PRESS RELEASE

Monday 4th October 2021

 

 

RESURGAM – Ireland's premier project-based vocal ensemble is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Wolodymyr Smishkewych as new General Manager of the group. Our current General Manager, Lucy Hayward O'Leary, will be departing the role at the end of November to concentrate on the professional string orchestra Luminosa, which she co-founded in 2018.

 

Lucy Hayward O'Leary explains:

 

Vlad moved to Ireland from the United States in 2011 to direct the MA in Ritual Chant and Song at the Irish World of Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. In 2014 he left academia in order to return to performing. A member of acclaimed groups Sequentia and Theatre of Voices, he has performed with artists and ensembles such as Jordi Savall and Hesperion XXI, The Harp Consort, Carlos Núñez, and Capella Romana. In 2015 he joined RTÉ lyric fm and is known as Ireland's voice of early music thanks to his weekly radio programme, Vox Nostra. With historical keyboard specialist, Dr Yonit Kosovske, he founded the organisation H.I.P.S.T.E.R. (Historically Informed Performance Series, Teaching, Education and Research) and in 2021 launched the new Limerick Early Music Festival.  He is, therefore,  impeccably qualified and well placed to serve the board of Resurgam in its endeavour to reach new audiences and continue to grow its loyal and passionate following.  Vlad is also a well-known radio presenter on RTÉ lyric fm so I am extremely happy that the management of Resurgam is being passed into a great pair of hands.

 

Artistic Director Mark Duley comments:

 

We're very fortunate in Ireland to have someone of Vlad's experience and knowledge living here and doing so much to enhance our cultural life, especially in the field of early music. We in Resurgam are doubly fortunate now that Vlad is to take over as our manager, bringing these gifts to bear on the future development of the ensemble. Whilst we will miss Lucy very much and have been the lucky beneficiaries of her extraordinary hard work and enthusiasm for the group, it's good to know we are in good hands going forward - onwards and upwards! 

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In commenting on his new role Vlad said:

 

I am absolutely thrilled to accept the role of Resurgam's general manager. Resurgam is an ensemble with which I have had the honour to perform, and which I have admired as it has gone from strength to strength in these last years. I am very excited to help guide the group into a new phase in the coming years, as it takes its rightful place on the international stage as a first-class Irish ensemble. I look forward to ensuring Resurgam's active return to live performances in Ireland and abroad as well as helping grow its recording output, broaden its outreach, and further grow its audience base. Resurgam is one of Irish music's best kept secrets—but it's time to lift the lid on one of the country's finest ensembles.

 

Vlad will officially begin his new role in November at the launch of Resurgam's new Baroque Ensemble, Vespera. 

Resurgam with Vespera will perform Abendmusik concerts on Saturday 20th November at St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick with Peter Barley's Sagittarius Hiberniensis Choir and St Mary's Cathedral Choir, and St Nicholas' Collegiate Church with the choristers of St Nicholas' Schola Cantorum in Galway on Sunday 21st November.  

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