
RT today announced fiddle player, singer and composer Zo Conway as Associate Artist with the RT Concert Orchestra.
Zo is an extraordinary talent and a central figure in Irish traditional music. Over the years she has collaborated with the RT Concert Orchestra on a range of projects encompassing concerts, broadcasts, recordings, a Fleadh Cheoil na ireann appearance and a tour of China. As Associate Artist, her contribution will enrich traditional and folk elements in the orchestra's repertoire. She joins an artistic team that includes jazz supremo Guy Barker, also an Associate Artist, with each of these remarkable musicians bringing their expertise to important strands in the RT CO's eclectic musical programme.
Zo Conway said: I feel privileged to bring my music to this wonderful orchestra as playing with them is one of my favourite things to do! I just love that place where Irish traditional and orchestral worlds come together, and I feel this collaboration is an exciting development for my music and voice as a composer and performer, and an important development of our living, breathing tradition.'
RT Concert Orchestra General Manager Joe Csibi commented: Zo 's personality has always shone through in her creative being. She writes so beautifully and creatively that it is hard to do anything but be captivated. As a performer, she is a virtuoso. As a composer, a genius. Our orchestra is lucky to work with Zo and to create new and fabulous musical adventures for our audience.'
Marking this milestone, an RT CO concert on 15 November at the National Concert Hall will showcase Zo as both a performer and a composer. The first half features the world premiere of the film From a Forest to a Fiddle accompanied by live performance of Zo 's score, while the tempo is stepped up in the second half with a feast of traditional music old and new, including her Desert Storm/Rounding Malin Head and Bill Whelan's Riverdance.
From a Forest to a Fiddle is a meditative artistic timelapse capturing craftsman Jim Mc Killop making a fiddle in his rural workshop in the Cooley Mountains. He has stopped making instruments but was persuaded by Zo - who buys all her fiddles from him - to make just one more so his process could be captured. It is a magical celebration of tradition, of craft and of nature as we witness the alchemy that sees a rough piece of sycamore in the hands of a master become a fiddle. This project was supported by An T in Arts Centre and The Arts Council, and commissioned by the RT Concert Orchestra.
Performing alongside Zo will be guitarist John Mc Intyre. The two make up what the BBC described as one of the best folk duos on the planet' - as well as being a married couple! Other guests including D nal Lunny, Louise Mulcahy and John Sheahan will be joining the RT CO and its Principal Guest Conductor Stephen Bell. The music and the atmosphere promise to set the National Concert Hall alight on 15 November to welcome Zo to her new role with the orchestra and to mark this very special night.
More from RTE
01/07/2025
The Traitors are coming: Get your first taste of the global hit as Season 1 of T...
01/07/2025
RT has announced that Teresa Smith has been appointed Commissioning Editor with responsibility for Factual Entertainment following a public competition. This s...
01/07/2025
This July, RT is delighted to support Galway International Arts Festival, Earagail Arts Festival in Donegal, Belfast TradFest and 23 other arts and cultural ev...
30/06/2025
All 8 episodes of Season 1 of 1923 will be available on RT Player from Tuesday ...
26/06/2025
Keeper Pictures, the Dublin-based scripted production company whose credits include The Gone and Striking Out, has optioned the exclusive TV adaptation rights t...
26/06/2025
This July, RT presents The Phone Box Babies, a documentary revealing new insigh...
25/06/2025
RT has confirmed its Monday night television series, Upfront with Katie Hannon has come to an end and will not be returning in September following three season...
24/06/2025
Women's Euros, Women's Rugby World Cup, European Hockey Championships, GAA Championships, World Athletics Championships, Irish Open, Horse Racing and mu...
24/06/2025
RT has today announced details of its summer line-up of home-grown documentarie...
19/06/2025
RT and ITV have today announced that filming is underway in Dublin on the third and final series of Element Pictures' award-winning 8 30' comedy drama ...
18/06/2025
To date the Toy Show Appeal has raised over 26 million since its inception in 2...
16/06/2025
Run with Ray is back! RT Radio 1's The Ray D'Arcy Show hits the road th...
13/06/2025
In fulfilment of a recommendation by the Government's Expert Advisory Commit...
11/06/2025
RT Commercial has today announced Mercedes-Benz Ireland as the car partner of The Traitors Ireland, coming to RT One and RT Player in the Autumn.
Mercedes-B...
10/06/2025
Family described their shock and distress at seeing footage of their father bein...
