nóiméad ar fud na cathrach de chomhéisteacht, amhránaíocht agus scéalaíocht.
Le linn na dtrí lá, beidh an Ceoláras Náisiúnta ina bhaile do ghuthanna i ngach cruth agus foirm – ó shaothair mhóra chórúla Eric Whitacre, a stiúrfaidh Ceolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta Éireann, Cór Shiansach Náisiúnta Éireann agus Cór Aireagail na hÉireann i gceolchoirm mhór Dé Sathairn, 23 Bealtaine, go dtí guthanna comhaimseartha a sháraíonn seánraí, Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit agus Rachael Lavelle in Ecstatic Visions le Cór Fhéile an Ghutha faoi stiúir David Brophy, Dé hAoine 22 Bealtaine, agus an fuaimdhreach córúil-leictreonach tumthach de Drone Mass le Cór Aireagail na hÉireann agus Crash Ensemble, Dé Domhnaigh 24 Bealtaine. Cuimsíonn an clár léirithe ar scála mór, aithrisí pearsanta, ceardlanna rannpháirtíochta agus imeachtaí pobail, ag cur Baile Átha Cliath i gcroílár comhrá idirnáisiúnta bríomhar faoin nguth mar fhórsa le haghaidh naisc, féiniúlachta agus eispéireas comhroinnte.
Cuireann an fhéile béim mhór freisin ar rochtain, ar fholláine agus ar an bpobal. In éineacht le taibheoirí den chéad scoth, tugann Féile an Ghutha an lucht féachana i dteagmháil dhíreach le lúcháir agus cumhacht theiripeach na hamhránaíochta, ó cheardlann oscailte, uilechuimsitheach - léiriú le Cór Parkinson Chill Mhantáin, go traidisiúin ghutha Ghaeilge le Cór Ban Chúil Aodha, agus eagrán speisialta Fhéile an Ghutha den fheiniméan scéalaíochta Seanchoíche i mBaile Átha Cliath. Cuirtear spotsolas ar ealaíontóirí atá ag teacht chun cinn trí mháistir-ranganna agus aithrisí leis an soprán Laurence Servaes, ag treisiú tiomantas na féile don chéad ghlúin eile de thallann gutha a chothú.
Ina theannta sin, beidh Sraith Lón-ama Samhraidh Pháirc Wilton ar siúl le ceithre cheolchoirm meánlae i rith mhí an Mheithimh, ag ceiliúradh dhá cheann de na domhain cheoil is bríomhaire i mBaile Átha Cliath: ceol traidisiúnta comhaimseartha na hÉireann agus pop-ghutha le tionchar indie. Curtha le chéile ag Maitiú Ó Casaide agus Theodora Byrne, taispeánann an tsraith saothar nua agus comhoibrithe aoi ó phríomhghuthanna i dtírdhreach ceoil na hÉireann atá ag athrú.
Dúirt Nigel Flegg, POF an Cheolárais Náisiúnta: “Is é guth an duine an chéad uirlis atá againn agus an modh cumarsáide agus naisc is cumhachtaí atá againn. I gcathair chomh beo cultúrtha le Baile Átha Cliath, baineann Féile an Ghutha le níos mó ná taibhiú – baineann sé le daoine a thabhairt le chéile trí anáil, fuaim agus scéal comhroinnte. Cuireann an fhéile seo an guth i gcroílár ár saol ealaíne: gairmiúil agus amaitéarach, traidisiúnta agus comhaimseartha, pearsanta agus mórscála. Léiríonn sí cé muid féin mar shochaí – éagsúil, léiritheach agus ceangailte go domhain tríd an gceol. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le IPUT Real Estate Dublin as a dtacaíocht don fhéile a chuireann go mór lenár gclár ag an gCeoláras Náisiúnta.”
Dúirt Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin IPUT Real Estate Dublin, Niall Gaffney, príomhurraitheoir Fhéile an Ghutha: “Sainítear cathracha iontacha ní hamháin ag foirgnimh, ach ag na guthanna a líonann iad – na healaíontóirí, na pobail, agus na heispéiris chultúrtha chomhroinnte a thugann a anam d'áit. Is cúis bhróid dúinn tacú le Féile an Ghutha mar cheiliúradh ar chruthaitheacht, ar chuimsiú agus ar chumhacht na ndaoine atá ag teacht le chéile. Léiríonn an fhéile seo an Baile Átha Cliath ina gcreidimid – oscailte, samhlaíoch agus lán de dheiseanna.”
