String quartet concert in Navan for Ukrainian doctors fund
A string quartet concert is being staged in St Mary’s Church of Ireland, Navan on Saturday 28th May in aid of the Ukraine relief effort.
All proceedings will go to Medical Help Ukraine, a charity founded by Ukrainian doctors working in Ireland who provide direct and non bureaucratic support for hospitals in Ukraine.
The Tara Quartet - Anne-Marie Russell and Judith Curtis on violins, Margarete Clark, viola and Philine von Kietzell, cello - will be playing string quartets:
Joseph Haydn opus 20 no 4 in D major
Ludwig van Beethoven opus 95 in f minor and
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy opus 13 in A major.
Tara woman Philine von Kietzell, who is a GP in Trim, is hosting some Ukrainian visitors, and explains the background to the quartet and the concert.
"I am a member of the Hibernian orchestra and passionate about chamber music. Naturally, over the course of the pandemic the opportunities for musicians to come together and play and perform have been very curtailed. So when in the beginning of this year I asked my friends Anne-Marie Russell, Judith Curtis and Margarete Clark would they like to play string quartet they were immediately enthusiastic. Anne-Marie is a professional freelance violinist, wife of the renowned violin maker Conor Russell and Margarete Clark is a viola player with the National Symphony Orchestra while Judith Curtis is a violin teacher. We decided to focus on a programme for a charity concert and started working on three string quartets by Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.
"In the middle of February, when the situation in Ukraine was heating up I was in close contact with my Ukrainian friend Luda Connolly, former piano teacher of our children, who also taught in Navan at a music school for some time. It was through her that we got into contact with the two Ukrainians who are staying with us now and that neighbours of ours took in another Ukrainian family. We live near Kilmessan and the arrival of the Ukrainians not only on our road but also elsewhere in the parish sparked a huge interest. Almost immediately a support group formed, with weekly meetings in the Old School, language classes run by retired school teachers and people from the community helping out in many ways, for example providing lifts to medical appointments or into Navan for shopping or conversational English classes," Philine continued.
"It was then that my musician friends and I, the Tara Quartet decided we would like to support Ukraine with our charity concert. Canon John Clarke from St Mary’s Church of Ireland kindly offered his church for our performance. It is of course a beautiful venue with a wonderful acoustic and we are thrilled about being given the opportunity to play there."
Through colleagues, Philine heard about Medical Help Ukraine, a charity founded by Ukrainian doctors working in Ireland. They provide swift and non bureaucratic support for hospitals in Ukraine, for example by sending dressings, medication, ventilators, ambulances and all sorts of medical equipment over to Ukraine. What we found especially appealing about this particular charity is that donations are going directly into support for the people who need it as there is no huge administrative body associated with the charity.
"We hope to attract a good number of people for this worthy cause and can promise a both inspiring and relaxing evening of energetic and beautiful music."
The event is at 7.30pm and tickets will be available at the door at €10, €20 and €30. (PLEASE NOTE CASH ONLY - THERE WILL BE NO CARD FACILITIES AT THE CHURCH).
Those who wish to prebook a ticket you can do so on Eventbrite at a fixed price of €22.20
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/string-quartet-concert-for-ukraine-tickets-341157841287