Closing Concert of The Galway Early Music Festival 2023
Taking the High Road: Women’s Voices in Renaissance and Baroque Music
Vox Orbis, a female choral ensemble based in Galway directed by Mark Keane, was joined by Galway soprano Helen Hancock to perform a celebration of polyphony, madrigals and arias from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by composers including Lassus, Victoria, Massaino, Handl, Scheidt, Youll, Purcell and Couperin.
The concert featured Mark Keane accompanying Helen Hancock for a selection of arias on his new bespoke harpsichord from Bizzi, Italy, culminating in all forces performing music by Monteverdi
Down by the Salley Gardens, Yeats Tower, Thoor Ballylee, Gort, Co. Galway with Helen conducting The Marine Singers on 12th May 2023
Farmleigh House, Dublin. Helen Hancock (soprano) and Órán Halligan present “The Garden of Eden” – a lush programme inspired by nature and the longing for the forbidden fruit! Music by Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger and Amy Beach with nature inspired gems like Vaughan William’s Silent Noon and Ernest Chausson’s Le Colibri.
25th March 2023 at 7.30pm A Concert for Samuel: Musical evening in aid of Barretstown.
18th March 2023 at 8pm, Mick Lally Theatre, Galway. “The Lark in the Clear Air”. Programme included Irish airs, Strauss lieder, Clara Schumann’s Opus 13 song cycle, Paul Reade’s Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite and Arnold Cooke’s “Songs of Innocence” and Schubert’s “Der Hirt auf dem Felsen”, both for soprano, clarinet and piano. With pianist Annalisa Monticelli and clarinettist Berginald Rash.
9th February 2023 at 1.20pm, St. Ann’s, Dawson St, Dublin. Lunchtime recital with pianist Órán Halligan. Programme included “With Verdure Clad” from Haydn’s Creation and songs by Schubert, Clara Schumann, Strauss, Hahn and Stanford.
18 December 2022 at 7pm. St Colman’s Church, Gort, Co. Galway. Coole Music and Arts presents “The Joyful Sounds of Christmas”. O Holy Night and other Christmas songs with the Coole Music Youth Orchestra conducted by Katharina Baker. This was a joyous annual concert full of Christmas cheer!
9th December 2022 at 8pm. Farmleigh House, Dublin. Cancelled due to weather. Due to be re-scheduled. Sold out! Evening Concert “Rejoice!” with pianist Aoife O’Sullivan. A programme of Handel arias, including Rejoice Greatly from Messiah, Christmas favourites including O Holy Night and art songs by Mozart, Schubert and Fauré. Tickets are €11.58 and are bookable at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/ireland–dublin/farmleigh-helen-hancock/
15th November 2022. St. Mary’s Cathedral Limerick. Lunchtime recital with pianist Mark Keane. POSTPONED until the spring.
June 20th, 2022, 12pm. Ruah Centre, Ballyroan, Rathfarnham, Dublin. With Annalisa Monticelli (piano) I performed a gorgeous lunchtime concert of arias and songs, including Handel, Hahn, Fauré, Schubert, V. Williams and Stanford to a very appreciative full house in this lovely venue.
June 24th 2022, 8pm. Yeats Tower, Thoor Ballylee, Galway. Catriona McElhinney Grimes (piano) and Helen Hancock performed a lovely programme of French songs, lieder and Irish songs. This concert also showcased local young rising star, violinist Kitty Sabry.
16th June 2022. Bloomsday 2022 and Ulysses 100 Celebrations at the Irish Ambassadors Residence, Berlin. A privilege and honor to sing with Irish baritone Padraic Rowan, tenor Magnus Dietrich and Christopher White on piano. This evening showcased how the arts can be a connecting superpower in diplomatic circles!
