Drogheda Classical Music returns from September 2025 to April 2026 with one of its most exciting and diverse seasons yet! This year’s programme promises stellar performances from some of the world’s most sought-after artists including the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, soprano Claudia Boyle, cellist Gabriel Francis-Dehqani, pianist Rowel Friers, the Piatti Quartet, and genre-defying saxophonist Trish Clowes.
The 2025/26 season opens with a bang on 12 September as Drogheda Classical Music welcomes the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for the first time ever! Virtuoso violinist and orchestra leader Mia Cooper directs from the violin in a vibrant and celebratory programme featuring Haydn, Vivaldi, Rossini and Schubert.
Dr Gavan Ring – now Artistic Director of Drogheda Classical Music – shares his excitement about the upcoming season:
‘Now in my role as Artistic Director, I’m incredibly proud to present what I believe is our most exhilarating season yet. It’s a season that celebrates brilliance across genres and generations—whether that’s the orchestral majesty of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the boundary-blurring duo of Trish Clowes and Ross Stanley, or some of Ireland’s brightest stars making their Drogheda débuts. I’ll also be making a performing return to the series myself with Fiachra Garvey for the first time since 2022! I can’t wait to welcome audiences back to our home at St Peter’s Church of Ireland for these magical evenings of music!’
Ring continues, ‘We’re also delighted to continue our popular ticket options: a full season ticket for just €130 for all eight concerts, under-18s for €8, student tickets for €10, and our great-value family ticket for €50. Our much-loved pre-concert chats will return at 7pm before each concert, along with our refreshment interval receptions—perfect opportunities to connect with fellow music lovers and the artists themselves.’
The season’s diverse programme spans continents, styles, and centuries:
- 12 September: Mia Cooper leads the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for their series début in a programme mixing German charm and Italian flare.
- 17 October: Rising cello star Gabriel Francis-Dehqani and pianist William Harmer perform Schumann, Liszt, Price, and Harmer’s own “Murmurations.”
- 14 November: Acclaimed Irish pianist Rowel Friers, fresh from triumphs in New York and Madrid, showcases music from Bach to Falla in a dazzling solo recital.
- 11 December: International duo Ben Baker and Daniel Lebhardt return with a cathartic European programme including Schubert, Brahms and Respighi.
In 2026:
- 23 January: Irish opera sensation Claudia Boyle joins baritone Seán Boylan and pianist Dearbhla Collins for a thrilling Opera Gala.
- 20 February: Tenor and Drogheda Classical Music’s Artistic Director Gavan Ring and pianist Fiachra Garvey journey through Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel and Stephen McNeff’s Ballads of a Bogman.
- 10 March: The acclaimed Piatti Quartet return to Drogheda with stirring quartets by Brahms, Charlotte Harding and Dvořák.
- 10 April: Saxophonist Trish Clowes and pianist Ross Stanley close the season with a genre-blending programme fusing jazz, classical, and original improvisations.
PURCHASE YOUR SEASON TICKET HERE FOR JUST €130 FOR ALL EIGHT CONCERTS!
Individual concerts will go on sale from 19 August!
