Dynamic trio for Navan concert

Performing this coming Friday 15th January at 8pm, at the Solstice Arts Centre is Ensemble Avalon, a fresh and dynamic piano trio featuring three of Ireland's finest internationally accomplished soloists and chamber musicians: Ioana Petcu-Colan on violin, Gerald Peregrine on cello and Michael McHale on piano. This concert is promoted by Music Network, which provides an opportunity for regional audiences to see some of the world's foremost music ensembles at affordable prices in venues around Ireland, funded by the Arts Council. Hailing from both north and south of the border, Ensemble Avalon come together to explore and perform a diverse programme of existing and new piano trio works in concert. An Irish violinist of Romanian origin, Ioana Petcu-Colan has been described as a model of musicianship and insight and is an established soloist and chamber musician based in Barcelona. Cellist Gerald Peregrine is the youngest member of a well-known Irish musical family, his mother is the violinist Sheila O'Grady, and his uncle the late tenor Frank Patterson. Gerald has performed on two previous occasions in Solstice. One of the leading young Irish pianists of his generation, Michael McHale's playing has been described as 'instantly engaging', with 'lucidity and elegance'. A former student of John O'Conor and Reamonn Keary at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, he won the 2004 Camerata Ireland Musician of the Year, and was winner of the Brennan and Field Prizes at the 2006 AXA Dublin International Piano Competition. Michael was featured as a 'rising star' in the International Piano magazine. Together their programme for the evening will include; Franz Joseph Hadyn's 'Gypsy Rondon', Gabriel Fauré's 'Piano Trio in D Minor', Ariel Hernadez's 'Para Lennie' and Dmitri Shostakovich's 'Piano Trio No 2'. Tickets are €15 and €12 concession rate and are available from Solstice Arts Centre Box Office on (046) 909 2300 or online. Running in conjunction with this event, Solstice are running a special promotion entitled '3 for €30' whereby audiences can choose from three of the following music events for only €30 and save money; these events include Ensemble Avalon (Fri 15th Jan), RTE Vanbrugh Quartet (Sat 6th Feb), Portico Quartet (Wed 17 Feb) and Cooney & Blumina (Sat 13 Mar). For further information, please contact Solstice Box Office.