The award-winning Ulster Youth Orchestra presents its Summer Concert on 16 August 2026 when 93 talented young musicians will bring energetic, high quality orchestral music to Ulster Hall stage!
Conductor: Jac van Steen
Assistant Conductor: Max Todes
Soprano: Rebecca Murphy
Programme:
Sam Kane: Journey to the Otherworld (UK & Irish premiere)
Harty: The Children of Lir
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, Op.45
On Wednesday 12th August, the Orchestra will perform this programme at the Konzerthaus in Berlin as part of the prestigious Young Euro Classic Festival and following a ten day residential course in Berlin, returns to Belfast for its showcase finale.
The Ulster Youth Orchestra (UYO) provides high quality musical tuition, orchestral experience and performance opportunities, not otherwise available in Northern Ireland. Through its residential courses, concerts, outreach programmes and special projects, the orchestra provides young musicians with much-needed access and exposure to the very best professional tutors and the chance to study under established international conductors such as Jac van Steen.
This summer's concert opens with a new piece, Journey to the Otherworld, especially commissioned by the Orchestra for the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin. Composer Sam Kane was raised on a farm in rural Northern Ireland and began his musical journey playing traditional Irish music before discovering his passion for classical violin and composition - across orchestral, chamber and solo performance. He is driven by a love of musical storytelling and this work is inspired by an old Irish folktale - the Voyage of Bran. Bran sets sail to the underworld, encourages many mythical beings, sails through a 'sea of glass' and encounters strange creatures who accompany him on his journey, only to turn to dust when they set foot on dry land.
The next piece is also based on an old Irish folktale. The Children of Lir by Hamilton Harty tells the tragic story of King Lir's four children—Finola, Aodh, Fiachra, and Conn—transformed into swans for 900 years by their jealous stepmother, Aoife. Condemned to spend centuries on different Irish waters, they retained human speech and song until rescued by a monk and a tolling bell. Soprano Rebecca Murphy is heard as Finola, singing a wordless song of weariness and longing.
The closing piece, Symphonic Dances, is Rachmaninov's own swansong, being his final orchestral masterpiece. The Symphonic Dances is full of vibrant colour and driving rhythms with an impressively dramatic ending to conclude the evening.
" The concert was just incredible and if we’d closed our eyes we would have believed that these were professional, adult players"
"The young musicians excelled themselves in what was a thoroughly committed and stunning performance."
Group Booking Available
School Groups: £5 per ticket
School groups 10+ 2 free adult tickets per booking
