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John Toal introduces a special morning concert from the Ulster Hall to mark the ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s centenary. It’s part of a weekend of live performances on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3, featuring the ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Orchestras and Choirs, and showcasing music written in the 1920s and the 2020s.

The Ulster Orchestra, under conductor Andrew Gourlay, performs works by two local composers. The first is Sir Hamilton Harty, the Hillsborough man who went on to become Chief Conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. He wrote his Piano Concerto in 1922 – the same year as the ´óÏó´«Ã½ was founded – and the soloist in this performance of it is Belfast-born pianist Michael McHale.

The programme also features Democracy Dances by Belfast composer Conor Mitchell. This orchestral work, with its story of the search and struggle for democracy, was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award in November last year. It was premiered in March 2021 by the Ulster Orchestra with live electronics, but has been specially reworked for this broadcast.

Hamilton Harty: Piano Concerto in B minor (37’)
Conor Mitchell: Democracy Dances (14’)

Michael McHale (Piano)
Ulster Orchestra
Andrew Gourlay (Conductor)