Focus
Exploring Ireland's Musical Restlessness: An Interview with John Harris of New Music Dublin
The 2025 New Music Dublin festival takes place from 2 to 6 April and features Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, John Butcher’s 'Dublin Fixations', a new Irene Buckley opera, an Ed Bennett piano concerto and more. The Journal of Music speaks to Artistic Director John Harris. 
Imagining How Music Could Be: The Enduring Influence of Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin
Cork University Press has published a major volume on the late musician, composer and educator Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, edited by Helen Phelan, Marie McCarthy and Nicholas Carolan. Adrian Scahill reviews. 
Poise and Elegance in a Rare Revival
The Royal Irish Academy of Music presented Haydn's opera 'La vera costanza' at the Samuel Beckett Theatre on 14–18 January. Brendan Finan reviews. 
A Palette That is Subtly Unique
Nonesuch Records has just released a recording of Donnacha Dennehy’s major work 'Land of Winter', a 12-movement piece exploring Ireland's seasons. James Camien McGuiggan reviews. 
An Irresistible Contradiction
Irish National Opera's production of Verdi's 'Rigoletto' is currently running at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Adrian Smith reviews. 
Catherine Martin Swept Aside the Old Excuses for Not Supporting the Arts
The Minister for Arts has lost her seat in the General Election, but she leaves a formidable legacy, writes Toner Quinn. 
A Travelogue of Places and Eras
Niwel Tsumbu has just released an album on Diatribe records of predominantly solo guitar. Don O'Mahony reviews. 
Polyrhythms and Púcaí
The 12th Fidelio Trio Winter Chamber Music Festival took place on 22–24 November in Belvedere House, Dublin, and featured works by Shaun Davey, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Niall Vallely and Ailís Ní Riain, as well as marking the centenary of the death of Gabriel Fauré. Adrian Smith reviews. 
Mapping Ireland’s Musical Identity
A new three-part series exploring music in Ireland, 'Creedon's Musical Atlas of Ireland' presented by John Creedon, was recently broadcast on RTÉ One. Lillis Ó Laoire reviews.
What’s Next for Irish Music?
What does the recent trajectory of the arts in Ireland – from Arts Council funding increases to the Basic Income pilot – mean for musicians? How can we further strengthen music across Ireland? And what do these developments mean for the tradition of the Irish harp? This is an edited version of the Harp Ireland/Cruit Éireann Annual Lecture, given by Toner Quinn on 17 November 2024 at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.