Orchestras in tribute to Ted Ponsonby on Culture Night

The Donegal Youth Orchestra and the Donegal Chamber Orchestra are both playing pieces on Culture Night on Friday night in memory of musician Ted Ponsonby and also for families bereaved in the Letterkenny area in recent days.

The Donegal Youth Orchestra, conducted by Vincent Kennedy, are having an open rehearsal in the Regional Cultural Centre from 7pm – 8pm. They’ll play Vincent’s composition ‘The Letterkenny Waltz’ in memory of Ted, who died last week. Sarah Ponsonby, daughter of Ted and Maryline, is a pianist and violinist and a former member of the DYO.

In Conwal Church in Letterkenny at 8pm, the Donegal Chamber Orchestra will begin its Culture Night concert with the much-loved ‘Air on a G String’ by J. S. Bach for the Ponsonby family and other local families who lost loved ones.

Martin McGinley of the Donegal Music Education Partnership, which helps to organise both orchestras, said they wanted to mark the musical contribution of Ted Ponsonby, which was enormous. They also wanted to show solidarity with local families at a difficult time.

He said: “Unfortunately it seems to have been one shock after another in the last few days with the loss of people who’ve made a big contribution to Letterkenny and much further afield.

“Ted was one of Donegal’s best-known musicians and a master on guitar and dobro who played on stages across Ireland and abroad.

“The town also lost a very talented son in Damian Blake, at just 41, who was Letterkenny’s youngest-ever Mayor at 22 and was one of the brightest minds in the area of IT. Two of our best-known business people, Sean Foody and Richard Finney, also passed away. And of course other families have suffered bereavements around this time, at home and elsewhere.

“This week we’ve also heard of the untimely death of one of our most outstanding and best-loved broadcasters Rónán MacAodha Bhuí, of Cois Cláidigh in Gaoth Dobhair, at 53.

“We’ll be remembering them on Friday night through the music of the Youth Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra.”