Chopin and Friends at Christmas will take you on a magical and festive journey through Chopin’s most celebrated music alongside much-loved Christmas songs and carols arranged by pianist Fionnuala Moynihan. Hear Chopin’s beautiful ‘Raindrop Prelude’, Nocturne in Eb major and his hauntingly beautiful ‘Largo’ from his third piano sonata.

Chopin was revered and admired by many of his contemporaries and this year, some of them will make an appearance in this festive Chopin celebration. Enjoy Liszt’s romantic ‘Liebestraume no.3’, Schumann’s ‘Traumerei’ and one of Mendelssohn’s most cherished Song Without Words op.19 no.1.

Interspersed throughout this celebration of piano music are Fionnuala’s own unique arrangements of Christmas favourites : ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘The First Noel’ and more.

Come join us for a festive celebration of Chopin, his friends and some festive musical treats!!

Programme:

‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’
(Arr. by Fionnuala Moynihan)

Mazurka op.7 no.1 -Chopin
Mazurka op.17 no.1 – Chopin
Nocturne op.15 no.1 – Chopin

Träumerei (Dreaming) – Schumann
Nocturne no.5 in Bb major – John Field

‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’
(Arr. By Fionnuala Moynihan)

Largo from Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor – Chopin

‘O Holy Night’
(Arr. By Fionnuala Moynihan)

INTERVAL

Song without words op.19 no.1in E major – Mendelssohn
Liebestraume No.3 – Liszt

‘Silent Night’
(Arr. By Fionnuala Moynihan)

Nocturne in Eb major Op.9 no.2 – Chopin

Prelude No.15 op.28 in Db major (Raindrop) – Chopin

‘The First Noel’
(Arr. By Fionnuala Moynihan)

About Fionnuala Moynihan

Fionnuala Moynihan is one of Ireland’s leading concert pianists, specialising in the works of baroque, classical and early romantic composers. Fionnuala is celebrated for her clarity of touch, her exploration of pianistic tones and colours, her innate musical understanding and musicianship.

Fionnuala has given solo recitals and concerto performances in many countries across the globe, such as Ireland, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy, U.S.A, Croatia, Serbia, Russia, Poland, Japan and Hungary. She has featured on numerous tv and radio documentaries including the BBC documentary by actor Alistair McGowan: Field Notes: The Irishman Who Invented the Nocturne.

One of Fionnuala’s main highlights was to perform the Complete Piano Sonatas of Mozart in the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, in a series of five recitals in 2010. She was the first pianist to have undertaken the formidable challenge of performing this cycle in its entirety in Ireland and performed the entire cycle again in Triskel Arts Centre, Cork in 2017.  Since then, Fionnuala has performed nine complete solo piano series performing complete cycles by Mozart, Haydn, Clementi, Schubert and Chopin.

In 2009 Dr Fionnuala Moynihan became the first person to be awarded a Doctorate in Music Performance from the Royal Irish Academy of Music and the Dublin City University. Prior to this Fionnuala studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire, The Paris Conservatoire and the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. A prolific award winner, her awards include the John Field Prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition and the prestigious Maura Tessier Bursary.

Her debut CD The Ivory Lady was launched in January 2015. This CD is a classical-trad fusion CD and showcases Fionnuala’s love for both the classical and traditional music genres. In April 2016 she recorded a recital of sonatas by Muzio Clementi for The Lyric Concert on RTÉ Lyric FM Radio. Her CD, Melodies of Nations, with Serbian oboist Sanja Romic, was released on the Hedone Label in June 2017.

Recent highlights included performing the Complete Chopin Nocturnes in the celebrated Triskel Arts Centre, Cork and holding the prestigious position of Artist in Residence in Ionad Culturtha, Baile Mhúirne, Cork.

Fionnuala currently holds the position of University Pianist and Performance Coach at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

For more on Fionnuala, visit her website or Instagram