Criticism

The New Music Festival Ireland Deserves? The New Music Festival Ireland Deserves? Adrian Smith New Music Dublin 2019 featured four days of contemporary music including over twenty-two world premieres. Does Ireland now have the new music festival it deserves? Adrian Smith provides a comprehensive review of 15 events, with additions for two concerts from Ryan Molloy and Toner Quinn.
Leaving a Trail for New Composers Leaving a Trail for New Composers Tim Diovanni The fourth concert in the Female Composer Series at the National Concert Hall – programmed in partnership with Sounding the Feminists – featured music by Thea Musgrave, Sofia Gubaidulina, Jane O'Leary and Kaija Saariaho. Tim Diovanni reviews.
Trading Licks Trading Licks James Camien McGuiggan The Saturday night double-header at the Spike cello festival featured traditional musicians Liam O’Connor and Cormac Begley with Cello Ireland, and free improviser Ernst Reijseger – a night that went from Irish slow airs to musical comedy. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
Looking for a Link Among Irish Composers Looking for a Link Among Irish Composers Tim Diovanni Tim Diovanni reviews a concert of works by Stanford, Buckley and Boyle performed by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra – a rare and interesting mix, but did it work?
A Voice for Dark Nights A Voice for Dark Nights Anna Murray Lankum singer Radie Peat's solo performances revolve around the dark spectrum of folk music. Anna Murray reviews her recent set at Temple Bar TradFest.
Last Songs and Final Fugues Last Songs and Final Fugues Jake Morgan Music for Galway's Midwinter Festival explored a range of works written at the end of composers' lives. Jake Morgan reviews performances from Finghin Collins, ConTempo Quartet, Ailish Tynan and more.
More to Unite Than Divide More to Unite Than Divide Adrian Smith The latest concert in the Female Composers Series at the NCH featured works by composers of the Belle Époque – from Lili Boulanger to Mélanie Bonis – illuminating our understanding of the music of the period, writes Adrian Smith.
New Voices Singing Women's Stories New Voices Singing Women's Stories Brendan Finan Last week, the RIAM presented an Irish opera premiere and TU Dublin Conservatoire presented a Baroque opera double bill, featuring a range of emerging artists. Brendan Finan reviews.
The End and the Beginning The End and the Beginning Ian Bascombe Cormac Breatnach's 'The Whistle Blower' tour and album, featuring Daire Bracken and Martin Tourish, is both an act of healing as well as a challenging musical offering. Ian Bascombe reviews the performance at Glór.
Hard to Reconcile Hard to Reconcile Brendan Finan The Fidelio Trio's second album of French piano trios has all the fine musicianship of the busy trio, writes Brendan Finan, but too many eccentricities.

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