Focus

‘A thoughtful musician and a thoughtful composer’: Remembering Paddy Fahey ‘A thoughtful musician and a thoughtful composer’: Remembering Paddy Fahey The great traditional Irish fiddle-player and composer Paddy Fahey died at the weekend. The Journal of Music spoke to musicians Martin Hayes, Liz Kane and Breda and Claire Keville about his music and legacy.
Toast the Nonconformists Toast the Nonconformists Toner Quinn The Open Ear festival of experimental and electronic music on Sherkin Island is now in its fourth year. It has a spirit of nonconformism, and provided one of the most unique moments one could imagine for a music festival, writes Toner Quinn.
Composer Discovers Orchestra! Composer Discovers Orchestra! Adrian Smith Gerald Barry's Viola Concerto received its world premiere last week, performed by Lawrence Power and the Britten Sinfonia with Thomas Adès conducting. It's Barry's third concerto in recent years and it may be 'the wackiest of the lot', writes Adrian Smith.
No Magical Ending for Irish National Opera's Season No Magical Ending for Irish National Opera's Season Adrian Smith Irish National Opera concluded its January to May short season with 'The Magic Flute' at the Gaiety last week, but it was a disappointing final production with questionable directorial decisions, writes Adrian Smith.
Futuristic and Fearless Futuristic and Fearless Laura Sheary '...existential musings... music to move to' – Laura Sheary reviews the recent double-bill at the Black Box in Belfast featuring genre-bending groups Robocobra Quartet and Meltybrains?
'They’re siblings – all growing from the same root': An Interview with Folk Singer Anna Mieke 'They’re siblings – all growing from the same root': An Interview with Folk Singer Anna Mieke Anna Mieke has just released her first album, Idle Mind. She spoke to the Journal of Music about a collection of songs that grew through travel and her studies at UCC.
Screens Draw the Eye Screens Draw the Eye Brendan Finan Louth Contemporary Music Society presented the world premiere of Canadian composer Nicole Lizée's 'Spielberg Études' at Drogheda Arts Festival on 4 May, as well as her 'Hitchcock Études' and 'Kubrick Études'. Brendan Finan reviews the unique audio-visual works.
Tradition in the Making Tradition in the Making Massimo Cattaneo In the third review from the new Journal of Music Music Writer Mentoring Scheme, supported by Galway City and County Arts Offices, Massimo Cattaneo reviews a Raelach Records showcase at the Black Gate featuring button accordionist Conor Connolly and fiddle-player Claire Egan.
To Raise a Music Community To Raise a Music Community Shannon McNamee The It Takes a Village festival took place in East Cork on 10–12 May, featuring Irish acts such as Thumper, David Kitt, Le Boom, Jinx Lennon, Kojaque and Anna Mieke. Shannon McNamee reviews the small, intimate festival now in its second year.
The Winter We Don't Expect The Winter We Don't Expect Brendan Finan We’re trained to think of musical winters in a certain way, writes Brendan Finan, but Ergodos' latest release, featuring the Ficino Ensemble and a new work by Garrett Sholdice, brings the unexpected.

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