Conductor Orla Flanagan: ‘This concert explores human existence in different spheres’
Ahead of her appearance at Pipeworks Festival conducting The Mornington Singers later this month, Orla Flanagan shares with us her life in culture.
Orla Flanagan is Assistant Professor of Music at Trinity College, Dublin and has conducted The Mornington Singers since 2002. Winner of the McCurtain & McSwiney Award at the Cork Choral Festival’s Fleischmann International Trophy Competition on multiple occasions, Orla was also awarded a special prize for interpretation at the 10th International Choral Competition, Maribor, Slovenia.
Though she has experienced much acclaim throughout the course of her career, the role of conductor was not something she necessarily pursued from the get-go. Conducting, Orla tells me, found her. “I studied music at the Kodály Institute in Hungary and discovered while I was there that leading choirs was really enjoyable,” she explains. “I had no idea then that it would become my career, and just how rewarding it would be.”
In addition to her work with Mornington Singers, Orla gives choral workshops, adjudicates at festivals in Ireland and internationally, and has conducted professional ensembles including Milltown Chamber Choir, EnsemBéal and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. Orla is Artistic Director of the Sing Ireland International Choral Conducting Summer School.
The award-winning mixed-voice choir, The Mornington Singers, will perform during Pipeworks Festival this year. They have long been a byword in Dublin for choral excellence, beginning life as a group of TCD graduates who wished to continue singing together after college. The group is no stranger to Pipeworks, having featured in several previous festivals, and the festival is delighted to welcome them back in the beautiful surroundings of Christ Church Cathedral.
The group will be appearing at Pipeworks International Organ and Choral Festival 2025 — what can we expect from the performance?
Our concert programme, entitled Myriad Worlds, will take listeners on a sonic journey exploring our human existence in different spheres – earthly, spiritual, celestial, and alien. The choir will perform music by living European composers with texts by Shakespeare, Newman and Milton contemplating our place in the world.
What is your favourite moment of a Mornington Singers’ performance?
Probably the moment when the choir takes its first breath before starting to sing. The unity, togetherness and collective power of that moment is so full of magic and energy.
Who is someone you look up to in the arts and music world in Ireland?
I’ve had the privilege of working with composer Bill Whelan on a number of recording projects, and he is wonderful to work with: musically brilliant, and a generous mentor to young musicians. He also tells the funniest stories!
What is one thing you wish everyone knew about working as a conductor?
I think a lot of people think of the conductor as the person who waves their arms around in front of a group of singers or players. In reality, that’s only a small facet of the role, and the majority of the work is done in rehearsal, and in the conductor’s solitary preparation of the music before they enter the rehearsal room.
What has been your career highlight so far?
I conducted Ireland’s National Chamber Choir (now Chamber Choir Ireland) in the White House for President Obama. We got to meet him and Michelle afterwards and it was a really special experience.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone hoping to have a career as a conductor?
I mentor a lot of students in my roles as a lecturer at Trinity College Dublin’s Music Department, and as Artistic Director of Sing Ireland’s International Choral Conducting Summer School. I always try to emphasise the importance of first of all becoming the best musician they can be, by training their ear, playing their instrument, and listening to huge amounts of music.
Orla Flanagan’s life in culture
The last thing I saw and loved… I brought my daughter to a show by the violin duo Lucia & Maria and we absolutely loved it. They have an amazing way of weaving different musical genres together and creating a really unique soundworld.
The book I keep coming back to… Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Easy has been a reliable go-to for delicious recipes that don’t take too long to cook. I love reading novels but don’t tend to reread them.
I find inspiration in… We live near St Anne’s Park and Dollymount Beach in Dublin and I love to go running there to get headspace and to enjoy the constant surprises of the Irish weather.
My favourite film is… Poor Things.
The song I listen to to get in the zone is… Saint Sister ‘Causing Trouble’. I love the unique sound and original music of this group.
The last book I recommended is… I just finished reading Middlemarch by George Eliot and have been trying to convince people to give it a go. It’s a bit of a commitment but totally worth the effort.
I never leave the house without… A tune in my head, and my tuning fork!
The album I still think about is… I listen to lots of Irish traditional music and right now I’m really enjoying Fergal Scahill and Ryan Molloy’s new album, The Gannet’s Dive.
My dream venue to play in would be… I’m dying to try out the new Whyte Recital Hall at the Royal Irish Academy of Music – it’s a fabulous space. It would be great to do a gig in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge some day
The best advice I’ve ever gotten… “Run the mile you’re in” is a running mantra that also works well for musical performance, and I find it a good motto for life, even if I don’t always succeed in doing it!
The art (book/film/performance/show etc.) that means the most to me is… It’s so hard to pick just one! My siblings got me two stunning seascapes by Donald Teskey for a significant birthday a few years back. They are wonderfully evocative of Ireland’s Atlantic coast, and I love looking at them.
The most challenging thing about being on stage is… I love being on stage and performing with choirs. The joy of sharing our music with audiences never gets old. That said, a choir’s natural habitat is often a church, and the biggest challenge is being really cold – I recall being able to see our breath in some past performances!
After a show, I… love to go out for a drink with my friends and talk about the show. It usually involves a lot of raucous laughter.
If I wasn’t a conductor, I would be… a bit lost.
The magic of being a conductor to me is… the power of collective human effort, and the utter privilege of being able to lead it.
Pipeworks Festival returns to Dublin this June 18—22 presenting some of the best organ music in beautiful and historic settings across the city. Find out more here.
Also Read
