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This year for our annual Christmas Gala, we will be performing the 'Vivaldi Gloria', featuring "memorable tunes and infectious optimism" and of course traditional Christmas carols. We are excited to be working with the Vivaldi Ensemble Orchestra and some Naas schools, including Naas Community College and Gael-Choláiste Chill Dara.
Please support us and our chosen charity, Homeless Care CLG. Tickets are available from our good friends and constant supporters, Barker and Jones in Naas, Choir members and online at eventbrite.ie |
Open invitation to come and sing for Culture Night
There’s an exciting year ahead for much-loved Naas choir “The Nás na Rí Singers”, originally established in 1972 and drawing membership from all over Kildare, Wicklow and Dublin.
Thursday night rehearsals in Naas are a hub of enthusiastic singing and chat, with choir members from many backgrounds and ages enjoying their weekly immersion in choral music, led by their very accomplished Musical Director, Nathan Barrett and wonderful Accompanist Judith Gannon, a talented musician and teacher in her own right
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As a choral conductor, Nathan has worked with choirs across Ireland, ranging from primary schools right up to “OAP” choirs, having studied with Dr. Shaun Ryan (University of Ulster), David Stevens (Belfast Cathedral), Ian Keatley (Christchurch Cathedral), David Brophy (RTE Orchestras) and Dr. Katalin Kiss (Kodaly Institute).
Nathan’s day job is in Alexandra College, Dublin as Choral Conductor for the Intermediate, College and Chamber Choirs along with teaching Junior and Leaving Certificate Music. In addition, he runs workshops for young choral conductors and organists, especially in the more rural areas of Ireland. And recently, Nathan has been busy working as a Choral Facilitator for selected secondary schools around the country, in collaboration with Sing Ireland. “This is a very rewarding and exciting time” said Nathan “as I have been able to focus on student’s creativity in exploring music and composition”.
According to Edel Fitzmaurice, Chairperson of the choir, “This ties in nicely with one of the objectives of the Nás na Rí Singers – to promote, encourage and perform choral singing to the highest possible standards – and we are delighted to have Nathan and Judith with us as we embark on a new year of exciting plans both in Naas and further afield”. At the annual Carol Service in 2018, the choir drew together many musicians from Naas and further afield, including a large number of young singers from some of the local secondary schools. These young people had attended special rehearsals with “the Singers” and the collaboration was of great benefit to all, young and old alike. The concert was a sell-out and the committee are already working on the plan for another sell-out Christmas concert in the Church of Our Lady and St. David on Friday December 13th.
Audiences can expect to hear a variety of music, ranging from the more classical genre, to well- known carols and family favorites and Nathan who is an elected member of the Irish Composer’s Collective has added one of two of his own creations to the choir’s huge repertoire.
Plans are afoot to travel to Limerick Choral Festival in 2020, but the committee are concentrating on events closer to home during Autumn/Winter 2019, including the Henry Flanagan Memorial Concert in Newbridge on September 25th and of course the popular Culture Night festivities on September 20th.
The Culture Night open rehearsal takes place in a well-known building formerly, The Dara Cinema and now known as “Church on Main St”, located opposite the new Dunnes Stores on Main Street Naas. Bringing their collective talents to this old “centre of entertainment” in the middle of Naas town and encouraging the public to join them for a fun evening of singing followed by refreshments, continues the choir tradition of promoting choral music while at the same time reaching out to and involving the local community.
Further information on http://www.kildare.ie/culturenight and http://nasnarisingers.ie and Facebook.
There’s an exciting year ahead for much-loved Naas choir “The Nás na Rí Singers”, originally established in 1972 and drawing membership from all over Kildare, Wicklow and Dublin.
Thursday night rehearsals in Naas are a hub of enthusiastic singing and chat, with choir members from many backgrounds and ages enjoying their weekly immersion in choral music, led by their very accomplished Musical Director, Nathan Barrett and wonderful Accompanist Judith Gannon, a talented musician and teacher in her own right
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As a choral conductor, Nathan has worked with choirs across Ireland, ranging from primary schools right up to “OAP” choirs, having studied with Dr. Shaun Ryan (University of Ulster), David Stevens (Belfast Cathedral), Ian Keatley (Christchurch Cathedral), David Brophy (RTE Orchestras) and Dr. Katalin Kiss (Kodaly Institute).
