Moving through all genres of the musical spectrum, Professor Simon Mawhinney deftly took his audience travelling from one garden to another in his inaugural lecture  An Aeroplane Flies Through the Rose Garden of Heaven: Thoughts on Failure. The lecture included the premier of Simon’s composition ‘For Colin Stark’ written for oboe and piano, performed by Ben Gannon (oboe) and Billy O'Brien (piano).

The lecture was followed by an informal reception for family, friends and colleagues including Colin Stark (former Oboe player with the Ulster Orchestra) who was delighted to have a piece dedicated to him.