Finding A Voice returns for its ninth year to various venues in Clonmel, Co Tipperary from 5th – 8th March 2026, presenting an ambitious four-day programme that celebrates the brilliance and diversity of women composers across history.
Founded in 2017 by sisters Róisín and Clíona Maher, over the past nine years the festival has featured music by hundreds of women composers, from the twelfth-century nun Hildegard of Bingen to newly commissioned works by Irish composers.
The 2026 edition offers a rich and varied programme of live performances, workshops, talks, and more. Hildegard Transfigured will bring the visionary sound world of Hildegard of Bingen into the present through the mesmerising vocal blend of Voice Trio with live visuals by Innerstrings, offering an immersive experience to launch the festival.
The festival’s chamber music collaboration with the National String Quartet Foundation brings the acclaimed Banbha Quartet to Clonmel in a programme spanning Romantic gems to bold contemporary writing as part of their Spring tour.
Pianists Mary Dullea and Isabelle O’Connell present Duel, an exciting two-piano concert featuring music by Chaminade, Beach, Tailleferre and Trimble, alongside the world premiere of a new work by Rhona Clarke inspired by Clonmel’s historic Code Duello.
The jazz and improvised music strand features violist-composer Joanna Mattrey with Battle Ready II and acclaimed vocalist Christine Tobin performing Pseudologica Fantastica, bringing adventurous, boundary-pushing, performances to Clonmel in a collaboration with the Improvised Music Company and BAN BAM.
Finding a Voice 2026 also sees the welcome continuation of the Emerging Composer professional development opportunity in collaboration with the Contemporary Music Centre, providing a vital platform to Ireland’s most exciting new compositional voices with clarinettist Paul Roe and composer-mentor Marian Ingoldsby. Strengthening its local connections, the festival also partners with the FLOW Original Music series, highlighting original songwriting talent from the region and strengthening the festival’s ties with the community.
Finding a Voice Festival 2026
5th – 8th March 2026
Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Further details and tickets available from www.findingavoice.ie