A prescription of classical repertoire from the Irish Doctors Orchestra, accompanied by the choirs of St Dominic’s Grammar School and St Malachy’s College on 03 March 2024 at the Ulster Hall, Belfast!

The Irish Doctors Orchestra (IDO) is a unique all-island fellowship of medical professionals who are also classically trained musicians. The concept of the IDO provides an opportunity for medics from across Ireland to get together and create music as a therapy to the stresses and challenges we all face in our professional lives. It follows in the footsteps of other doctors’ orchestras such as European Doctors Orchestra (founded 2004), Australian Doctors Orchestra (founded 1993) and World Doctors Orchestra (founded 2008).

The IDO formed in 2020 and despite a staggered start under the pandemic, we finally met in person for our first live performance in Belfast in May 2022. Since then, we have performed in Dublin and Limerick and are looking forward to a return to Belfast where we will be joining forces with the choirs of St Dominic’s Grammar School and St Malachy’s College in the magnificent setting of the Ulster Hall.

All proceeds from IDO concerts go to a local charity. For this performance, we have partnered with Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI), which is the regional umbrella organisation for the Children’s Sector in Northern Ireland.

We are delighted to receive the expert guidance and direction of Irish conductor Sinead Hayes for this performance. Our programme will include Verdi Forza del Destino Overture, Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, as well as Verdi’s Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco and a selection of other fabulous choral pieces from the school choirs.

Verdi: La forza del desino

Verdi: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco

Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”

SINEAD HAYES CONDUCTOR

Support our partner Charity, Children in Northern Ireland

CiNI focus on learning, collaboration, and influencing to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families. They offer a wide range of training, carry out extensive policy work across government, deliver advocacy projects and programmes aimed at tackling child poverty and improving the lives of children with disabilities, and they manage the region’s free, confidential parenting support helpline, Parentline NI.