The wide variety of music that you can enjoy this season

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland have rounded up the best in musical performances happening across Ulster this autumn.

First up is the Ulster Orchestra which presents its new season opening concert, 23 September, 7:45pm in the company of music director Daniele Rustioni and phenomenal pianist, Stephen Hough.

The musical programme for the evening includes the tempestuous drama of Brahms’s Second Piano Concerto, with all of Stephen Hough’s dazzling virtuosity and warmth, and meet Richard Strauss’s ‘hero’ in a musical narration of A Hero’s Life (Ein Heldenleben).

Strauss paints a kaleidoscopic picture of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of life.

Other highlights this season includes Tianyi’s Tchaikovsky at the Ulster Hall on October 7 also featuring Mendelsson’s Violin Concerto and, specifically, Tchaikovsky’s symphony No.5.

At the same venue on October 21, you can enjoy the Ligeti Romanian Concerto, Grieg Piano Concerto and Beethoven Symphony No 8.

Conductor Paul Campbell and presenter Ryan Hand will be at the forefront for for the Halloween Howler concert at the Waterfront Hall.

Celebrate all things Halloween at this spooktacular show featuring music from your favourite scary films and more.

Embark on a spooky journey through some of the creepiest classics including Ghostbusters, Harry Potter and Hotel Transylvania.

Meanwhile Colin Reid will be in concert at the MAC September 16.

This welcomes the stunning acoustic guitarist back to the local live music scene.

Expect to hear original music from his four studio albums and a few choice covers. Colin has been on hiatus from guitar performance to concentrate on creating new music for various ensembles and is now back for a rare performance at the MAC for one night only.

Once described by the great Bert Jansch as “a cross between me and John Renbourne” and by The Irish Times as “a stunning finger-style guitarist”, Colin will be joined on-stage by special (mystery) guests. Expect accessible, engaging, melodic, original music.

An album launch of reimagined Irish airs, entitled AURA will be held at the MAC on Oct 29.

Celebrate the island of Ireland with this one of a kind event to launch the album of solo piano music featuring Irish Airs written by Belfast composer Neil Martin and performed by Londonderry-born pianist, Ruth McGinley.

Meanwhile Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre presents the NI Music Prize at the Ulster Hall on November 16.

The evening celebrates the best music from across Northern Ireland in the past year.

The event features performances from shortlisted artists and a very special Oh Yeah Legend Award which will be presented to the legendary musician, singer and frontman from Celtic rockers Horslips, Barry Devlin.

Devlin is from Moortown in Ardboe, Co Tyrone.

He was in the pioneering Irish Celtic rock band Horslips as bass player, vocalist and front man.

After the breakup of Horslips, Devlin released the 1983 solo album Breaking Star Codes.

Horslips reunited from 2004 - 2006, and again from 2009 - 2019.

The NI Music exhibition at Oh Yeah is the only permanent exhibit for popular music in Northern Ireland.

There is much to see, including a series of storyboards documenting and plotting the history and the stories of folk, punk, rock, jazz and more.

Moving on Music is set to present a series of concerts including Les Filles de Illighadad, on September 6 at the ultra cool venue, the Black Box on Belfast’s Hill Street.As the name suggests, Les Filles de Illighadad (daughters of Illighadad) hail from the small, secluded village in central Niger.

Only accessible via a grueling drive through the open desert, there is little infrastructure and no electricity or running water. But what the nomadic zone lacks in material wealth it makes up for with deep and strong identity and musical tradition.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Opera presents one of the most beautiful operas ever written, La Traviata, which returns to The Grand Opera House on September 10, 13, 15 and 17.

The comany are presenting a brand-new production of one of the most popular operas of all time: the much-loved and cherished La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi.

This stunning new production comprising four performances is sure to delight and move audiences of all ages.

It is perfect for anyone who would like to experience an opera for the first time as well as for diehard opera fans.

Northern Ireland Opera is delighted to engage with the Ulster Orchestra to bring this masterpiece with its gloriously romantic score to life.

Scott’s Jazz Club runs a weekly concert in Ballyhackamore Club, 1a Sandown Road, every Friday Night from 9pm.

The club provides a welcoming environment for world class jazz music to be experienced in a concert setting.

ChillDaBeats is the brand new show from NI DJ, Phil Taggart.

Every week he brings you a soft focus selection of the best alternative chill sounds along with the biggest guests picking some brain soothers in the Soul Food Selection. ChillDaBeats goes live every Sunday.

Listen on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/show/0M2IpL7ldc1Rui2aa9meX3.

This podcast series is supported by emergency funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities.

Lastly, we have Tommy Sands and Artsawonder: In this new online film series, legendary musician, Tommy Sands, sings, listens and learns from a singing five times world champion drum major Alan McBride, and two young women, Jenna Stevenson and Wendy Graham Hanna, who initiate and drive an Arts hub shop, a rhythmic drum weaver Damien McKeown and a young woman Bronagh Kelly, who lovingly echoes the poetry of her mother. To watch visit Media | Artsawonder (wixsite.com).

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