Whisht! performed in the world premiere of Harbouring for multiple choirs and string orchestra in White’s Hotel Conference Centre, Wexford, June 2008. Commissioned by Wexford County Council Per Cent for Art scheme.
Composed by Ian Wilson, the performance featured: the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Wexford Festival Singers, Enniscorthy Choral Society, Gorey Choral Group and Whisht!.
WHISHT! brought a powerful tonality to the choral and string orchestral harmony. These distinct tonalities brought three forces together and created the sound world, which coloured by the haunting accordian brought us to many unusual and personal harbourings.
START Magazine
Whisht! traditional singing group provided excellent tremelous vocals on Macquarie Harbour which is spooky and atomspheric … Currach features excellent vocals from Helen Kirwan, with the male vocals equally strong. It is an intimate, genuinely moving performance, with hushed playing [from the Irish Chamber Orchestra] during which you could see a sudden tremor of life in the conductor’s [Fergus Sheil’s] hand as he went about his work … The Harbour was written by Irish poet, Winifred Letts, and speaks of the Wexford coastline. It was an ideal finish to the musical event, including all of the choirs, with a paroxysm of emotion provided by Paddy Berry of Whisht!
David Looby, The Echo
Currach, by Tony Curtis, was sung by Paddy Berry, Helen Kirwan, Paul O’Reilly and Niall Wall with delicate monochromes, and a vocal beauty at once as fleeting as wild tulips.
Tom Mooney, The Echo