November/December 2008

The Art of the Possible

The Art of the Possible

The Art of the Possible

It is possible now to do almost anything to Irish traditional music. Whether one should is open to debate.

Published on 1 November 2008

Ciaran Carson (1948–2019) was a poet, prose writer, translator and flute-player. He was the author of Last Night’s Fun – A Book about Irish Traditional Music, The Pocket Guide to Traditional Irish Music, The Star Factory, and the poetry collections The Irish for No, Belfast Confetti and First Language: Poems. He was Professor of Poetry at Queen’s University Belfast. Between 2008 and 2010 Ciaran wrote a series of linked columns for the Journal of Music, beginning with 'The Bag of Spuds' and ending with 'The Raw Bar'.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Jazz in Marciac in the south of France, and Dún Laoghaire’s Festival of World Cultures

Published on 1 November 2008

Kevin Stevens is is a Dublin-based novelist and writer on history, literature, and jazz.

The Long Now

The Long Now

The Long Now

Our society lives on a short fuse. The current economic turmoil and the cuts in arts funding demonstrate the lack of a long-term perspective. Michael Cronin asks how our society can escape the tyranny of the moment.

Published on 1 November 2008

Michael Cronin holds a Personal Chair in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dublin City University. His latest book is Translation goes to the Movies, published by Routledge.

Too Much Culture?

Too Much Culture?

Too Much Culture?

In Belfast, culture has been ditched for something much easier to handle: events. But the tenth Open House Festival was able to do both.

Published on 1 November 2008

Peter Rosser (1970–2014) was a composer, writer and music lecturer.

He was born in London and moved to Belfast in 1990, where he studied composition at the University of Ulster and was awarded a DPhil in 1997. His music has been performed at the Spitalfields Festival in London, the Belfast Festival at Queen’s and by the Crash Ensemble in Dublin.

In 2011 the Arts Council acknowledged his contribution to the arts in Northern Ireland through a Major Individual Artist Award. He used this award to write his Second String Quartet, which was premiered in 2012 by the JACK Quartet at the opening concert at Belfast's new Metropolitan Arts Centre (The MAC).

Peter Rosser also wrote extensively on a wide range of music genres, with essays published in The Journal of Music, The Wire, Perspectives of New Music and the Crescent Journal. 

He died following an illness on 24 November 2014, aged 44.

Turn it Up: An Interview with Broadcaster John Kelly

Turn it Up: An Interview with Broadcaster John Kelly

Turn it Up: An Interview with Broadcaster John Kelly

For over a decade, John Kelly has been broadcasting his own distinct mix of music on national radio, first with the BBC, then Eclectic Ballroom on Radio Ireland (now Today FM) and Mystery Train on RTÉ Radio 1, establishing a reputation as a

Published on 1 November 2008

Toner Quinn is Editor of the Journal of Music. His new book, What Ireland Can Teach the World About Music, is available here. Toner will be giving a lecture exploring some of the ideas in the book on Saturday 11 May 2024 at 3pm at Farmleigh House in Dublin. For booking, visit https://bit.ly/3x2yCL8.

Repeat Experience

Repeat Experience

Repeat Experience

How outstanding traditional musicians separate themselves from the crowd

Published on 1 November 2008

Toner Quinn is Editor of the Journal of Music. His new book, What Ireland Can Teach the World About Music, is available here. Toner will be giving a lecture exploring some of the ideas in the book on Saturday 11 May 2024 at 3pm at Farmleigh House in Dublin. For booking, visit https://bit.ly/3x2yCL8.

Notes

Notes

Notes

Gig GuideMany readers will be aware that JMI sends out a bulletin and gig guide email every Monday. The email features nationwide event listings, the latest news from the music world and frequent competitions for tickets and CDs.

Published on 1 November 2008

Editorial: Bernadette Greevy

Editorial: Bernadette Greevy

Before JMI began in 2000, I wrote down a list of people I intended to ask to write for the magazine. They were people I regarded as cornerstones in Irish musical life.

Published on 1 November 2008

Toner Quinn is Editor of the Journal of Music. His new book, What Ireland Can Teach the World About Music, is available here. Toner will be giving a lecture exploring some of the ideas in the book on Saturday 11 May 2024 at 3pm at Farmleigh House in Dublin. For booking, visit https://bit.ly/3x2yCL8.