Focus

Marking a Decade Exploring the New Music Scene Marking a Decade Exploring the New Music Scene James Camien McGuiggan The 10th New Music Dublin festival took place last weekend and featured major new works by Donnacha Dennehy, Ann Cleare, Kevin Volans, Karen Power and more. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
Playing with the Post-digital Playing with the Post-digital Adrian Smith The 2023 Music Current festival took place last week (12–15 April) at the Project Arts Centre in Dublin, featuring works by Francis Heery, Jaki Irvine, Michael Maierhof, Jessie Marino, Simon Steen-Anderson and Michael Beil, with performers Nadar Ensemble, Dublin Sound Lab and more. Adrian Smith reviews.
Seóirse Bodley at 90 Seóirse Bodley at 90 Adrian Scahill The Irish composer Seóirse Bodley is 90 this month and two of his works will be performed at the New Music Dublin festival this week. Adrian Scahill looks back over his music and his innovative work in integrating Irish traditional music into his compositional voice.
Finnegans Flare Finnegans Flare Brendan Finan Composer Roger Doyle has just released a second volume of works inspired by Joyce's 'Finnegans Wake'. Brendan Finan reviews.
The Challenge of Moving Beyond Common Ground The Challenge of Moving Beyond Common Ground Adrian Scahill Martin Hayes and his new group the Common Ground Ensemble have just released their first album together, 'Peggy’s Dream'. Adrian Scahill reviews.
Creating Space for Collaboration Creating Space for Collaboration Thomas Neill The Ulster Orchestra and pianist Clare Hammond, conducted by Jamie Phillips, gave the world premiere of Piers Hellawell's 'Rapprochement' last week. Thomas Neill reviews.
A Soundworld that has Become Deeper and Richer A Soundworld that has Become Deeper and Richer James Camien McGuiggan Lankum's fourth studio album, 'False Lankum', is a refinement of their sound more than it is something radically new, but there are many other achievements, writes James Camien McGuiggan.
Picked Up and Placed Elsewhere Picked Up and Placed Elsewhere Brendan Finan The new Metronome series began at the NCH last week (16 March) with Ordnance Survey's 'Nomos: O’Riada Reimagined' and Sharon Phelan's 'Radio Ocean'. Brendan Finan reviews.
An Irish-language Elegy An Irish-language Elegy Kevin Boushel Chamber Choir Ireland and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Cormac McCarthy, gave the world premiere of Eoghan Desmond’s 'Amra Choluim Chille' on 15 March. Kevin Boushel reviews.
Short-term Thinking Won't Deliver Anything But Cuts to British Music Short-term Thinking Won't Deliver Anything But Cuts to British Music Christopher Fox Four months after Arts Council England made cuts to opera companies and orchestras, the BBC is now disbanding its professional choir and promising a 20% cut to its orchestras. Composer Christopher Fox discusses the growing crisis in British music.

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