On February 13 at 8 p.m. in Drogheda St. Peter’s Church and February 14 at 8.p.m. in Dundalk St. Patrick’s Cathedral State Choir Latvija with Fergus Sheil conducting will give the premiere of “The Deer’s Cry” by Arvo Pärt. A cappella work on the text of St. Patrick’s Breastplate for mixed choir was commissioned by Louth Contemporary Music Society and will be presented at the concert named as “Arvo Pärt’s World Premiere: Baltic Voices in Ireland”.
The programme consists of Pärt’s choral music (“Summa”, “Da Pacem Domine”, 7 Magnificat Antiphones) as well as instrumental music (“For Alina”, “Variations For The Healing Of Arinushka”, “Fratres” and „Spiegel im Spiegel”) performed by Ioana Petcu Colani (violin) and Michael McHale (piano). In addition to Pärt’s music, the programme includes of two premieres of the pieces also written on Irish texts: “I See His Blood on the Rose” by Latvian composer Georgs Pelecis and “Commendo Spiritum Meum” by Deirdre McKay.