Irish Chamber Orchestra

The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is Ireland’s finest chamber orchestra, combining high quality performances with an expansive artistic vision. Virtuosic, innovative and creative, the ICO blazes a trail with its unique collaborative approach and its rich relationships with an array of creative partners.

The ICO continues to work with Gábor Takács-Nagy (Principal Artistic Partner) and Jörg Widmann (Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner), seeking to expand audiences with their combined vision. Under the leadership of Katherine Hunka, the orchestra is one of Ireland’s busiest touring ensembles, both nationally and internationally.

Gábor Takács-Nagy continues with his great work and concentrates on core works of the repertoire for string orchestra in 2016/17, whilst Jörg Widmann continues to champion the many facets of Mendelssohn alongside his own innovative works.

The ICO collaborates with some of the finest international guest soloists in its 2016/17 season –Hungarian cellist István Várdai makes a welcome return in September while Jörg Widmann introduces his equally gifted sister in November, the violinist Carolin Widmann who performs Mendelssohn’s violin concerti over the next two years. The exciting Corsican-born Jean-Christophe Spinosi, a sought-after conductor and director of the Ensemble Matheus, takes the baton in December. Austrian conductor Thomas Zehetmair has fashioned a highly successful and broadly eclectic career as a violinist and conductor and the ICO looks forward to him conducting the orchestra for the first time, in 2017.

Irish composers are very much to the fore as the orchestra performs Ian Wilson’s Veer as well as a new work by Tariq O’Regan commissioned by Chamber Choir Ireland. In 2017, the ICO enters its second year of prestigious residencies at the Kilkenny Arts Festival and at Heidelberger Frühling Festival.

The orchestra’s trail-blazing approach continues to attract the world’s finest musicians both international and national including István Várdai, Carolin Widmann, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, Igor Levit, Thomas Zehetmair, Claron McFadden, Gilles Vonsattel, Gloria Rehm, Jochen Rieder, Sergeij Nakariakov, Tabea Zimmermann, Pekka Kuusisto, James Galway, Jonathan Cohen, Finghin Collins and Michael McHale to work with them.

The repertoire is exciting risk-taking and diverse, ranging from baroque to modern day masterpieces including new commissions. The orchestra enjoys fruitful relationships with an array of Irish composers including Garrett Sholdice, John Kinsella, Linda Buckley, Elaine Agnew, Míchael Ó Súilleabháin, Frank Corcoran, Sam Perkin, Ian Wilson and Tariq O’Regan.

The orchestra has successfully toured across Europe, Australia, South Korea, China and the US. Since his first appearance with the orchestra (Berlin 2007), Jörg Widmann has injected unprecedented energy which has seen the orchestra appear at prestigious festivals and venues throughout Europe since 2007. In 2016 the orchestra commenced its first international (3-year) residency in Heidelberg, securing several concerts at the distinguished Heidelberger Frühling with Igor Levit. Following a return visit to the Mozartfest Wῡrzburg and a performance at the Philharmonie, Cologne with Tabea Zimmermann, the orchestra made its debut at the Tonhalle Zurich with her to great acclaim. In 2017, the ICO performs with Jörg Widmann at venues in Blaibach, Neumarkt, Brussels and Frieburg and makes its debut at the Konzerthaus Vienna (2017).


Adding to the orchestra’s already numerous CD recordings, the Orfeo label has just released the first of a series of three CDs of Mendelssohn’s Symphonies combined with works by Jörg Widmann, as directed by him. The second which includes Mendelssohn’s landmark Reformation Symphony,will be released in 2017.

Outside the concert hall, the Irish Chamber Orchestra inspires and supports communities with a vitality unmatched by other ensembles. Its Sing Out with Strings initiative provides free tuition in singing, song writing, violin, viola and cello tuition to 300 children throughout Limerick city, developing not only musical skills, but also key life skills using music as a tool for tangible social change.

The Irish Chamber Orchestra is resident at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick and is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.