Sat Oct 17th – Recital of Chopin: The Nocturnes by Fionnuala Moynihan

Join celebrated Irish concert pianist Fionnuala Moynihan on a journey through the world of Chopin’s much-loved Nocturnes. This concert will explore both the popular and lesser-known Nocturnes.

Chopin was greatly influenced by Ireland’s own celebrated composer John Field who created the Nocturne as a genre. Chopin developed the Nocturne to encompass his own personal language and innate sensitivity which never fails to speak to the heart of both listener and performer. This programme of hauntingly beautiful music showcases the beauty of pianistic colour, unforgettable soaring melodic lines and sparkling passages of virtuosity.

Dr Fionnuala Moynihan (Biography)

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 throughout Ireland, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Israel, U.S.A, Slovenia, 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, the prestigious Maura Tessier Bursary and the Rena Menasche Award at the Tel Hai Piano Festival, Israel.

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 RTE 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.

Concert Programme

Nocturne Op.9 No.1 in Bb minor – Chopin

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

Nocturne No.10 in E minor – Field

Nocturne Op.15 No.1 in F major – Chopin

Nocturne Op.32 No.1 in B major – Chopin

Nocturne Op.37 No.1 in G minor – Chopin

Nocturne No.5 in Bb major – Field

Nocturne Op.55 No.1 in F minor – Chopin

Nocturne Op.72 No.1 in E minor – Chopin

Nocturne No.20 in C# minor (posthumous publication) – Chopin

Website: www.fionnualamoynihan.com

Instagram: Fionnuala Moynihan (Concert Pianist)