Celebrated Irish pianist Barry Douglas has established a major international career since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. As Artistic Director of the all-island chamber ensemble Camerata Ireland and the Clandeboye Festival, he continues to celebrate his Irish heritage whilst also maintaining a busy international touring schedule.
Together with Camerata Ireland, Barry will perform an online concert as part of the National Concert Hall's classical music series Spring Summer Variations, playing two Mozart Piano Concertos (No. 12 and No.14) and John Kinsella’s Nocturne for Strings on Thursday 27th May 8pm – more info here.
We asked Barry for his choice cultural picks...
FILM
My favourite film of all time is Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. This is such a compelling, comical, detailed and serious look at how we live our lives and how our choices and decisions can affect our futures and other people’s lives in such a direct and indirect way. But, overall, it is such a funny and enjoyable romp through one day (repeated many times) in the life of a cynical weatherman.
MUSIC
Funny enough, I don’t listen to a lot of music - as I play music every day I like to wind down in the evening with a chat around the dinner table and a glass of wine. However, during lockdown my son Liam has been educating me with black vinyl evenings of music by Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2 and others. When I work in my office I listen to Dark Side of the Moon! That gets your brain moving!
BOOK
Milkman by Anna Burns. Cutting edge language – a darkly comic and moving narrative about vivid characters in Belfast. It is fast and hectic. I am starting to read it again this month as I read it very quickly last year and I don’t want to miss any detail.
PLAY
Sadie at Lyric Theatre, Belfast and BBC iPlayer – not sure if you are able to log on to BBC iPlayer if not resident in the UK. What an amazing play. Or a backstage digital tour at Abbey Theatre, Dublin – very good value – filmed by Ros Kavanagh – you can choose what you want to pay for this. This is a wonderful insight and glimpse into Ireland’s National Theatre since 1904 with such an historical context in Ireland’s emergence as an independent country - this can whet your appetite to go and see a play when you are ready.
TV
Call My Agent, on Netflix. This is a mouth-watering drama centred around a theatrical agency in the centre of Paris. The cinematography is breathtaking. Paris, the city is one of the characters too, with its wonderful architectural vistas. The characters are vibrant and dramatic and the story centres on the agency trying to survive and the personal interchanges and complexities. It is comical, moving and fast-paced. It is called Dix pour cent (10 percent) in French.
GIG
Camerata Ireland and yours truly at the NCH on 27th May - two wonderful Mozart Piano Concertos and Ireland’s own legendary composer Johns Kinsella’s magical Nocturne for Strings. But then I am so excited to play two forthcoming concerts with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, also – playing the incredible Shostakovich Piano Concerto No 1 which allows the piano to partner with trumpet - a fantastic combo!
ART
Now the National Gallery in Dublin is open again, log on to the web site and see how easy it is to book a free general admission ticket and also have the chance to see prints and drawings by artists such as Lucien Freud, David Hockney and Picasso – amazing.
TECH
Fastic. I have been indulging in the world of intermittent fasting for over a year now, and this app is wonderful to guide you through careful and safe ways of cutting down calories. It has been hugely useful to me. This is not for everyone but I feel more awake and focussed than ever, and I know I am healthier.
THE NEXT BIG THING
The next possibly big thing could be a podcast with my son Liam Douglas – the story and concerns of a rock guitarist son, Liam and a classical pianist father, me. It’s called Wirelessin’ and available on the usual platforms. There are 5 episodes available now - soon to record more. This was Liam’s idea and I tag along! Enjoy!
Barry performs with Camerata Ireland as part of the National Concert Hall's series of classical concerts, Spring Summer Variations, on Thursday 27 May 8pm - more info here.
