Focus

A New Sense of Play A New Sense of Play Andrea Cleary Wyvern Lingo's second album 'Awake You Lie' was released last week. Andrea Cleary reviews.
Our Predicament in Sharp Focus Our Predicament in Sharp Focus Adrian Smith Composer Nick Roth's new work 'Crann' is a poem setting and film work for three voices, tree, vessel and currach, commissioned by the literary festival IMRAM. Adrian Smith reviews.
Traumas on the Table Traumas on the Table Andrea Cleary Singer-songwriter Anna B Savage has recently released her debut album 'A Common Turn'. Andrea Cleary reviews.
Startling Voice in an Expanded Soundworld Startling Voice in an Expanded Soundworld Anna Murray Snowpoet – the London-based duo of Lauren Kinsella and Chris Hyson – release their third album 'Wait For Me' tomorrow. Anna Murray reviews.
Tunes from Famine Times Tunes from Famine Times Adrian Scahill Mick O’Brien, Emer Mayock and Aoife Ní Bhriain have just released a second album of tunes from the James Goodman manuscripts, a collection that was made around the time of the Great Famine. Adrian Scahill reviews.
The Worlds Within a Single Work The Worlds Within a Single Work Brendan Finan Music for Galway's annual midwinter festival, which took place online at the weekend (22–24 January), focused on a single, relentlessly inventive work: the Goldberg Variations. Brendan Finan reviews.
How RTÉ Can Restore Its Leadership Role in Music How RTÉ Can Restore Its Leadership Role in Music Toner Quinn Music and broadcasting go hand in hand, but RTÉ's leadership role in music has been shrinking in recent years. Toner Quinn suggests four ways to turn the situation around.
Inspired by a Letter Inspired by a Letter Mark Fitzgerald 'Letters' is the new record release from Chamber Choir Ireland, consisting of recent works by Tarik O'Regan and David Fennessy. Mark Fitzgerald reviews.
Shots of Politics and Loss in New Irish Opera Shots of Politics and Loss in New Irish Opera Adrian Smith Responding to the circumstances of the pandemic, Irish National Opera recently commissioned twenty new miniature operas from composers in Ireland that were filmed and premiered online as '20 Shots of Opera'. Adrian Smith reviews all twenty works.
2021: The Music Boom is Coming Gareth Murphy What a year 2020 was. When it began, the outlook for the music industry hadn't looked so good in decades. Then came Covid-19, the industrial equivalent of a comet hurtling in from deep space. As we emerge into 2021, it's time for some damage assessment. What exactly has been destroyed? Who has benefitted from lockdowns? What has changed for good? And, asks Gareth Murphy, now that vaccines are arriving, can the music business bounce back even stronger than before, and what do those in the industry need to focus on?

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