Medicine meets music in Waterford with the Irish Doctors Orchestra

Medicine will meet music at the Irish Doctors Orchestra’s special fundraising concert to take place at SETU Arena on Sunday, September 29 at 4.30pm.

All proceeds from the concert will go to the Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts programmes at University Hospital Waterford.

Under the baton of well-known Waterford musician and conductor Liam Daly, the concert will feature music from the opera Maritana by Waterford composer William Wallace, Concerto in F major for Two Bassoons by Johann Baptist Vanhal and Symphony No. 7 by Antonin Dvorak, in addition to a traditional Irish element, courtesy of the Waterford Harp Ensemble of Music Generation Waterford.

Announcing details of the concert, Dr Julia O’Leary from the Irish Doctors Orchestra said: “We are very excited to be performing at SETU Arena in September and we’re especially thrilled to be performing Maritana by William Wallace in his home place of Waterford. 

"We’re also delighted to be joined by young musicians from the Waterford Harp Ensemble of Music Generation Waterford for this concert."

She added, “Many of our medical colleagues have told us about the wonderful work of the Waterford Healing Arts programme at UHW, easing patients’ worries through the arts, and softening the clinical space with the hospital’s stunning art collection. 

"This is a perfect fit for us and we can’t wait to perform in Waterford.” 

There are several local doctors who are members of the orchestra, including violinists Dr Emma Dunne, a radiologist from Tramore, Dr Carmel Whitford, a GP from Youghal, Dr Darina Sloan, Consultant Psychiatrist, and Dr Caroline Fielding, Consultant Microbiologist.

Founded during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Irish Doctors Orchestra is an all-Ireland fellowship of medical professionals who are also classically trained musicians.