Nathan’s day job is in Alexandra College, Dublin as Choral Conductor for the Intermediate, College and Chamber Choirs along with teaching Junior and Leaving Certificate Music. In addition, he runs workshops for young choral conductors and organists, especially in the more rural areas of Ireland. And recently, Nathan has been busy working as a Choral Facilitator for selected secondary schools around the country, in collaboration with Sing Ireland. “This is a very rewarding and exciting time” said Nathan “as I have been able to focus on student’s creativity in exploring music and composition”.
According to Edel Fitzmaurice, Chairperson of the choir, “This ties in nicely with one of the objectives of the Nás na Rí Singers – to promote, encourage and perform choral singing to the highest possible standards – and we are delighted to have Nathan and Judith with us as we embark on a new year of exciting plans both in Naas and further afield”. At the annual Carol Service in 2018, the choir drew together many musicians from Naas and further afield, including a large number of young singers from some of the local secondary schools. These young people had attended special rehearsals with “the Singers” and the collaboration was of great benefit to all, young and old alike. The concert was a sell-out and the committee are already working on the plan for another sell-out Christmas concert in the Church of Our Lady and St. David on Friday December 13th.
Audiences can expect to hear a variety of music, ranging from the more classical genre, to well- known carols and family favorites and Nathan who is an elected member of the Irish Composer’s Collective has added one of two of his own creations to the choir’s huge repertoire.
Plans are afoot to travel to Limerick Choral Festival in 2020, but the committee are concentrating on events closer to home during Autumn/Winter 2019, including the Henry Flanagan Memorial Concert in Newbridge on September 25th and of course the popular Culture Night festivities on September 20th.
The Culture Night open rehearsal takes place in a well-known building formerly, The Dara Cinema and now known as “Church on Main St”, located opposite the new Dunnes Stores on Main Street Naas. Bringing their collective talents to this old “centre of entertainment” in the middle of Naas town and encouraging the public to join them for a fun evening of singing followed by refreshments, continues the choir tradition of promoting choral music while at the same time reaching out to and involving the local community.
Further information on http://www.kildare.ie/culturenight and http://nasnarisingers.ie and Facebook.
Sing into Summer
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A glorious Summer concert, featuring songs old and new. The Nás na Rí Singers are delighted to invite our loyal and discerning audience to celebrate the start of another summer with us.
On Saturday 18th May we will be raising the roof of the glorious St David's Church, Main Street, Naas. This ancient landmark building creates a wonderful atmosphere and sounds as good as it looks. Join us on the night, and get Summer off to a flying start. Tickets will be available from Barker and Jones, and from choir members, or pay at the door. |
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This wonderful new short film from Jose Prada sums up what it means to be a part of Nás na Rí.
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Welcome to the Nás na Rí Singers' website. Whether you love to sing or to listen, you will find everything you need to know about the choir in the following pages.
Our aim is: "To promote, encourage and perform choral music to the highest possible standard." Spend a few minutes with us, and open up a lifetime of choral joy. |
Recent and upcoming News....
Warming up and rehearsing at the National Concert Hall
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Celebrating at a world premiere! An Island SingsAt the Nás na Rí Singers, we love to travel and bring our unique "big choir" sound to audiences throughout Ireland. Sometimes we travel to competitions, often bringing home silverware, but this year we were thrilled to participate in a non-competitive meeting of choirs from across the nation.
In the beautiful setting of the National Concert Hall in Dublin, we joined 5 other community choirs and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and we sang our hearts out in praise of Ireland. We were absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to represent Leinster in this all-island event. The highlight of the concert was the performance (by over 200 singers) of the World Premiere of "An Island Sings" a 25 minute choral work commissioned by Sing Ireland, Poetry Ireland and Chamber Choir Ireland. The composition was by Elaine Agnew and the lyrics were a cycle of poems written specially by Jessica Traynor, in praise of the changing face of modern Ireland. What an honour it was to participate! |
Sharing the joy of music in Sligo
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Travel with the Nás Na Rí Singers
The choir is open to adult singers of all ages and experience levels and we always love to make new friends and meet new people. We are delighted to be travelling to Sligo for a friendship visit to the Anglican community, singing with them and enjoying the famous Sligo landscape and hospitality in May 2019. See some of the fun we will have in the attached videos! Perhaps next year you'll be travelling with us? Keep your eyes on this site for notification of auditions in Autumn 2019, around Culture Night. |
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Culture Night Sept 21st 2018
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