A little about
Newry Chamber Music

Joanne Quigley McParland
David QuigleyCo-founders and Artistic Directors, Newry Chamber MusicJoanne Quigley McParland and David Quigley, Co-founders and Artistic Directors, Newry Chamber Music

About us


Where it all began...

While we were both still students at music college in England, we decided to present an annual Christmas Concert back home in Newry. We attribute this to being the beginning of NCM. As our own individual careers progressed we began to invite friends to come and perform with us or to present their own concert as guests of NCM. A season started to emerge and we are thrilled to have had so many outstanding musicians appear over the years as part of our series.

Around about 2014 we started to make plans to develop a dedicated flexible chamber music ensemble for the area which would become the main focus of Newry Chamber Music’s work. By flexible, we mean an ensemble which can be anything from 2-18 players. The beauty of this is that the audience can hear a wide variety of chamber music styles in any one concert. 

Soon after, the Fews Ensemble was born and we gave our inaugural concert to a packed Warrenpoint Town Hall in November 2016 on the eve of the US Presidential Election and with a programme entitled ‘America’.

Since then we have gone from strength to strength. We present up to 8 concerts a year in our local area and further afield, providing world class chamber music and cross arts events as well as educational work and concerts in care homes and hospitals. We are dedicated to our audience and the people of this area and feel strongly that the arts play a huge part in society, health and general well being. 

We have a wonderful team of musicians from Ireland, the UK and Europe who join us several times a year to rehearse and perform here. They have all come to love the area and the opportunity that the Fews Ensemble provides to play wonderful chamber music with friends.

Enormous thanks to our extremely loyal audience who are with us whether it is a midsummer concert, with the sun pouring through the windows or a dark, cold January night. Without you there would be no ensemble. Our audience are part of the fabric of our organization and we are dedicated to providing you with a great experience when you attend one of our events.

NCM and the Fews Ensemble is generously supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Newry Mourne and Down District Council and Exitex.

Joanne Quigley McParland
David Quigley

Co-founders and Artistic Directors, Newry Chamber Music