Festival: West Cork Chamber Music Festival

June 29th - July 8th, 2018

The West Cork Chamber Music Festival takes place in Bantry, on the shores of historic Bantry Bay in County Cork, Ireland. Established in 1996, it is now one of Europe’s leading chamber music festivals and has earned a reputation for its innovative programming, the world-class calibre of its performers and its informal atmosphere.

The Festival runs for ten days with five concerts, three masterclasses and a talk each day. Bantry House is the main concert venue along with the small single-aisle church dedicated to St Brendan, whose legendary Brendan Voyage began in this part of Ireland. All the venues have an intimacy that is vital for chamber music and Bantry House itself is renowned for the atmosphere created in the candle-lit Library and the House’s extraordinarily beautiful setting at the head of Bantry Bay.

All events are within walking distance of the central hotels and one can find oneself crossing the Square in the company of world-famous musicians, the intimacy of place and venue creates a special community of musicians and music-lovers. Bantry is a one and a half hour drive from Cork city and Cork Airport which has direct flights to destinations throughout the UK and Europe.

The heart of chamber music is the string quartet and the 2018 programme features four leading Quartets: Apollon Musagete Quartet, Quatuor Danel, Dudok Kwartet and Elias Quartet. Soloists will include Alina Ibragimova, Nurit Stark, Mairéad Hickey, Barry Douglas, Julius Drake, Cédric Tiberghien, Cédric Pescia, Philippe Cassard, Caroline Melzer, Ruby Hughes, Mark Padmore, Ella Van Poucke, Niek de Groot, Dana Zemtsov and many more.

The second running of the Festival Fringe will take place, featuring free performances in unique local venues including Garnish Island and Whiddy Island. The Festival also hosts Ireland's only Instrument-making exhibition.

General Booking opens 29 March 2018.