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26 Sept 2025
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26 Sept 2025
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Irish Baroque Orchestra
Kilkenny Arts Festival has announced some early highlights for its 2025 classical music programme.
Ireland’s premier performance ensembles will take centre stage alongside the highly-anticipated Irish premiere concert theatre staging of Secret Byrd with the Gesualdo Six and Fretwork. The beautiful venues will include St Canice’s Cathedral and a welcome return to the Black Abbey.
Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, and the festival’s orchestra in residence, Irish Chamber Orchestra, led by Katherine Hunka, all return to the Marble City in a celebration of a chamber music, while the festival provides a stage for some of Ireland’s finest young voices, welcoming back the Irish Youth Choir under the baton of Kilkenny native Patrick Barrett.
Undoubtedly one of the highlights of this year’s festival will be Bill Barclay’s critically acclaimed Secret Byrd in a special immersive presentation. Part promenade, part concert, and part immersive theatre, Secret Byrd celebrates the ‘father of English music’ in the glorious acoustic of the Black Abbey. That takes place at the Black Abbey, Wednesday and Thursday, August 12 and 13.
READ MORE: WHAT'S ON IN KILKENNY
Paul Hillier helms a celebration of Arvo Pärt at 90 with Chamber Choir Ireland at St Canice’s Cathedral on Tuesday, August 12.
New artistic partner to ICO Henning Kraggerud directs a special programme for his Kilkenny debut including works by Barber, JS Bach, Lili Boulanger, Amy Beach and Mahler at St Canice’s Cathedral on Friday, August 15; while Peter Whelan’s Irish Baroque Orchestra perform Handel’s Alexander’s Feast in advance of their BBC Proms debut with the same programme.
Featuring Aisling Kenny, Hugh Cutting and Stuart Jackson at St Canice’s Cathedral on Thursday, August, 14.
The Irish Youth Choir was a regular feature of the festival in years gone by, and KAF is particularly pleased to welcome them back with a programme chosen by the members of the choir, including new work by Rhona Clarke – whose work was rapturously received by Kilkenny audiences in 2023. That’s set for St Canice’s Cathedral on Tuesday, August 13.
DELIGHTED
“We’re delighted to announce headline events from the classical music programme at St Canice’s Cathedral with the finest Irish ensembles alongside the Irish premiere of Secret Byrd with Gesualdo Six and Fretwork at the Black Abbey,” said Kilkenny Arts Festival Director Olga Barry.
Kilkenny Arts Festival runs from 7-17 August with a programme of theatre, opera, music, visual arts, literature and discussions. The full programme for Kilkenny Arts Festival
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