May 21st, 2022. 9.30pm. Noctures and Summer Songs at the Dingle Summer Music Festival with pianists Criostóir Ó’Loingsigh and Gormflaith Ní Shíocháin Ní Bheoláin
26th May 2022 at 7.30pm Helen Hancock (soprano) and Mark Keane (piano) opened the 2022 concert season with a programme of arias and art song at Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin. The programme included Handel and Mozart arias and the highlight of this concert for us was the Lied der Mignon songs from Schubert’s Gësange aus “Wilheim Meister” which we look forward to performing again.
https://rathfarnhamcastle.ie/event/the-beloved-lost-in-love/?instance_id=298
13th May 2022 at 8pm. Helen Hancock (soprano) and Mark Keane (piano) performed an Evening of Opera and Song at St. Columba’s Church, Binden Street, Ennis. Entry is free but donations towards the work of the beautiful St Columbas Church would be gratefully received.
3rd April 2022 Helen Hancock (soprano) and Marco Ramelli (guitar) performed a Benefit Concert for UNICEF Ireland. This was a gentle, lyrical programme of music to include songs by John Dowland and a large selection of songs by Schubert.
February 17th 2022 Maynooth University Music Lunchtimes recitals. Helen Hancock (soprano) and Mark Keane (piano) performed a programme of arias and art song including pieces by Handel, Rameau, Lili Boulanger, Fauré and Mozart. Riverstown Hall at 1pm https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/music/events/lunchtime-concert-helen-hancock-and-mark-keane
December 11th 2021 A Festive Night of Song – Helen Hancock Soprano and Frances Kelleher Piano performed a programme of arias, songs and Christmas favourites at St Columba’s Church, Binden Street, Ennis
August 26th 2021 Helen Hancock (soprano) and Anne-Marie O’Farrell (pedal harp) performed a programme of French songs, lieder and Irish songs. This online event was part of the Rathfarnham Rhythms series filmed by the OPW at Rathfarnham Castle and it premiered on 26 August 2021
Saturday May 22nd LOVE, SORROW & SEDUCTION Helen Hancock (soprano), Anita Vedres (violin), Sarah Groser (viola de gamba), Yonit Kosovske (harpsichord)
This programme was part of The Galway Early Music Festival, streamed from the Mick Lally Theatre, Galway. Helen Hancock sings emotion-filled arias from Handel’s operas Rinaldo, Alcina and Guilio Cesare in Egitto, his oratorio Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno and from Rameau’s opera Castor et Pollux. Instrumental pieces by Handel (Violin sonata HWV 371 in D major) and by Rameau (Pièces de clavecin en concert no 3: La Lapoplinière, La Timide, Tambourin) round off the programme.
This concert was generously supported by a Galway County Council Artist Bursary 2021
December 2021 O Holy Night
Oranmore Soprano Helen Hancock is delighted to present a virtual evening of opera, oratorio, chamber music, and festive favourites in aid of Galway Simon Community.
The exclusive performance will be filmed from the beautiful surroundings of Armorica restaurant in Oranmore, and available to view from the comfort of your own home on Saturday, 5th December.
The program, which will appeal to a broad audience, is set to feature sacred and opera music by Handel, Bach, and Mozart, excerpts from Mozart string quartets KV157 and KV172, and Christmas favourites.
Helen will be joined by her teacher and mentor, international tenor Owen Gilhooly and a newly formed string quartet consisting of Sinead Hayes violin, Rozanne Botha violin, Tom Murphy viola, and Adrian Ivičević cello
December 16 2020 Nowel! Nowel!
Galway Early Music Winter Festival
Online from St Nicholas Collegiate Church
Wednesday 16 December 2020, 1pm
Helen Hancock (soprano) & Mark Duley (organ).
This programme centred on the joyous arrival of a child, a light to the world and a sign of rebirth in nature and in ourselves. The music looks to the light and banishes the darkness. The concert has two halves (with no interval!): The Blessed Maid which tells Mary’s story, and The Heavenly Light, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. The music spans four centuries, from simple medieval songs to baroque arias and resounding organ pieces.
