Don’t let heavenly voices fall silent
... the Dean of St Fin Barre’s, the City of Cork, and all the sponsors, for the generosity of their welcome. They all permitted our orchestra to perform in perfect conditions.
As the conductor, faithful to Duke Ellington’s guidance, I have to underline the great pleasure I felt in conducting this ensemble of almost 50 people on stage, all engaged in the search for pure emotion, and particularly the great quality and sensitivity of the choir Voices of Cork.
As a European citizen, in the context of Cork 2005, I appreciated the European spirit that was evident in this artistic project.
As a professional, I particularly appreciated the opportunity we were granted to ally the competence of our choir director and soloists to those of Padraig Wallace in the preparatory work.
The emotion and brilliance of their natural and spontaneous singing was no doubt a major factor in the success of this concert: in a style and repertoire they were practising for the very first time, their individual and collective commitment to the music was truly exceptional.
When I heard that Voices of Cork might cease to exist, once the 2005 programme that brought them into being was over, I felt sadness and regret.
I sincerely hope that Cork city and your arts and culture ministry can join their efforts and find a way to maintain this genuine artistic and social project during the years to come.
May my humble testimonial help Voices of Cork bring further joy to Cork citizens, and help all to discover the many ways of enjoying music and culture.
Laurent Mignard
Musical Director
Laurent Dukish Orchestra
Paris
France
