NSO: Bill Whelan at 75

Friday 21 November 2025

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) proudly celebrates composer Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday with a concert at the National Concert Hall in November featuring some of his most popular works, including the world premiere of a new work commissioned from the Grammy Award-winning composer by the NSO and, in the year which marks the 30th anniversary of Riverdance, a performance of the Riverdance Symphonic Suite. Gavin Maloney conducts.

Bill Whelan comments “2025 is not only my 75th year on the planet, but it also marks the 30th year in the life of the most noted of my compositions, Riverdance. I am honoured that the National Symphony Orchestra is not only presenting this concert to mark these occasions, but that it has also commissioned a new piece from me to add to the repertoire. Events such as these provide opportunities to reflect on the arc of one’s work, and so the programme will include music from my earliest large scale orchestral composition, right up to the present.”

National Symphony Orchestra
Gavin Maloney, conductor

Zoë Conway, fiddle
Tara Howley, uilleann pipes
Séamus Ó Flatharta, voice, Irish harp, whistle
Damien Mullane, accordion

Bill Whelan
Dancing at Lughnasa Main Title
‘Caraçena’ from The Seville Suite
‘An Chistin’ from The Connemara Suite
New work for the National Symphony Orchestra World Premiere
Riverdance Symphonic Suite

For more information and to book tickets: