CELLISSIMO

Cellissimo 2024 was a breath-taking sonic adventure!

We came together in collective musical celebration in Galway last May, nourishing our hearts and minds with exceptional moments in music and musicianship, creativity and inspiration, empathy and understanding. All around us, pure passion and positive dynamics in action, joy and harmony combined with organic connections between musician and cello, performer and instrument, music and audience, universe and Ireland itself.

Cellissimo as programmed by MfG Artisic Director Finghin Collins and CEO Anna Lardi, told the story of us, our past and our present, our shared hopes for the future, laying out a vision for our people and our planet. We connected through the universal language of music and art, bound in openness and empathy, and it was glorious. There were double takes as trails of music lovers snaked around venues and spilled into the streets. This was bigger than we had ever imagined, an extraordinary gathering to create and share.

Cellissimo was for all our people, those who travelled from down the road, those who came from across the country and those who arrived at our shores, all united in notes and keys. Cellissimo will forever remain a wide-open door, beckoning every age, race, colour, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, origin, faith and ability. Music for all. Galway, a beacon for all who love music.

Smiles abounded, the chat was flowing, the craic was mighty, the city buzzing. We ate and drank from Galway’s plate, swayed, tapped and danced our days and nights away, before resting our heads in comfort and safety. Western hospitality is unparalleled. Galway did us proud. We are so thankful to all in the city and county for taking the Cellissimo journey with us and ensuring our beautiful place shone as brightly as the music.

Cellissimo has impacted so many lives, not least that of our beloved CEO Anna Lardi, who after 29 years as a ‘blow-in’ to Galway has ascended the social ranks with an overheard conversation referring to her as ‘that lady from Salthill, the one who runs Cellissimo’! Welcome Anna, you’re home now a stóirín.

Music for Galway made a serious commitment to sustainability. This is rarely the easiest route. With research, creativity, endless patience and tenacity, alternatives and solutions were found to reduce the festival footprint, and those experiences will now be shared with festivals across the world. What was most encouraging was the willingness of people - artists, audiences, workers, partners, sponsors and suppliers – to be more considerate and thoughtful about their Cellissimo footprint, through sustainable travel, food and material choices. A sustainability apex was reached when Anne O' Máille produced wristbands made from Donegal wool for the Inishbofin Cello Trail! And no, they weren’t itchy at all!

The wow factor of Cellissimo was undeniable: the hundreds of performers who gathered from near and far, the audiences who raised roofs and rocked dancefloors, adding their voices loud and proud. We cheered and clapped in castles and abbeys, on islands and beaches, in bars and theatres. We came together to celebrate the cello, to share our love of classical, and replenish our lifeforce. Because that’s what great music gives us.

Every show, every note was a moment to savour. Too many to mention, but here’s a small taster to whet the appetite for Cellissimo 2027.

We dived into Galway Bay, answering her call, thanks to the incredibly diverse Galway communities of performers, our inspiring marine guardians, and our glorious musical diaspora. Eighty cellists of all ages came together to give voice to our Bay, creating a most memorable performance and a beautiful sight, and an understanding of the importance of the seas to our lives.

Songs of Travel stole the show. Our mission, which we chose to embrace, was to inspire empathy and understanding for people and planet through music, song and story. Mary Robinson rousing the gathered crowds to stand and be counted in the raging battle to protect our world and people. The moment when Jakob Koranyi asked her for a selfie! The cellist, whose unrelenting commitment to sustainability in the classical world has so inspired Cellissimo, finally brought together with his all-time hero. Galway’s own Adedotun Adekeye in Town Hall Theatre, speaking of his experiences as a new Irish citizen. “Don’t let politics take away your humanity.” Ade’s words have resonated ever since, and we are thankful to him for sharing his lived wisdom as a lens through which we might view local and global events.

Galway’s ever shining superstar Eimear Noone broke from the genre stereotype and hit the audience between the eyes with an encore of Back in Black by AC/DC. Raw power, relatability and audience participation are crucial to growing audiences and bringing classical to new ears.

Camille Thomas’ Story of a Cello was a concert that charmed the audience with the talent of the artists and beauty of the music, engaging and endearing the cello to the audience in the Black Box. It was a gem of a concert, with a wonderful chemistry in the combination of soloist, ensemble and conductor.

Nicolas Altstaedt & Friends gave us phenomenal musicianship and stunning performances, introducing us to some lesser-known masterpieces and truly blowing minds. Alban Gerhardt’s Bach Plus performances were an utterly individual unfiltered approach.  Adrian Mantu’s Bach Plus in Athenry encapsulated what can be achieved when we bring people together outside of urban centres.

The Cellissimo Spectacular was such a unique event, showcasing the best of Irish cellists, local community and young people, as well as the astonishing talent of star cellist Nicolas Altstaedt, whose sound was simply miraculous. Irish soprano Claudia Boyle added greatly to this evening of pure pleasure.

Our Inishbofin Cello Trail was unforgettable. On the way to the ferry, with Kylemore Abbey and lake as a backdrop, an astonishing performance by Adrian and Clara Mantu. We set out across the rolling waves, Inishbofin a glistening green gem in a bed of blue. Traversing the island, the music, the company, the landscape, our noses filled with earth and sea, rays of sunshine, twinkling lights, beautiful wildflowers, the sounds of island life mingling with cellos. An absolute delight for all the senses. The infectious enthusiasm of Cello Ireland in this special place wrapped around us all. We wished the day would never end.

Nightfall brought with it the sound of a soft clasp locking a well-worn case, as the final Cellissimo cello was packed away. And all that was left to do was to find our way home, our hearts and minds replenished by music and love, and a short rest before dreaming up the next journey for Music from Galway and all who sail with her.

There is so much more to share from Cellissimo, it was so much greater than the sum of its excellent parts. Thank you for coming, for taking part. Keep us in your hearts and on the tip of tongues ‘til the next time we gather.

SEE YOU IN 2027!