World-renowned organist Mark Duly will give a recital in the Church of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar, on Friday, December 16, at 8pm, alongside The Mayo Male Voice Choir and St Joseph’s Secondary School Senior Choir.
Mark came to Ireland in 1992 as organist and director of music at Christ Church Cathedral Dublin. Organist of the Collegiate Church of St Nicholas, Galway, he now also has a busy international musical career. In addition to his post in Galway, he is the founder-director of his own professional choir Resurgam; is chorus master to the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir; and is artistic director of Pipeworks. As both conductor and organist, he has appeared with most of the major Irish ensembles and has given organ recitals worldwide, including in his native New Zealand.
The concert is a fundraiser for the new Mayo International Choral Festival, taking place in Mayo in early in 2012.
Plans are already well under way and a number of International and national choirs have indicated that they will travel to Mayo for this event. During the festival, competing and non competing choirs will perform in venues all over Mayo over a four-day period (May 24 to 27), including a Gala Concert on the Saturday night in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar.
Mayo International Choral Festival is also supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Mayo Lions Clubs and local choirs. The festival website was recently launched by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD.