About | Cork Orchestral Society

Founded in 1938 by composer, conductor and musicologist Professor Aloys Fleischmann, Cork Orchestral Society has long established itself as a reputable organisation dedicated to the provision of high-quality classical music events in Cork City. Serving an integral role in the local music ecology and wider national infrastructure, the Society presents concerts throughout the year in a varied programme of chamber, choral and orchestral music, inviting audiences to experience the very best of local, national and international performers and ensembles.

In recent years, the Society has programmed performances by the National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Irish Chamber Orchestra, as well as supporting Cork-based music-making and early-career musicians.

Cork Orchestral Society is supported with funding from both the Arts Council and Cork City Council, and its long-standing partnership with MTU Cork School of Music.

Cork Orchestral Society

What our members say about us:

“A worthwhile society, promoting ‘good’ music in the local area.”
“A wide repertoire presented, with high-quality performers at the concerts.”
“There was nothing that I did not enjoy.”
“COS offers a good choice for different tastes.”
“I have never come away from a COS concert without feeling that it has been an occasion. ”
“Many concerts were worth the standing ovation.”
“Too many concerts attended over 30+ years to highlight one favourite.”

HONORARY MEMBERS

Margaret Baker
Werner Braun
Professor David H. Cox †
Nicki ffrench Davis
Maeve Fleischmann
Dr Ciara Glasheen-Artem
Allin Gray
Gordon Hardwicke †
Eileen Madden
Hugh McCarthy
Barbro McCutcheon †
Professor John A. Murphy
Marie Neville
Anita O’Connor †
Marie O’Neill †
Larry Poland
Moira Pyne †
Dr Máirín Quill
Dr Geoffrey Spratt

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (as at March 2024)

Tom Crowley (Chair)
Tom Doyle
Coral O’Sullivan

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHIES

Tom Crowley
Tom Crowley is a native of Cork. He graduated with honours from the Cork School of Music where he studied for a BMus with Adrian Petcu. During his studies, Tom spent a year on an Erasmus exchange in Bucharest where, amongst other things, his interest was sparked in conducting.

While in Romania, Tom studied under Maesto Dumitru Goia; a disciple of the St.Petersburg school of conducting. It is in Romania that Tom had his professional debut, with the Botosani Philharmonic. He has also conducted the National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova. Before returning home, Tom placed 2nd in the Jeunnes Musicalle International Conducting Competition in 2012.

Now based in Cork, he happily splits his time between the violin and conducting. He is the principal conductor of the Cork Concert Orchestra, conducts the Cork Chamber Choir, the C.E.T.B Youth Orchestra and works frequently with the Quercus Ensemble in Northern Ireland and the Brandylane Orchestra in Cork. He has formed a chamber orchestra in Cork; Stormport Sinfonia, with whom he has most recently recorded a the soundtrack for an Irish documentary – A Doctor’s Sword. Working with various ensembles, Tom has premiered works by many composers, including C.S.L Parker, Sam Perkin, Paul Patterson, Peter Power and Sam Barker.

Tom Doyle
A graduate of both UCC and MTU Cork School of Music, Tom Doyle is highly sought after as a musical director and pianist in Cork City and its environs. With a keen interest in both musical theatre and opera, Tom’s credits as musical director have included The Stalls (Ulysses Theatre Company & Cork Midsummer Festival), Pubcrawl: the Musical (Chattyboo Productions), The Events (MTU Cork School of Music), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Chattyboo Productions), American Idiot (CIT Musical Society), Songs for a New World (Hibernian Ensemble), The Opera Director – a reimagined translated version of Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor, The Last Five Years (Scruffy Duck Productions), Ragtime (UCC Dramat) and [title of show] (UCC Dramat).

As a choral enthusiast, Tom has had the pleasure of working with the Blackpool Parish Choir, MusiCórum, Mayfield Gospel Choir, Cork ETB Youth Choir, the workplace choirs at Musgraves and Cork County Council, Munster Rugby Supporters Club Choir, Cantate, the choir at Presentation Secondary School Ballyphehane, the Wilcollane Singers, and the Cork Garda Male Voice Choir. From 2008 – 2015, Tom conducted the UCC Choral Society, helping to produce the ever-popular ‘Carols by Candlelight’ in the Honan Chapel as well as winning several awards at international competitions in Ghent, Verona and Olomouc.

An accomplished conductor and répétiteur, Tom has worked with many singers including the late Cara O’Sullivan, Majella Cullagh and Mary Hegarty, as well as ensembles such as Irish Youth Opera, Irish National Opera, Cork Concert Orchestra, Cork Operatic Society and the University of Limerick Orchestra.

Tom lectures in conducting at MTU Cork School of Music where he also directs the 130-strong Fleischmann Choir.

Coral O’Sullivan
Coral O’Sullivan is a Law Graduate of UCC, subsequently achieving a BMus and an MA from CIT Cork School of Music, where she lectures in Oboe. She also teaches Oboe with the County Cork School of Music, and is a Librarian with Cork County Council Library and Arts Service. Coral is an active freelance musician, choral singer and member of the Everyman Palace Theatre front-of-house team.

AUDITED ACCOUNTS and CHAIRPERSON’S REPORTS

To download a copy of Cork Orchestral Society’s audited accounts and chairperson’s reports, please click on the relevant link below (the accounts for the most recent years are currently with our auditors and will be published in due course).

Audited Accounts 2021 Chairperson’s Report 2021
Audited Accounts 2020 Chairperson’s Report 2020
Audited Accounts 2019
Audited Accounts 2018 Chairperson’s Report 2018
Audited Accounts 2017    Chairperson’s Report 2017
Audited Accounts 2016    Chairperson’s Report 2016
Audited Accounts 2015    Chairperson’s Report 2015

COS is committed to comply with the charity Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), and to implement the ICTR’s Guiding Principles of Fundraising.

CONSTITUTION

Please click here to download a copy of the Society’s Constitution (adopted October 2019).

PAST SEASONAL BROCHURES