After years of performing together, pianist and composer James Hurley and tenor Dean Power decided to bring their heritage to the concert stage. Their homelands—Newfoundland and Labrador and Ireland—are two islands on opposite sides of the Atlantic...

After years of performing together, pianist and composer James Hurley and tenor Dean Power decided to bring their heritage to the concert stage. Their homelands—Newfoundland and Labrador and Ireland—are two islands on opposite sides of the Atlantic ocean which share a unique and close cultural history rich with art, literature, storytelling and music. 

James began by arranging Newfoundland folksongs and composing music for two poems from the Newfoundland artist Duncan Major; compositions which were received with enthusiasm. Dean then started selecting poetry from Ireland, drawing from the works of WB Yeats, James Joyce, Thomas Moore and Fanny Parnell. James crafted them into musical compositions, and this became the first installment of "The Great Irish Poets Songbook." The pieces retain the popular and earthy elements of folk music while exploring the wide range of expressive capabilities that is possible with voice with piano accompaniment, resulting in a sound that is both fresh and familiar. 

Despite living in different countries and pursuing their independent careers, the duo collaborates to shape the new pieces into works of art. James's unique compositional language, strongly influenced by his background in improvisation, creates a vivid new world for these powerful and iconic texts. Dean has helped edit the pieces to crystalize a form that works perfectly for the voice. The music presents a duo that emerges as a unified voice. 

Since 2022, more than 40 songs have been composed, and premiered across Europe and Canada. The Great Irish Poets Songbook continues to tour in 2025, with upcoming performances in Paris, Dublin, and now St. John's and around the island of Newfoundland.

About the Artists

Dean Power
Dean Power is from Clarecastle, Ireland and studied at both the RIAM and TU Dublin with Mary Brennan and Mairead Hurley. Following two years as a member of the opera studio at the Bavarian State Opera house, he was invited to join the house ensemble where he remained for another 9 years. Since leaving Munich he has enjoyed the flexibility of life as a freelance opera singer. His recent notable debuts include the Zurich Opera House, the Opéra de Lille, the Salzburg Festival, the Teatro Real in Madrid and the Salzburg Easter Festival, as well as guest appearances at the Bavarian State Opera, the Irish National Opera, the Armenian National Philharmonic, and with El Sistema in Venezuela. He is currently a Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artist at the Cork Opera House and in 2025, he will make his house debut at the Opera National de Paris.
 
James Hurley
James Hurley is a classical pianist and composer with a passion for improvisation. Originally from St. John’s, NL, James has been based in Germany since 2011. There, together with his wife Olivia, he runs Più Piano – a live performance venue and piano school which hosts events featuring artists from NL and around the world. He is affiliated with Memorial University’s School of Music and is dedicated to building a cultural bridge between his NL and German homes through performance and educational projects. As a musician he is involved in several solo and group projects and actively performs in Canada and the EU.

Tickets are $30 (Full Price)/ $22 Students (HST and service charged included) and can be purchased at the Arts & Culture Centre Box Office, by calling 256-1081 or online https://artsandculturecentre.com/gander/Online/