You Looking For Treble…?

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t’s a rare gift in life when your 10-year-old self pretty much knows what your 60-year-old self will be doing.

In the case of young Alan Smale, he just knew, right from the start, that violin was going to be his lifelong passion.

And so it has proven, Smale moving from his native Torquay to Dublin in 1977 to become co-leader of the then RTE Symphony Orchestra, being appointed leader of the RTE Concert Orchestra 6 years later. From 1993 to 2013, Alan would hold that position too with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, and with The Irish Film Orchestra from 1993 to 2014, whilst also being a guest leader of The Ulster Orchestra. Among many other high-ranking achievements.

Oh, and somewhere in the thick of it all, the title of Leader Emeritus was awarded too.

So, suffice to say, the 10-year-old Alan Smale would be pretty darn chuffed to know just how far his passion would take him. And continues to take him.

Having formed in 1985, The Degani Ensemble – and that’s Degani, as in violin designer Eugenio Degani, not a pun on Delgany -may have changed their line-up over the years, but their aim of exploring a wide variety of music for wind and strings has remained true.

You only have to look at their recent eclectic trio of Sunday afternoon concerts at The Whale to see that. From Tango, Jazz & Swing, to being joined by internationally-renowned soprano Cara O’Sullivan and a celebration of Chopin and Brahms piano trios.

And now they’re back, after October’s A Beethoven Evening, with Beethoven: Words And Music, on Saturday, January 18th, at 8pm, with very special guest Barry McGovern on dulcet tones.

Which should, of course, be nice. Verging on epic.

We caught up with Smale – who regularly performs with co-founder Ruby alongside Rachel Quinn (piano), Tanya Plavans (viola) and Annette Cleary (cello) – to find out more about what’s in store, and to delve further into his, eh, history of violins.

You can find out more about Beethoven: Words And Music at The Whale on Saturday, January 18th right here. This interview first appeared on October 4th, 2017.