Chamber Choir Ireland announce Love Blooms Concert
- CultureHead Staff
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Celebrated British conductor Ellie Slorach will direct Chamber Choir Ireland in a unique concert at Pepper Canister Church exploring love's emotional depths
Chamber Choir Ireland has just announced details of a special Valentine's concert, Love Blooms, which will take place on Saturday 7 February, in Dublin’s iconic Pepper Canister Church. Led by acclaimed British conductor Ellie Slorach, this unique event will explore the highs and tender depths of romantic love through an exciting curated selection of choral works.
As the inaugural performance in Chamber Choir Ireland's 30th anniversary season, Love Blooms promises to be the perfect cultural date this February. Speaking ahead of the event, CEO of Chamber Choir Ireland, Majella Hollywood shared her excitement:
“I’m thrilled to welcome Ellie Slorach as guest conductor for the opening concert in our soon-to-be-announced 2026 season. Audiences can look forward to an inspiring mix of contemporary and classical pieces, exploring love's fleeting beauty, from moments of passion to the sublime”.
The concert opens with a piece by composer Derri Joseph Lewis titled Something Exciting, which draws from a personal text message Lewis sent his father upon coming out as gay.
Also on the programme is Beloved by the young Northern Irish composer Áine Mallon. Described as “a playful yet passionate love poem,” the piece was commissioned by Chamber Choir Ireland and New Music Dublin in 2023.
In keeping with the concert's theme of floral metaphors, Benjamin Britten's Five Flower Songs celebrates botanists Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst and their shared fondness for flowers. Gerald Finzi's Seven Poems of Robert Bridges is a set of vivid partsongs that evoke love through floral imagery.
Other pieces on the programme include Nathan James Dearden's full of sweet days and Alex Groves’ Stream and Pool and Shruthi Rajasekar’s Soneto XVII.
Love Blooms is the opening concert of Chamber Choir Ireland’s 30th anniversary season. Founded in 1996 as Ireland's national chamber choir, the ensemble has led the way in increasing the appreciation of choral music in Ireland, receiving critical acclaim for its national and international tours. The choir has just appointed Gabriel Crouch as its artistic director.
Conductor Ellie Slorach is the Founder and Artistic Director of Kantos Chamber Choir, Engagement Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Associate Conductor of Royal Northern Sinfonia. Love Blooms will be her first time performing with Chamber Choir Ireland.
Love Blooms takes place at Pepper Canister Church, Mount Street Crescent, Dublin on Saturday 7th February. For tickets see chamberchoirireland.com
Chamber Choir Ireland is funded by the Arts Council/an Chomhairle Ealaíon, with support from Dublin City Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through its National Lottery Fund.
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