The Festival That Starts With 'The First Delivery of Bread’
The unique Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair winter festival takes place from 27 December to 1 January in Donegal, and includes a talk this year from one of its founders, Gearóid Ó Maonaigh. He spoke to The Journal of Music about the festival's origins and his highlights over the years.
'Don't Worry, It's Totally Safe'
Tim Diovanni
'Body Noise Work' – an adventurous project by new music ensemble Kirkos – took place in Dublin last weekend. Tim Diovanni reviews a series of performances involving dripping water, instrument destruction and physical interference.
Music from the Mothership
Barbara Jillian Dignam
'The Curious Works of Roger Doyle', a recent documentary on the Irish composer, asks why his music is not better known by the wider public. It's an important question, writes Barbara Jillian Dignam, but with no easy answer.
Australian Gifts
Jake Morgan
Jake Morgan reviews the Goldner Quartet in Galway, performing a programme that included Peter Sculthorpe's 'Jabiru Dreaming' inspired by Aboriginal music.
Spinning the Orchestra
Anna Murray
Composer and turntablist Shiva Feshareki joined the BBC Concert Orchestra for the premiere of her work 'Dialogues' as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. Anna Murray reviews.
Broaching the Disconnect
James Camien McGuiggan
The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is gradually transforming our concept of the new music event, writes James Camien McGuiggan, addressing the disconnect from the rest of musical life – this year's 10-day festival showed we are beginning to see the rewards.
Anchoring the Tension
Toner Quinn
Toner Quinn reviews a Music and Musings concert in Galway featuring the world premiere of Greg Caffrey's fourth string quartet.
Balfe's 'Sleeping Queen' Returns to Dublin
Una Hunt
Michael William Balfe's 1864 work 'The Sleeping Queen' was his only operetta and written for surprisingly small forces. Una Hunt tells the story of the work ahead of its performance at the NCH – the first staging in Dublin in modern times.
Why We Should Be Listening to Folk Music
Toner Quinn
Nobody spotted the rise of populism, say the media and the politicians, but that’s not entirely true when it comes to folk music, writes Toner Quinn. There is a case to be made for listening much more carefully to the music around us.
Layering Irony and Politics
Brendan Finan
Irish National Opera's final production of its first season is a non-traditional retelling of Verdi's 'Aida' featuring Gwyn Hughes Jones, Orla Boylan and Imelda Drumm in the lead roles. A visually spectacular production, it brings the story's imperialism to the centre, writes Brendan Finan.
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