Concert: Aisling Kenny (soprano) & Judith Gannon (piano)

Aisling Kenny (soprano) and Judith Gannon (piano) present a programme of vocal works by composers from the Baroque to the twentieth century.

Programme

Aisling Kenny, soprano, is a soloist, recitalist and ensemble singer and in recent years has established herself as a specialist in early music. She frequently performs sacred and chamber works of the baroque and classical eras, in particular the music of J.S. Bach. She has sung as a soloist with leading Irish and European ensembles including Collegium Vocale Gent, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Balthasar Neumann Chor, Resurgam, Sestina, Camerata Kilkenny, Chamber Choir Ireland and Irish Chamber Orchestra and has worked with such directors as Philippe Herreweghe, Peter Whelan, Grete Pedersen and Philippe Pierlot. An experienced ensemble singer, she has also sung with Vox Luminis, Gabrieli Consort, RIAS Kammerchor, Zürcher Sing-Akademie, Ensemble Marsyas and Atalante.
Performances as a soloist include Johannespassion in Eisenach, the town of Bach’s birthplace and BWV 73 at Bachfest in the Thomaskirche, Leipzig, with Collegium Vocale Gent, directed by Philippe Herreweghe, several projects with Irish Baroque Orchestra directed by Peter Whelen including a solo Bach cantata concert with Irish Baroque Orchestra at the National Concert Hall, Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Mass in B minor, Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Balthasar Neumann Chor and Ensemble at the Laieszhalle, Hamburg directed by Duncan Ward and Spirit and Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas with Collegium Vocal Gent and Ricercar directed by Philippe Pierlot.
A dedicated recitalist, highlights include Dowland’s lute songs with Thomas Dunford in Paris and Kilkenny, concerts with historical harpist, Siobhán Armstrong, at Galway Early Music Festival and East Cork Early Music Festival, and a recital at Oxford University with Cecily Lock for Clara Schumann’s bicentenary. In 2022 Aisling curated and performed in a concert of Dowland’s songs in their original settings for multiple voices, alongside Italian madrigals by Marenzio, Monteverdi, and Barbara Strozzi at the Hugh Lane Gallery.
Aisling appears as a soloist on Irish Baroque Orchestra’s recording for Linn Records, The Hibernian Muse. Music for Ireland by Purcell and Cousser, with Sestina, directed by Peter Whelan and on Sestina’s debut recording, Master and Pupil with Resonus Classics.

Judith Gannon is a teacher, conductor and pianist based in Dublin. A graduate of Trinity College and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, she is currently Director of Music at Mount Sackville Secondary School. There she teaches both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Music and runs the many choirs and ensembles in the school. She coordinates all of the extra-curricular Music programme and ensures the smooth running of lessons throughout the school year. In addition to her teaching duties, she regularly accompanies students for exams and concerts and directs the school musicals. Recent musicals have included Les Misérables, Billy Elliot, Singin’ in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, Guys and Dolls, Grease, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music and Oklahoma. Judith conducts the Mount Sackville Senior Choir who won the prestigious title of ‘Secondary School Choir of the Year’ in Feis Ceoil in 2018. In March of this year, the choir won overall ‘School Choir of the Year’ in the Feis. 
Judith sang in Christ Church Cathedral for many years, initially under Mark Duley as one of the first girl choristers in the cathedral and then as a soprano under Judy Martin and Ian Keatley. She was acting Director of Music for two years and during this time she conducted all of the weekly services in the cathedral as well as assisted in training the girl choristers. Judith now regularly deputises as both a singer and conductor in Christ Church as well as in St Patrick’s Cathedral. 
Judith has been involved with the Charles Wood Festival of Music and Summer School in Armagh for many years, first as a member of the Charles Wood Singers and on a number of occasions as an assistant conductor to Dr David Hill.
Judith is the accompanist for the Nás na Rí Singers and regularly conducts the choir as well as takes sectional rehearsals. Judith has also worked with the AIB Choral Society, Cantairí Avondale, Dun Laoghaire Choral Society, DCU Campus Choir, The RCSI Choir and is a regular guest conductor and accompanist with the UCD Choral Scholars.