Cuireann an Ceoláras Náisiúnta Féile an Ghutha 2026 i láthair le tacaíocht ó IPUT Real Estate Dublin. Tá sonraí iomlána an chláir agus faisnéis áirithinte ar fáil ag www.nch.ie.
Tosaíonn ticéid do gach príomhimeacht stáitse ag €15, le lascaine 10% do ghrúpaí de 10 nó níos mó agus do Chairde an Cheolárais Náisiúnta.
Féile an Ghutha 2026 – Cad atá ar Siúl (Liostaí Iomlána)
Dé hAoine, 22 Bealtaine Máistir-rang Laurence Servaes 10:15–12:15, Seomra Ceadail Kevin Barry Ticéid: €5 (breathnóir)
Ceadal Amhrán Laurence Servaes 13:00, SeomraCeadail Kevin Barry Ticéid: €12.50 (gan suíocháin curtha in áirithe)
Cór Ban Chúil Aodha 15:00, StudioTickets: €12.50
Ecstatic Visions: Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit, Rachael Lavelle Cór Fhéile an Ghutha, David Brophy, stiúrthóir 20:00, Príomhstáitse Ticéid: €15, €22, €27.50, €32
****
Dé Sathairn, 23 Bealtaine Songs of Earth le Cór Linn 13:00, Seomra John Field Ticéid: €12.50
Cór Parkinson’s Chill Mhantáin (ceardlann-léiriú idirghníomhach) 15:00, Seomra Kevin Barry Ticéid: €12.50
Eric Whitacre i gCeolchoirm – Eric Whitacre ag stiúradh Cheolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta Éireann, Chór Shiansach Náisiúnta Éireann agus Chór Aireagail na hÉireann 19:30, Príomhstáitse Ticéid: €15, €30, €42, €55
Seanchoíche: Gnáthdhaoine. Scéalta Neamhghnácha. 20:00 Ticéid: €20
****
Dé Domhnaigh, 24 Bealtaine Come and Sing le Eric Whitacre agus Sing Ireland 14:30, Príomhstáitse Ticéid: €15 (gan suíocháin curtha in áirithe)
Jóhann Jóhannsson: Drone Mass - Cór Aireagail na hÉireann & Crash Ensemble 20:00, Príomhstáitse Ticéid €15, €25, €29.50, €35
Oifig na dTicéad, An Ceoláras Náisiúnta Teil: 014170000 nó www.nch.ie nó
MAIDIR LEIS AN gCEOLÁRAS NÁISIÚNTA
Is é an Ceoláras Náisiúnta institiúid chultúrtha náisiúnta na hÉireann don cheol, agus é ag freastal ar lucht féachana go bródúil ó osclaíodh é in 1981 trí chlár fairsing de thaibhithe beo, oideachas agus tionscnaimh chultúrtha. Lonnaithe i gcroílár lár chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath, in aice le Gairdíní Uíbh Eachach, is é an Ceoláras baile Cheolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta Éireann, Chór Shiansach Náisiúnta Éireann, chór óige an Cheolárais, Cór Linn (aois 14–19), agus príomhchór leanaí na hÉireann, Cór na nÓg. Soláthraíonn an Ceoláras Náisiúnta baile freisin do raon eagraíochtaí ceoil cónaitheacha, lena n-áirítear Cór Aireagail na hÉireann, Ceolfhoireann Bharócach na hÉireann, Music Network, Crash Ensemble agus Music Generation.
Tá athfhorbairt mhór ar a áiseanna á pleanáil ag an gCeoláras Náisiúnta faoi láthair mar chuid de Thionscadal Éireann 2040 agus den Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta. Léiríonn Ionad Fionnachtana (Discovery) an Cheolárais Náisiúnta an chéad chéim den athrú seo nach dtarlaíonn ach uair sa ghlúin, agus samhlaíonn sé an Ceoláras Náisiúnta mar champas cultúrtha bríomhar, inrochtana – fíor-bhaile don cheol in Éirinn. Beidh spásanna taibhithe nua agus feabhsaithe, áiseanna foghlama agus rannpháirtíochta, agus spásanna fáilteacha poiblí mar chuid den champas leathnaithe, ag mealladh breis is 500,000 cuairteoir gach bliain. I gcroílár na hathfhorbartha seo beidh tionchar náisiúnta an Cheolárais á dhoimhniú, lena chinntiú go mbaintear eispéireas, iniúchadh agus comhroinnt as an gceol ar feadh na nglún atá le teacht