Conductor

 

2016 - present

Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra is an exciting new professional orchestra for Cork, and in residence at the Opera House. Founded in 2016 for the acclaimed concert opera series, the orchestra, with John conducting, has to date played 15 concert performances of classic operas with the greatest Irish and International opera stars, including: Cara O’Sullivan, Majella Cullagh, Kim Sheehan, Mary Hegarty, Niamh O’Sullivan, Gavan Ring, Rachel Croash, Emma Nash, Jung Soo Yun, Ronald Samm, Eddie Wade, Máire Flavin, Mairéad Buicke, Rory Dunne, Kelli-Ann Masterson, Michael Wade Lee, Hugh Francis, Louise Innes, Joe Corbett, Julian Tovey, Julian Hubbard, Hrolfur Saemundsson, Sinéad Campbell-Wallace, John Molloy, Sharon Carty, Julian Hubbard, Aoife O’Connell, Ben McAteer, Viktor Priebe, Brendan Collins, Patrick Hyland, Cormac Lawlor, Rory Musgrave, Raphaela Mangan, Nyle Wolfe, Kelley Petcu, Kate Allen, Michelle Daly, Sandra Porter, Alexander James Edwards, Richard Wiegold, Simon Morgan, Leanne Fitzgerald, Jamie Rock, Simon Wilding, Owen Gilhooly, Padraic Rowan, Dominica Williams, Jean-Pascal Heynemand, Conor Prendiville, Gina Oberoi, Gráinne Gillis, David Howes, Dean Power, Beren Kader Fidan, Andrew Gavin, Will Frost, Malachy Frame, and Ryan Morgan.

Events like the Cork Proms, Right Here Right Now and Christmas Concerts have allowed John and the orchestra to work with many great artists from other genres, often with custom-made orchestrations, resulting in unique collaborations, including: Mick Flannery, Camille O’Sullivan, The Frank and Waters, Jack O’Rourke, Donal Lunny, Máirtín O’Connor, Nell Ní Chróinín, John Spillane, Karen Underwood, Anna Mitchell, Marlene Enright, Ye Vagabonds, Valerie June, Strung, Eoin O’Riabhaigh, Johnny McCarthy, Cormac McCarthy, Junior Brother, Laoise Leahy, Camilla Griehsel, Christiana Underwood, MayKay, Lucia Evans, Laoise Leahy and Niall McCabe

Led by the renowned violinist Alan Smale (former leader of both RTÉ Concert and National Symphony Orchestra) the orchestra's membership is comprised of some of Ireland's most gifted professional musicians, most living in, from or connected to Cork.

Guest Conductor

 

2015 - present

Guest Conductor

 

Debut 2016

Conductor & Co-Director
 

2011 – 2017

Conductor

2011 - 2016

Rehearsing and conducting massed choirs and members of the public (800+) to make a unique performance.

Conductor

2008 – 2013

The adult beginner symphony orchestra WGO premiered Symphony No.1 "The Gateway" by John O'Brien at the Wexford Opera House in May 2011.

Music Director

2003 – 2008

Conductor of stage productions, Cork Children’s Chorus, Seraphim (female voice chamber choir), orchestras and ensembles.

Curator

2001 – 2008

Guest Conductor

2001 – present

 

Symphony, Sinfonietta & Intermediate Orchestras, Wind Ensemble, Youth & Fleischmann (Symphony) Choirs.

Most recently conducting Brahms Symphony 1 and Stanford Stabat Mater for the opening of the Cork International Choral Festival at City Hall in May 2024.

Guest Conductor

2007

Conductor
 

1998 – 2005

Artistic Director
 

1996 – 2001