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The Choir
Cois Cladaigh is a mixed voice chamber choir based in
Galway and was founded in 1982. The name - Cois Cladaigh - is
Irish and can be translated as "beside the Claddagh"
which is a well-known area in Galway City. The choir specialises
in European music from the late 15th and early 16th centuries
and also performs a formidable repertoire of contemporary choral
music, particularly from Ireland, but also from Scandinavia, Eastern
European countries, and North America.
Recent
Cois Cladaigh had great success at this year's Cork International Choral Festival. The choir competed for its 5th time in the Fleischmann International Choral Competition against ten other choirs from Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Italy, the U.S. and Ireland. Cois Cladaigh came in a very credible 5th place but not only this, was awarded the Lady Dorothy Mayer Memorial Trophy Special Award for the performance of a piece in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition for the performance of Molamís go leir an tAon-Mhac Criost by Br. Ben Hanlon. "We are absolutely thrilled" Brendan O'Connor said " as it is our first win in the International section of the Festival". Br. Ben too was delighted that his piece brought success to the choir and said that "the spirited performance brought out the energy and rhythmic character of the piece". The choir was also involved in the first Masterclass workshop for conductors organised by the Association of Irish Choirs and the Cork International Choral Festival. This was given by Ragnar Rassmussen from Norway and he and the conductors taking the Masterclass were warmly appreciative of Cois Cladaigh's input to the event which is planned to be an annual part of the Festival.
The choir finished off its participation in the Festival with performances of Loch Lomand and The Great Figure on Sunday night as part of the closing Gala concert.
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