06/06/2025
Monday 9 June, 8pm on RT One and RT Player
Hip hop duo Tebi Rex, K la's R n n Snodaigh, John Spillane and Eve Belle among mentors
Promo: An Ghig Mh ...
05/06/2025
Stuart Carolan and Chris Addison team up on darkly comedic drama starring Ella Lily Hyland, Aidan Gillen, Phillipa Dunne and Packy Lee
From top left to right: ...
04/06/2025
Experts condemn leading private nursing home care provided referring to instance...
04/06/2025
Experts condemn leading private nursing home care provided referring to instance...
03/06/2025
This June, RT is delighted to support 20 arts and cultural events all over Ireland spanning art, theatre, film, writing and literature, multiple genres of musi...
03/06/2025
RT is pleased to announce the appointment of David Crean as Head of Drama, following an external competition.
After an earlier career as a director and a prod...
02/06/2025
RT Commercial has announced laya healthcare, as the new sponsor of 2FM Breakfas...
31/05/2025
RT Investigates: Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes | RT YouTube
RT will broadcast an RT Investigates documentary with undercover footage relating to sta...
30/05/2025
Stolen Sister | RT Radio Player YouTube
Sisters of Elizabeth Plunkett, who was murdered by Ireland's first serial killers, speak for this first time i...
29/05/2025
Dragon Hearts- RT documentary follows cancer survivors united through the power...
29/05/2025
2FM is hitting the road this summer, broadcasting live from Ireland's biggest music festivals, starting with Forbidden Fruit this June Bank Holiday weekend....
29/05/2025
Aistear an Amhr in RT series reveals fascinating stories behind Ireland's ...
28/05/2025
This summer, RT , in collaboration with Ireland's vibrant independent produc...
28/05/2025
Debbie Brophy has been crowned the winner of Super Garden 2025. The garden design challenge, now in its 16th series, has once again showcased the extraordinary ...
27/05/2025
RT is pleased to announce the appointment of Hugh Ormond to the new role, Head of Podcasting, following an internal competition.
In this pivotal role to the ...
27/05/2025
RT will meet with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport on Wednesday 28th May, 2025.
The Committee identified a nu...
23/05/2025
In an email to RT staff this evening, RT Director General stated as follows:
Dear colleagues,
RT 's VEP 2025 is now closed. I can confirm that we receiv...
23/05/2025
Featuring guest writers Edel Coffey, Mike McCormack, Sin ad Moriarty, Dave Rudde...
22/05/2025
In line with the published New Direction strategy, RT has launched a commissioning process that will see all Christian Worship content on RT 's video platf...
22/05/2025
Prime Time speaks to Charleen Murphy, an influencer whose online harassment turned into a real-world attack
Tonight, Prime Time hosts a special programme focus...
22/05/2025
RT 's Today show, in conjunction with Ireland's oldest publishing house Mercier Press, have announced Ireland's newest published author. Rebecca M...
21/05/2025
RT is pleased to announce the appointment of Eleanor O'Shaughnessy as Chief Risk and Compliance Officer (CRCO), following a public competition. Eleanor bri...
19/05/2025
RT is today publishing a statistical summary from the Register of External Activities for the fourth quarter of 2024.
The RT Register of External Activities ...
18/05/2025
Ballyduff Drama Group from Co. Waterford Scoops Top Award in 2025 RT All-Irelan...
16/05/2025
Live RT Radio 1 shows with Louise Duffy, Countrywide and Mooney Goes Wild
RT ...
15/05/2025
The Football Association of Ireland and RT have today announced a new two-year ...
12/05/2025
What is success? How is it achieved? And what does it really cost? These are the...
09/05/2025
Further to the comments from RT Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst on Wednesday 7th May included below in which he asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel...
09/05/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
In the season finale of The Late Late Show, ...
09/05/2025
My Eurovision Party 2025 - join in on the fun with RT Kids!
Eurovision launche...
08/05/2025
The Liveline is now open , said Joe Duffy earlier today, as he previewed this af...
08/05/2025
RT , in association with the BBC, Screen Ireland and Cineflix Rights has reveale...
07/05/2025
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of RT journalist, Fergal O'Brien, as its new Business Correspondent.
In his new role, Fergal will be repor...
06/05/2025
Live from Studio 1 at 7pm, Tuesday May 6
Iconic trad-fusion group K LA will be ...
06/05/2025
First episode airs this Friday at 8pm on RT One and RT Player with Doireann N Ghlac in presenting
Guests include Barry Murphy, Brooke Scullion, Bryan Dobso...