In profile: Peter Stobart, artistic director of Cork International Choral Festival

Irish Examiner

01-05-2025

Artistic director of the Cork International Choral Festival Peter Stobart has reflected on his journey in the role to date and shared where his love for music and performing originated from.
Stobart has been the artistic director of the Cork International Choral Festival since 2020 and the director of music of Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork since October 2015.
Stobart took up the position in January 2020, replacing long-term festival and artistic director John Fitzpatrick, who retired after 26 years, and navigating the covid pandemic.
Ahead of this year's festival, Stobart shares his journey to date, what he looks forward to most this year, and his background in singing and playing music.
Originally from Yorkshire, Stobart has called Ireland home for the past 10 years, having moved here to take up the role of director of music at Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral.
During his time as director of music at the cathedral, Stobart became aware of the Cork International Choral Festival and, down through the years, attended many concerts and events across the city.
Since taking on the role, the festival has grown year-on-year, and this May bank holiday weekend will see more than 117 performing groups, including 20 international choirs, take part.
Peter Stobart at St Fin Barre's Cathedral. Picture: Clare Keogh
Touching on his role as director of music at Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, Stobart explained that he manages a choir of 40 members who sing three times a week.
'I've always, I've always conducted choirs of all different types - choral societies and church choirs and chamber choirs and university choirs,' he said.
'When I lived in London, I was doing loads of that. So, that sort of qualified me for the job at the festival, at least.
'But my main involvement throughout my life has been with church music, hence moving to Cork for the Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral role. That role is a full-time job, because I go into lots of schools during the week and do singing and music lessons with mostly primary school children.
'I'm going into six, seven, eight different schools during the week, as well as providing the music for the cathedral services. I've got 40 people in the choir. Ninety-five per cent of those are under the age of 18, and they sing three times a week, and they rehearse twice a week, in addition to the services. So that's quite a big commitment for them. So I run all of that.'
Stobart also organises international tours for the choir members, as well as events at Christmas time and on St Patrick's Day, and other civic events, and said singing is at the forefront of those important events at the cathedral.
Speaking about what sparked his love for music from a young age, he said: 'I had piano lessons when I was six, and I was in the church choir when I was eight. Then I started playing the organ when I was 12 or 13 and I used to play the violin as well. I was sort of encouraged by my parents, and the school I went to in the UK was very good at having all the extracurricular stuff. I was doing that rather than sports teams and things.'
This year's festival is already underway, and Stobart promises a special weekend ahead of celebrating all of the choirs taking part, but particularly the 20 international choirs, who he said 'bring a variety of colourful costumes, as well as singing, multiple different languages, and different styles' to Cork. 'It's such a significant thing,' he says.