The Stanford Society celebrated its tenth anniversary from 7th to 9th October with a successful Festival Weekend in Dublin. This was the second time that the Festival Weekend has been held in Stanford’s home town.
Attended by more than forty Society members and friends, the Weekend included services at St. Patrick’s and Christchurch Cathedrals and in the Chapel of Trinity College. Dr. Colleen Ferguson and Allison Bechtum came from Iowa in the US to give a recital of Irish works for violin and piano including music by Stanford, Wood, Esposito, and Harty, in St. Stephen’s ,Stanford’s home church. A recital of Stanford songs was given by students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music, the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Dundalk Institute of Technology. There was also an organ recital in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Sean Hanily spoke on Stanford’s “ Irish” music, Dr. Adele Commins on Stanford and the Feis Ceoil and Professor Jeremy Dibble on Stanford’s Irish Politics. Two successful dinners were held, at the historic Deanery of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and at the Kildare Street and University Club.
The new SOMM recording of Stanford’s String Quartets Numbers 5 & 8 was launched during a talk on Stanford’s Quartets by Professor Dibble and Dr. Ferguson. Dr. Ferguson has recently completed her doctorate on, and prepared a performing edition of, the Fourth Quartet. This work will be recorded by the Dante Quartet together with the Third Quartet early in 2017.
Thanks to the Stanford Society’s Dublin Committee of Adele Commins, Sean Hanily and Michael Webb for arranging such a successful event.