Friday 4th May 2012, 10pm, Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne (North Cathedral)
Presenter: Jane Fitzpatrick
"Boundless a cappella choral singing that is always flawless"
- Steenwijker Courant Magazine, Netherlands
Each year the Festival’s Evocations Gala Concert provides a unique opportunity for audiences to reflect and relax to a special programme of sacred and evocative music prepared by luminaries of the choral world. The 2012 Festival will see the emotive surroundings of North Cathedral play host to the internationally celebrated Czech ensemble;The Gentlemen Singers.
Comprising eight singers with their roots in the city of Hradec Králové, the ensemble has achieved much international success since its establishment in 2003, and currently stands as one of the most significant vocal ensembles to come from the Czech Republic in recent years.
The concert will present a tranquil programme of contemporary classical works by a variety of European composers, from one-voiced compositions (influenced by Gregorian chant) to highly complex eight-voice arrangements.
The Gentlemen Singers make their first appearance in Cork on the back of a successful year of touring and appearances at international competitions, notably taking the top prize for both the sacred and secular competitions for professional vocal ensembles at the Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain in October 2011. The group has performed extensively across four continents, and their concerts have been enjoyed by audiences from Albania, to South Korea, to the USA.
In addition, the ensemble together with Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra host the concert series, Chamber Evenings with the Gentlemen Singers which have to date presented such formidable ensembles as Ensemble Amarcord (Germany), Banchieri Singers (Hungary), Talla Ensemble (Finland), Voces8 (England). Aside from their regular TV and radio appearances, the Gentlemen Singers’ successful recording career has seen them produce five CDs, including a live album and a Beatles Retrospective.
The Gentlemen Singers are:- Jakub Kubín (countertenor), Martin Ptáček (tenor), Lukáš Merkl (tenor), Radek Mach (tenor), Aleš Malý (baritone), Martin Struna (baritone), Richard Uhlíř (bass), and Václav Kovář (bass).
