In case you hadn't noticed, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra has been having what can best be described a moment. We asked veteran RTÉCO member David Agnew to give us his take on a remarkable year.
Someone asked me already what were my Highlights Of The Year for 2016 with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra... I scratched my head for a few minutes and then had to say 'Everything'.
I play oboe and cor anglais with the orchestra for the past 36 years, and it's true that you're only as good as your last concert, and the most important is the next. With between 70 and 100 performances a year, there's plenty of opportunities to get it wrong and plenty to get it right. It's never been dull over the years; with Eurovisions, Pavarottis, Domingos, Te Kanawas, Galways and Riverdances whizzing through your eyeline every other week, the chair that I sit on is rarely cold for long.
What the orchestra does is unique. It changes peoples' lives every concert. It's a huge responsibility, taking over an audience's emotional and physical well-being for 2 hours or so and hopefully handing them back their hearts, minds, dreams and feelings in a better state than they came in to the concert hall. We're good at what we do and generally succeed. It's a big team, not just the players, everyone from the general manager, to the planners, marketers, coordinators, orchestra manager and the invaluable assistants who shift all our expensive instruments and equipment from A to B without damage are vital to the success of a concert.
Personal highlights for the year have to include the 1916 commemorations and the iconic film Mise Éire, which we performed in the presence of the President Michael D Higgins, the filmmaker George Morrison, now 94, Peadar O Riada, son of the composer, Seán, and the French hornist Victor Malirsh, sadly since deceased, originator of that famous horn solo theme. My grandfather, Arthur P Agnew, makes a brief appearance in the film, a volunteer from Liverpool, who actually was in the GPO. For me, it was a seminal moment of realisation of the circle of life.
Angela Gheorghiu, the famous Romanian soprano with the scary-diva-esque stage other-worldly presence of Maria Callas, transcended mere musical notes. Placido Domingo as majestic a master of music and audiences as ever. In collaboration with Opera Theatre Company on a production of Mozart's Don Giovanni (with a brilliant translation by Roddy Doyle) you become more connected with the genius that was Mozart, he would surely have approved. Centenary, the TV show at Easter, including fabulous dancers, acrobats, Gavin James (not an acrobat), Imelda May, Colm Wilkinson, Celine Byrne, all international talents. Then there was Culture Night, a balmy evening in Dublin Castle, with Loah, Lisa O Neill and Little Green Cars. The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins in the Basilica, Knock. A DVD with Declan O Rourke in Vicar Street. All exceptional events from this year alone.
Perhaps the unexpected success of the year was the RTECO appearance with DJ Jenny Greene from 2fm and singer Gemma Sugrue at the Electric Picnic. Intended as a side acts at the Picnic, there was a buzz going around while we rehearsed, which exploded into a night to remember, with 10,000 people inside the Marquee and another 10,000 outside. The programme was all about classic '90s Dance Anthems, an incredible overload of the senses with an improvising DJ, an incredible vocalist in Gemma, and the three-dimensionality of a huge loud orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra. We have since repeated it with great acclaim to 9,000 young to aging-ravers in the 3Arena.
Unreal scenes with @djjennygreene and RTE concert orchestra in 3 arena tonight!!! A special night @RTE2fm pic.twitter.com/JwH8OJODdn
— Eoghan McDermott (@eoghanmcdermo) November 13, 2016
The real highlight for me still, after all these years, is sitting on the stage every week with a wonderful group of world-class musicians, with different visiting local and international artists, constantly searching for timeless moments of musical and memorable magic, most of which we find. I've been proud to play a small part. Long may it continue.
