WHERE ARE THE FLOWERS?

A Musical Journey towards Peace

CelloCroi (Annette Cleary and Sokol Koka, cellocroi.eu) collaborate with narrator Niall Byrne in a personal and imaginative musical exploration of the themes, conflict and peace, in popular song, arranged for two cellos.

Programme 

Gottingen (1964) was composed by Barbara to portray the scars of war between France and Germany. Its fame contributed to an improvement in relations between the two countries. 

Tell me Where the Flowers are/Sag Mir Wo die Blumen Sind (1955) by American songwriter Pete Seeger was made famous by Marlene Dietrich. The song reflects on the tragedy of the loss of young lives. 

Imagine (1971) by John Lennon is a song about peace and was composed at the time of the Vietnam war. 

Russians (1985) by Sting criticises the Cold War the doctrine of MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction. It is based on a theme by Prokoviev. 

Tabhair Dom Do Lamh (17 Century) is a traditional Irish song by Ruaidri Dall O’Cathain which expresses the composer’s personal wish to make amends. 

‘C’ (1943) by Poulenc is part of the Deux Poemes de Louis Aragon. It describes the bridge on the river Ce which was a battle site throughout French history.  

Annette Cleary

Cellist Annette Cleary has played with well-known Irish performers such as U2, Sinead O’Connor, The Dubliners, Shaun Davey, Frank Patterson, Riverdance, Mary Black, poet Seamus Heaney and CelloCroí.

In the film industry Annette has been a member of the Irish Film Orchestra and Hollywood Studio Orchestra where she worked for some years with screen composer Lalo Schifrin.

International stars that Annette has toured and recorded with include Joni Mitchell, R.E.M., Luciano Pavarotti, Perry Como, Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Michael Nyman, Barry Manilow and Leonard Bernstein.

Annette has appeared regularly on Television and Radio and at present is guest principal cellist with R.T.E. Concert Orchestra and professor of cello at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. As a chamber musician she has toured internationally including seven tours of Japan and her CD recordings feature a wide variety of styles including classical, popular and traditional Irish.

Sokol Koka

Dublin based cellist Sokol Koka has performed and recorded extensively with artists such as John Wilson, Bryan Byrne, Howard Shore, Lalo Schifrin, Sinnead O’Connor, Bono, Altan, Sean Keane, Paul Brady, Duke Special, The Dubliners. He has toured Australia with Camille O’Sullivan and Paul Kelly receiving outstanding critics reviews.

Sokol has collaborated internationally in theatrical and dance productions and has played and recorded with Munich Ballet Akademie, Milan Jazz Ensemble and Italian popular singers such as Milva and Eros Ramazzotti. As a member of “La Verdi” Symphony Orchestra, Milan, he has played and recorded the big symphonic and operatic repertoire with well known artists including Riccardo Chaily, Carlo Maria Giulini, Peter Maag, Riccardo Muti, Vladimir Jurowski, Claus Peter Flor, Mstislav Rostropovich, Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Juan Diego Flórez, Angela Georghiu and Rolando Villazón.

Sokol is a guest player with R.T.E. Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra and a regular member of various chamber ensembles playing a variety of musical styles in Ireland and abroad.