Technical elements did not present significant problems to McCawley and he impressed with his ability to voice the line clearly and expressively amidst the rippling oceans of notes in the first movement, but a seeming unwillingness to let go of the reins of the accompaniment hindered his gallop.

Sibelius's 5th symphony allowed the orchestra to demonstrate the strength of their string sections but exposed some weaknesses in the brass and wind. Conductor Tuomas Ollila nodded primarily to the "life's angst" in the symphony in his interpretation and, to this end, worked the orchestra up to some exciting levels of tension and energy. But the heights of the ensemble's sound remained untouched throughout the evening.

The RTE National Symphony Orchestra fast approaches its midseason interval, with just two concerts left, the next of which includes the conclusion of the Shostakovich cycle. But before all that, the orchestra this week embarks on a national tour, with the Mozart-Buckley-Tchaikovsky programme that was performed in Dublin last Friday. The people of Castlebar (20), Galway (21), Ennis (22), Cork (23) and Waterford (24) will be delighted to see ex-National Symphony Orchestra flautist William Dowdall back onstage, but this time standing in front of the orchestra as soloist in John Buckley's commissioned work 'In Winter Light'. Seen frequently in the Westland Row area since his departure in 2004, Dowdall is the dedicatee of this work, as he has been with many other contemporary premieres. 'In Winter Light' will be preceded by Mozart's 29th symphony, K.201 and followed by Tchaikovsky's dramatic and heartfelt 5th, that of the famous 2nd movement with its resplendent horn solo. Austrian conductor Christian Gansch takes pride of place on the podium for the tour.

So with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra absent next weekend, the people of Dublin will be abandoned to their own design.

If a 'G&S' doesn't fit the bill (that's either a gin and soda or a Gilbert and Sullivan musical depending on your jargon of choice), you might want to review your Friday night routine. This is where the Irish Baroque Orchestra plays its trump card, on which it would be folly to renege. Ireland's only period orchestra form the backbone of a mini-festival, that "resurrects and preserves the elaborate music of centuries ago", namely the Ardee Baroque festival.

The 2004 festival marked the first such event in this small Co Louth town, which, coupled with neighbouring Collon, will host a weekend of music, lecture and film. Monica Huggett will direct her charges in two evening concerts with the Irish Baroque Orchestra concerts (24 and 26), which are to include the complete Bach orchestral suites. Also on these bills are concertos featuring oboeists Andreas Helm and Hannah McLaughlin, Irish bassoonist Peter Whelan and Malcom Proud on harpsichord, and the ever-popular concerto for two violins, consigned to the capable hands of Huggett and Claire Duff.

The Irish Baroque Orchestra will also roll out their chamber soloists in a Saturday afternoon concert (3pm), Julia Corry, Sarah Cunningham and Richard Sweeney adding to many of the aforementioned artists to perform an 18th-century French programme. The 24-piece choir Resurgam will round off Saturday's proceedings with an evening concert in the Church of Ireland, Collon. And there's even something for the kids with a 'meet the instruments' workshop on Saturday morning.

Isn't that only lovely?