# Irish Chamber Orchestra > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Irish_Chamber_Orchestra > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Irish_Chamber_Orchestra.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Chamber_Orchestra > Source revision: 1344337813 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} The '''Irish Chamber Orchestra''' ('''ICO''') is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the [University of Limerick](/source/University_of_Limerick). [János Fürst](/source/J%C3%A1nos_F%C3%BCrst) founded the ICO in 1963.{{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}} 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.{{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}} 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.{{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}} == Overview == Since May 2022, [Thomas Zehetmair](/source/Thomas_Zehetmair) has been Principal Conductor and Artistic Partner of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.{{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}} Irish composers who have worked with the orchestra include [Frank Corcoran](/source/Frank_Corcoran),{{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}}{{Cite web|title=Reviews|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/reviews-1.950106|access-date=17 January 2021|website=The Irish Times|language=en}} [Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin](/source/M%C3%ADche%C3%A1l_%C3%93_S%C3%BAilleabh%C3%A1in),{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} and [Bill Whelan](/source/Bill_Whelan).{{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}} ''Plectrum & Bow'', a CD release, marked a collaborative recording with US composer and guitarist Steve Mackey.{{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}} 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](/source/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](/source/G%C3%A9rard_Korsten),[http://www.gerard-korsten.com/de/portfolio/night-moves/ Gérard Korsten, Night Moves] and ''Hommage'', which features works by Irish composer [John Kinsella](/source/John_Kinsella_(composer)).{{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 }}{{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}} It owns a custom built studio, which has been acoustically modelled, on campus at UL, Limerick.{{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}} ==Music and artistic directors== * [János Fürst](/source/J%C3%A1nos_F%C3%BCrst) * André Prieur * [Nicholas Kraemer](/source/Nicholas_Kraemer) (artistic director, 1986–1992) * Fionnuala Hunt (music director, 1995–2002) * [Nicholas McGegan](/source/Nicholas_McGegan) (music director, 2002–2005) * [Anthony Marwood](/source/Anthony_Marwood) (artistic director, 2006–2011) * [Jörg Widmann](/source/J%C3%B6rg_Widmann) (Principal Guest Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2011–2017; Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2017–2022){{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}} * [Gábor Takács-Nagy](/source/G%C3%A1bor_Tak%C3%A1cs-Nagy) (Principal Artistic Partner, 2013–2018) * [Thomas Zehetmair](/source/Thomas_Zehetmair) (Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2022–2025) * [Henning Kraggerud](/source/Henning_Kraggerud) (Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner, 2025–){{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}} ==See also== *[''Something Else'' (The Cranberries album)](/source/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] {{Authority control}} Category:Irish orchestras Category:University of Limerick Category:Chamber orchestras Category:1963 establishments in Ireland Category:Musical groups established in 1963 {{Ireland-band-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Irish Chamber Orchestra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Chamber_Orchestra) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Chamber_Orchestra?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.