Galway Early Music Festival 2025
31st May-2nd June 2025
This year's festival celebrates the legacy of one of the towering musical figures of the late sixteenth century, in the probable 500th anniversary year of his birth. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was preeminent amongst the native Italian composers who sought to assimilate the techniques of their French and Flemish predecessors, and led the way in realizing the musical aims of the Counter-Reformation. His music stands at the centre of an extraordinary century of creativity and development, in which the city of Rome and its most famous composer played a leading role.
Based in Galway’s historic church but spilling onto the streets of the medieval city that surround it, GEMF 2025 is designed to reach a wide audience at 6 events delivered by 88 creative practitioners and producers across 3 days:
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
SATURDAY, 31 MAY 2025
11am Coffee Concert - Sacred Histories - St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
Resurgam is joined by Galway based chamber choir Collegium, Malcolm Proud (organ) and Kristiina Watt (theorbo/lute) to perform the oratorio Jepthe by seventeeth centry Roman composer Carissimi
TICKETS: €10, to include coffee & cake.
BOOK TICKETS HERE / Payable on the door.
The Galeon Ensemble - throughout the afternoon
The Galeon Ensemble will delight people with street music performances on their unique instruments in and around the St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church area.​
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6pm - The Eternal City - St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
Resurgam will be joined by the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble (ECSE), Malcolm Proud (organ) and Kristiina Watt (theorbo/lute) to perform Palestrina's music for the three great Roman basilicas of St Peter, St John Lateran and St Mary Major, including sonorous twelve-part motets with voices and instruments together. Also included are the 'Vergine' spiritual madrigals and instrumental ricercare.
TICKETS: €20 I €15 concession I €5 students and U18.
BOOK TICKETS HERE / Payable on the door (subject to availability)
NOTE: As this concert will be recorded for delayed broadcast by RTÉ lyric fm, it is imperative that everyone is seated on time.
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SUNDAY, 1 JUNE 2025
2pm - Harmonious Society - St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
Dance specialist Felicity Maxwell, Galeon Ensemble and singers open up the transforming magic of Italian Renaissance songs and dance to participants of all ages.
TICKETS: €25 per family (up to 2 adults & 2 children) | €10 per participant I €5 per concession, student or U18. BOOK TICKETS HERE
Early booking for this event is strongly advised as places are limited, so those interested in participating can email info@resurgam.ie pending further details.
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Stylus Phantasticus - 6pm, St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
The theme of dance continues in this programme of chamber music for violin and keyboard present by Cork-based early music specialists Caitriona O’Mahony (violin) and James Taylor (keyboard). Music informed by popular dances is presented alongside examples of the seventeenth century improvisatory ‘stylus phantasticus’.
TICKETS: €15 I €10 concession I €5 students and U18.
BOOK TICKETS HERE / Payable on the door (subject to availability)
NOTE: As this concert will be recorded for delayed broadcast by RTÉ lyric fm, it is imperative that everyone is seated on time.
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MONDAY, 2 JUNE 2025
The Palestrina Circle - 11am Coffee Concert, St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
Aisling Kenny (soprano), Conor Hastings (cornett) and Malcolm Proud (organ) will perform works by Palestrina’s teachers, contemporaries and pupils, including Lebel, Nanino, Bovicelli, Lassus, Victoria and Monteverdi.
TICKETS: €10, to include coffee & cake.
BOOK TICKETS HERE / Payable at the door.
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For details of FESTIVAL SEASON TICKETS, please email info@resurgam.ie.
Press Release, April 2024
Resurgam is thrilled to be the new artistic directors and management of Galway Early Music Festival (GEMF) from 2024, taking over from Maura Ó Cróinín, who steps down after 18 years.
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Mark Duley, director of Resurgam, explains that “in recent years, Resurgam has been privileged to perform regularly at the festival and I have often marvelled at the unerringly imaginative themes and programmes Maura Ó Cróinín has devised. The superb array of artists from all over the globe have hugely enriched Galway and Ireland’s cultural landscape. We greatly look forward to continuing that legacy.”
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Looking back over her years of organising the festival, Maura said, “I have had such a wonderful time being a part of the Galway Early Music Festival since the very first year in 1996. I have worked with amazing international, national and local artists, colleagues, and volunteers. It has been thrilling to see interest in early music performance blossom in Galway and throughout Ireland. I look forward to the next decade of the Galway Early Music Festival under Resurgam!”
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With Resurgam taking up the baton, the company looks forward to ensuring this jewel of a festival continues to shine brightly with its core focus of bringing world-class music to audiences across Galway city and county.
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