Louis Roden

Welcome to Bittersweet Symphony, a podcast about the bitter, sweet and bittersweet memories and experiences of classical musicians during the pandemic. Hosted and produced by me, Cliodhna Ryan, a violinist, it’s an intimate and heart-warming exploration of the human spirit. My guest in episode fifteen is Irish Chamber Orchestra violinist Louis Roden. His bitter memory was a concert, a world premiere and a tour cancelled due to a Covid case in the orchestra, while his sweet is the quiet hours he spent working in companionable silence with his wife Monica in their allotment. Here with his hands in the earth and alongside his wife, he found nourishment for his soul, his spirit and his family. His bittersweet recollection is of performing for a small audience of 50 who were clustered in pods, at Kilkenny Arts Festival in August 2020. He couldn’t help but notice the many audience members with tears streaming down their faces. When he looked around at his fellow musicians, he saw that they were also in tears. It was a profoundly moving moment, which was both beautiful and painful. This interview was recorded in September 2021. Born in Dublin, Louis Roden studied violin with Yossi Zivoni in London before attending the conservatoire in Marseille, where he studied chamber music and violin. Although he is based in Ireland, he has maintained a special relationship with France and has returned to perform on numerous occasions to perform with the Camerata de Provence. He has toured across Europe, the Far East, Australia and the USA. His passion for new music has seen him perform world premieres by composers such as Gerald Barry, Sam Perkin and Linda Buckley. He has enjoyed his collaborations with the Rubato Ballet Company in festivals across the world. Over the years Louis has had a special interest in educational work. He has taught, coached youth orchestras and took part in the Music Network projects in schools. More recently he has been giving concerts in hospitals as part of an outreach project. GET IN TOUCH WITH LOUIS/LINKS Facebook Instagram Irish Chamber Orchestra Website GET IN TOUCH WITH BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY Instagram Twitter Facebook #bittersweetsymphony CREDITS Thumbnail Art || Colm MacAthlaoith Writers || Mick Jagger, Richard Ashcroft, Keith Richards Violin || Cliodhna Ryan Production || Cliodhna Ryan Mastering || Patrick Stefan Groenland