John Finucane, Artistic Director
John Finucane enjoyed twenty-five years as Principal Clarinet of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra before retiring from it in 2020. He had previously been principal clarinet of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra since his 21st birthday. During all that time he was a regular concerto soloist, recitalist, and renowned professor of clarinet in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he still teaches.
He has performed many concertos with the National Symphony Orchestra, most recently the Weber First Concerto and the Strauss Duet Concertino. Highlights from last year include the Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time as part of Pipeworks Organ Festival, as well as conducting the National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. In addition to the NSO he has also conducted the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra, and has been the director of the Hibernian Orchestra for nearly 40 years.
As a chamber musician he has worked with many groups, including the Ysaÿe, Navarra, Con Tempo, Vanbrugh, Piatti, Sacconi and Strada Quartets, has performed with pianists John O’Conor, Finghín Collins, Nathalia Milstein, Philip Martin, Michael McHale, Barry Douglas, Elisaveta Blumine, and is the founder and director of Music In Monkstown which celebrated its eleventh anniversary in 2025. He was invited to perform in a festival in Switzerland in November 2024 and will return there in 2026.
Gramophone magazine has described him as ‘an outstanding virtuoso’. The CD French Holidays was reviewed as “heartbreakingly beautiful”, and “…the playing is superb”.
His CD of the three sonatas for clarinet and piano by Grigori Frid -the premiere recording of these recently discovered works by the great Russian composer – was reviewed as “masterful chamber music” and “magnificent”.
Last year marked his 70th birthday and he celebrated this milestone with very many concerts including the recording of a new concerto written and dedicated to him by Shaun Davey. The year also featured a major recital in the new Whyte Recital Hall at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, broadcast in February, several appearances at music festivals around Ireland, and, of course, his own Music in Monkstown festival in October.
“Once considered unplayable, Francaix’s concerto is delivered with fluency and rich colour…A delight from first note to last.” Classical Music Magazine.
“Altogether the disc is an excellent showcase for an outstanding virtuoso from whom one expects to hear more.” Gramophone.
