{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} The '''Irish Chamber Orchestra''' ('''ICO''') is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the University of Limerick. János Fürst founded the ICO in 1963.<ref>{{cite news | author=Martin Anderson | title=Obituary for Janos Furst | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/janos-furst-431459.html | work=The Independent | date=10 January 2007 | accessdate=16 October 2011}}</ref> The ICO consisted only of strings as its regular ensemble for many years, adding wind, brass and percussion players on a freelance basis when needed. The ICO was reformed in 1970 under the name of the '''New Irish Chamber Orchestra''' and the principal conductorship of André Prieur.<ref>{{cite journal | jstor=30100640| last=Boydell | first=Brian | title=Half a Century of Music in Dublin | journal=Dublin Historical Record | volume=37 | issue=3/4 | pages=117–121 | date=June–September 1984}}</ref> The orchestra first toured North America in 1978. In 1995, the orchestra was again reconstituted, reverting to its original name of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.<ref>{{cite news | title=Take a bow | url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/1997/0607/97060700183.html | work=The Irish Times | date=7 June 1997 | accessdate=18 October 2011}}</ref>
== Overview == Since May 2022, Thomas Zehetmair has been Principal Conductor and Artistic Partner of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.<ref name="Irish Chamber Orchestra 2018_3">{{cite web | title=Thomas Zehetmair – Classical Music | website=Irish Chamber Orchestra | date=20 November 2018 | url=https://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/about/thomas-zehetmair/ | access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref>
Irish composers who have worked with the orchestra include Frank Corcoran,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Adams|first=Martin|title=Showcase for strings|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/showcase-for-strings-1.156257|access-date=17 January 2021|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Reviews|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/reviews-1.950106|access-date=17 January 2021|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref> Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin obituary: Exceptional musician who straddled classical and Irish traditional music|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/m%C3%ADche%C3%A1l-%C3%B3-s%C3%BAilleabh%C3%A1in-obituary-exceptional-musician-who-straddled-classical-and-irish-traditional-music-1.3692385|access-date=17 January 2021|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin Composer|url=https://www.rte.ie//archives/2018/1205/1015261-micheal-o-suilleabhain-composer/|access-date=17 January 2021|website=RTÉ Archives|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin|url=https://journalofmusic.com/author/micheal-o-suilleabhain|access-date=17 January 2021|website=The Journal of Music|language=en}}</ref> and Bill Whelan.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wallace|first=Arminta|title=Irish-America comes out in force for night of island arts|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/irish-america-comes-out-in-force-for-night-of-island-arts-1.271085|access-date=17 January 2021|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>
''Plectrum & Bow'', a CD release, marked a collaborative recording with US composer and guitarist Steve Mackey.<ref name="Irish Chamber Orchestra 2018_2">{{cite web | title=Plectrum and Bow | website=Irish Chamber Orchestra | date=27 November 2018 | url=https://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/product/plectrum-and-bow/ | access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref> It features his Concerto for Violin and Strings, Four Iconoclastic Episodes, which was jointly commissioned by the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, University of Notre Dame, US. Other recordings include ''Night Moves'', conducted by Gérard Korsten,<ref>[http://www.gerard-korsten.com/de/portfolio/night-moves/ Gérard Korsten, Night Moves]</ref> and ''Hommage'', which features works by Irish composer John Kinsella.<ref name="Irish Chamber Orchestra 2018">{{cite web | title=Hommage – John Kinsella | website=Irish Chamber Orchestra | date=27 November 2018 | url=https://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/product/hommage-john-kinsella/ | access-date=26 June 2021 | archive-date=26 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626155936/https://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/product/hommage-john-kinsella/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="The Irish Times 2013">{{cite web | title=Reviews | website=The Irish Times | date=21 March 2013 | url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/reviews-1.367670 | access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref>
It owns a custom built studio, which has been acoustically modelled, on campus at UL, Limerick.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=5 November 2008|title=Irish Chamber Orchestra to move to €3m campus studio|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20076549.html|access-date=17 January 2021|website=Irish Examiner|language=en}}</ref>
==Music and artistic directors== * János Fürst * André Prieur * Nicholas Kraemer (artistic director, 1986–1992) * Fionnuala Hunt (music director, 1995–2002) * Nicholas McGegan (music director, 2002–2005) * Anthony Marwood (artistic director, 2006–2011) * Jörg Widmann (Principal Guest Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2011–2017; Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2017–2022)<ref name="Scully 2022">{{cite web | last=Scully | first=Meghann | title=Jörg Widmann hosts his final concerts as Principal Conductor in UCH | website=Limerick Post Newspaper | date=19 April 2022 | url=https://www.limerickpost.ie/2022/04/19/jorg-widmann-hosts-his-final-concerts-as-principal-conductor-in-uch/ | access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref> * Gábor Takács-Nagy (Principal Artistic Partner, 2013–2018) * Thomas Zehetmair (Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2022–2025)<ref name="Irish Chamber Orchestra 2018_3" /> * Henning Kraggerud (Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2025–)<ref name="c381">{{cite web | title=Henning Kraggerud appointed artistic partner of Irish Chamber Orchestra | website=The Strad | date=10 April 2025 | url=https://www.thestrad.com/news/henning-kraggerud-appointed-artistic-partner-of-irish-chamber-orchestra/19512.article | access-date=10 April 2025}}</ref>
==See also== *''Something Else'' (The Cranberries album), a 2017 live album featuring the group
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.irishchamberorchestra.com}} * [http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=2184 Classics Today.com review of Black Box 1013]{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} * [http://media.aadl.org/documents/pdf/ums/programs_19781121e.pdf Concert programme from 21 November 1978, University Musical Society of the University of Michigan, New Irish Chamber Orchestra concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA]
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Category:Irish orchestras Category:University of Limerick Category:Chamber orchestras Category:1963 establishments in Ireland Category:Musical groups established in 1963
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