Music Network’s traditional music tours are specially curated to offer something unique to our partner promoters and audiences across Ireland.
Each year, we curate up to three tours featuring leading musicians who have not performed together before. Over the years, some very special collaborations have taken place and very often tour line-ups curated by Music Network continue to work together beyond the life of the tour.
Music Network also curates a number of classical music tours each season. As well as exploring new territory as an ensemble, these tours always feature a new work by a contemporary Irish composer which Music Network commissions especially for the collaboration.
Recent examples of traditional curated tours include:
- Liz Knowles (fiddle), Niwel Tsumbu (guitar & voice) & Niall Vallely (concertina) performed together on a 10-date tour in May 2023. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, Cliath Ceol, composed by the trio
- Noriana Kennedy (voice & banjo), Oisín Mac Diarmada (fiddle), Mirella Murray (accordion) & Donogh Hennessy (guitar) performed together on an 11-date tour in February 2023. Their tour programme included new Music Network commissions, A Tune for Laura & A Trip to Lurgan, composed by Donogh Hennessy
- Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (fiddle), Cormac De Barra (harp) & Mark Redmond (uilleann pipes) performed together on a 9-date tour in September 2022. Their tour programme included new Music Network commissions, Cúlshruth & Ar Nós na Gaoithe, composed by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
- Tim Edey (guitar/melodeon), Mairi Rankin (fiddle) & Eric Wright (cello) performed together on a 7-date tour in May 2022. Their tour programme included new Music Network commissions, The Open Book & Cooney’s, composed by Tim Edey
- Seamus McGuire (viola), Niamh Varian-Barry (voice, violin & viola) & Gerry O'Beirne (voice & guitar) performed together on a 14-date tour in February 2022. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, Where the River Bends, composed by the trio
- Iarla Ó Lionáird (voice), Úna Monaghan (harp & electronics) & Kevin Murphy (cello) performed together on a 16-date tour in September 2021. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, Amhrán an Chuaichín, composed by trio
- Ye Vagabonds (Brían Mac Glionn (voice, bouzouki, fiddle & mandolin) & Diarmuid Mac Glionn (voice & guitar)) & Cormac Begley (concertinas) performed together on an 8-date tour in September 2020
- Anxo Lorenzo (gata & whistles), Jim Murray (guitar), Dónal O'Connor (fiddle) and Jack Talty (concertina) performed together on a 14-date tour in January 2020. Their tour programme included new Music Network commissions, Gaelego, Any Day Now, Doireann’s Delight & A Quiet House, composed by each of the artists.
Recent examples of classical curated tours include:
- Claudia Boyle (soprano), Niall O’Sullivan (trumpet) & Conor Linehan (piano) performed together on a 9-date tour in April 2023. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, Storybook Land, by Solfa Carlile
- Amy Dickson (saxophone), Sonoko Miriam Welde (violin) & Simon Mulligan (piano) performed together on a 10-date tour in March 2022. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, Helter-Shelter-Skelter, composed by Ronan Guilfoyle
- Mairead Hickey (violin) & Agnès Clément (harp) performed together on a 10-date tour in October 2021. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, Phoenix, composed by John McLachlan
- Cello Quartet: William Butt, Rosalie Curlett, Martin Johnson, Ailbhe McDonagh performed together on a digital 7-date tour in April 2021. Their tour programme included a new Music Network commission, An Autumn Night’s Dream, composed by Conor Linehan
- Claire Duff (violin) & Benjamin Alard (harpsicord) performed together on a 6-date tour in February 2019. Their tour included a new Music Network commission, Fantasia (homage to J. S. Bach) for Baroque violin and harpsichord, composed by Jane O'Leary.
