RTÉ Performing Groups was a performance group, operating over many decades, of five classical ensembles that were part of the Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). All but the string quartet (originally the Vanbrugh Quartet, the ConTempo Quartet from 2013) are based in
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
(the ConTempo had a Galway base, Vanbrugh were based in Cork). In January 2022, three of the member groups were moved from RTÉ to the aegis of the
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...
The ''RTÉ Performing Groups'' were made up of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, a string quartet (under contract the ConTempo Quartet, previously the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet), the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir and the children's choir, RTÉ Cór na nÓg, until January 2022. The five groups presented over 250 events annually, including live performances and work in education. The groups were largely funded by licence fee revenue and reported a 2018 income of €15 million. In 2018, the two orchestras celebrated 70 years in existence.
Between the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, a total of 134 professional musicians are employed. The RTÉ Philharmonic Choir and the children's choir, RTÉ Cór na nÓg, are for singers at an amateur level. Presently, approximately 200 adults and children are incorporated in the choirs.
The five groups play approximately two concerts a week, a number which can increase at certain times of year, and present up to 250 events every year, most of these being live concerts. Most of these performances take place in
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, mostly in the
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...
but some in The Helix and the National Gallery of Ireland. There is a variety of high-end classical music with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet to RTÉ Concert Orchestra concerts in the fields of
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
and
big band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
, classical crossover,
rock music
Rock is a Music genre, genre of popular music that originated in the United States as "rock and roll" in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of styles from the mid-1960s, primarily in the United States and the United Kingdo ...
cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
, multimedia events, family concerts and more.
High-profile Irish and international artists who have appeared with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra include Han-Na Chang, Louis Lortie and Ann Murray, while acclaimed guests in the orchestra's history included Sir John Barbirolli, Vladimir Ashkenazy,
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s to the 1980s.
She possessed a voice ...
and
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works, which enl ...
. RTÉ Concert Orchestra guests have included
Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...
,
Plácido Domingo
José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...
Kiri Te Kanawa
Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa (; born Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron, 6 March 1944) is a New Zealand opera singer. She had a full lyric soprano voice, which has been described as "mellow yet vibrant, warm, ample and unforced". On 1 December ...
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins (born 29 June 1980) is a Welsh singer. She is a mezzo-soprano and performs operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre, and hymns.stamp. One million stamps were printed.
Groups with RTÉ
RTÉ Concert Orchestra
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is the other of the two full-time professional orchestras in Ireland that are part of RTÉ. Since its formation as the Radio Éireann Light Orchestra in 1948, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra has grown from a small studio-based recording group to become an active 45-strong orchestra performing over eighty concerts annually.
Groups now with the NCH
National Symphony Orchestra
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra is the concert music orchestra of Radio Telefís Éireann. It has been considered one of Europe's major symphony orchestras. It is the primary symphony orchestra of Dublin and is the leading orchestra of Ireland. Jaime Martín is the Chief Conductor.
RTÉ Philharmonic Choir
The RTÉ Philharmonic Choir is RTÉ's main choir. The Choir has been at the centre of choral music in Ireland since its foundation by Colin Mawby in 1985 following the introduction of new choral policy. This 140-strong choir is the country's premier symphonic choral ensemble and has performed more than 52 of the major choral works since its foundation, mostly in conjunction with the RTÉ orchestras. Its conductor is Mark Hindley.
RTÉ Cór na nÓg
The RTÉ Cór na nÓg was founded in 1987 and consists of 65 specially-selected children between the ages of 9 and 14 directed by conductor Máire Mannion. Regular performances are made in Dublin (such as the National Concert Hall) and in other counties.
Other groups
RTÉ ConTempo Quartet
RTÉ ConTempo Quartet (Bogdan Sofei, Ingrid Nicola – violins; Andreea Banciu – viola; Adrian Mantu – cello) was the resident string quartet to RTÉ from 2013 to 2022, and are Ensemble in residence to The Galway Music Residency since 2003, and former the Quartet in Residence to Royal Academy of Music, London. The RTÉ ConTempo Quartet won a world record of 14 International Prizes including London International String Quartet Competition and is one of Europe's most successful quartets, internationally recognised for its beauty of sound, clarity of texture and integrity of interpretation within an unusually wide and varied range of repertoire.