Our members gathered in Kilkenny on Friday, 9 May 2025 for the sixth edition of the Irish Doctors Orchestra (IDO), as part of the Marble City Music Festival, coordinated by conductor and soloist Patrick Rafter. Rehearsals took place in Presentation Primary School, with strings only on Friday morning, followed by tutti after lunch. We were delighted to have Patrick Rafter as both conductor and soloist for this project, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and palpable enthusiasm for the music. The morning’s string session quickly set the tone for the weekend, with smiles already appearing on many participants’ faces.

Saturday featured sectionals before lunch and more tutti rehearsals in the afternoon. The evening was rounded off with our social gathering in Langtons Hotel—a lively night filled with good food, laughter, and camaraderie.

On Sunday, 11 May, we took to the fabulous St Canice’s Cathedral for our ‘Evening at the Oscars’. We opened with a selection from the hit franchise Star Wars—‘Imperial March’, ‘Yoda's Theme’, and ‘Throne Room Finale’. This was followed by well-known excerpts from Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky; James Bond: 007 Through the Years; Les Misérables: selections of all the main themes; Schindler’s List: Violin Theme featuring Patrick Rafter as soloist; and a surprise conducting appearance from oboist Dave! We finished the evening with Pirates of the Caribbean, arranged by T. Ricketts.

This edition of IDO also featured a pilot second performance, held in UCD the following weekend in aid of the St James’s Hospital Foundation.

Photo credit: Andrew Watson