High Hopes for new orchestra in Cork city

Cork Penny Dinners is set to follow on the success of its long-running High Hopes Choir, and the charity’s volunteers say the High Hopes Orchestra will similarly raise awareness of homelessness and will partner with the choir in staging large scale performances. Pictured, Patsy McCarthy, Delores Hughes, Miriam O'Shea and Caitríona Twomey singing with The Cork Penny Dinners High Hopes Choir as they perform on Patrick Street, Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins
Cork’s musicians can have high hopes for the future as the city’s oldest charity is about to launch Leeside’s newest concert orchestra.
Cork Penny Dinners is set to follow on the success of its long-running High Hopes Choir, and the charity’s volunteers say the High Hopes Orchestra will similarly raise awareness of homelessness and will partner with the choir in staging large scale performances.
The High Hopes Choir was formed in 2014 under the tutelage of David Brophy of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and now the High Hopes Orchestra hopes to replicate its achievements.
The orchestra, which will be made up of Cork musicians, both amateur and professional, and friends and ers, from across Cork and beyond, will also provide performance opportunities to musicians who have not before had the opportunity to be part of an ensemble.
Cork Penny Dinners’ volunteer co-ordinator Caitríona Twomey told
the orchestra represented a lifelong ambition for volunteers at the charity.“So many of our people have not had the opportunity, notwithstanding their talent, to nurture and to bring their talent and gift to bear for their own good and the good of others,” Ms Twomey said.
The orchestra, which will be under the guidance of experienced orchestral performers, players and management, is calling for musicians of all abilities to this initiative, by g up to give as little or as much of their time as they can manage.
Those who sign up will be included in the High Hopes Orchestra , and large-scale concerts will be staged using an orchestra built from this , according to the availability of individual .
The City of Cork Symphony Orchestra, which has staged productions with Katherine Jenkins, Il Divo, Jose Carreras and Nigel Kennedy, has come on board to assist in driving the initiative.
Brian Murphy, of the City of Cork Symphony Orchestra, said of the Cork orchestra were tremendously honored to have been asked to get on board with the High Hopes Orchestra.
“We hope to provide an anchor group or musicians and a core orchestra, which will stage concerts of a very high standard to raise awareness and funds for the extraordinary work that Caitriona Twomey and her team does.”
The High Hopes Orchestra is also calling for musicians to give of some of their time on a voluntary basis to assist in the coaching of dedicated and willing players.
The first rehearsal of the new orchestra will take place on 6 March 2023, and players, ers and friends are invited to their and interest by emailing [email protected] or by ing on the High Hopes Orchestra’s Facebook page.