Amidst the onset of the global pandemic, in 2020 Crash Ensemble commissioned 9 Irish composers – established, up and coming and from outside of the contemporary music sphere – to write unique new works for duos within the group

David Fennessy

Deirdre Gribbin

Rachel Lavelle

Bébhinn McDonnell (SYLK)

Steve Shannon (Mount Alaska)

Anna Murray

Anselm McDonnell

Sean Ó’Dálaigh

Amy Rooney

Composers were asked to create a musical response – a political or personal response to their experiences, the current state, or their thoughts for the future. An honest, human and emotive response for now and the future.

Commissions were for works of 5 minutes duration for two instruments within the ensemble. Alongside the commission, each composer was asked to document their process using text and imagery.

Each piece was workshopped, rehearsed and recorded in 2020/21.

Laura Sheeran, Crash’s resident filmmaker was commissioned to make an accompanying film for each of the recorded pieces, combining footage from the recording sessions alongside text and imagery provided by each of the composers.

These films are currently unreleased.