Author: Breffni Banks

Dave Flynn and the
Clare Memory Orchestra are giving one lucky female singer aged 18-30 the opportunity to sing the role of one of Brian Boru’s daughters in a new piece called “Mná Brian Boru”,  composed by the orchestra’s artistic director and composer, Dave Flynn with lyrics by Pádraic Ó’Beirn.

This piece has been commissioned by the Arts Office of Clare County Council to commemorate the Millenium of Brian Ború. It is an alternative take on Ireland’s legendary High King as told through the voices of the most important women in his life. It will be premiered in St. Flannan’s Cathedral in Killaloe on the 18^th of October 2014.

A female lead is sought, who ideally has excellent Irish and skill in traditional Irish singing. The scheme is not suited to purely operatic voices, although it will be an advantage to have experience working with classical as well as traditional musicians. The successful candidate will sing a solo part with the orchestra. Professional payment for rehearsals and concert alongside travel expenses within Ireland and accommodation will be included.

Auditions for short-listed candidates will take place in Ennis, Clare on July 5^th and in Dublin on July 6^th before the orchestra’s principal conductor, Bjorn Bantock and artistic director, Dave Flynn. Venues for these auditions will be confirmed to short-listed candidates. For the successful candidate, rehearsals will take place with the orchestra in Killaloe from the 15^th – 18^th of October.

The deadline for applications is 27^th June 2014.

Applications can be made through the website http://www.clarememoryorchestra.com/cmo-singers-scheme-application.html and should include video examples of your singing, preferably through video channels such as YouTube. Ideally submissions would include one piece in English and one in Irish, one fast and one slow.

About the Clare Memory Orchestra

The Clare Memory Orchestra, founded by composer Dave Flynn, is an innovative and uniquely Irish orchestral project. Flynn has created a distinctive new sound by mixing some of the leading traditional and classical musicians in Irish music. The orchestra gets its name from the fact that it is based in County Clare and that the musicians perform without sheet-music, unlike standard classical orchestras. Through its unique instrumentation and performance practices the CMO is the only such orchestra of its kind in the world.
The CMO premiered The Clare Concerto, also commissioned by the Arts Office of Clare County Council and composed by Dave Flynn, in Glor Ennis in November 2012. Since then, the CMO has been widely acclaimed for its electrifying performances with Artists in Association Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill and in August 1^st 2014 members of the CMO will join Martin and Dennis and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for a momentous concert at the National Concert Hall.

In January 2014 the CMO expanded into vocal music during a concert in Moscow Catholic Cathedral to an audience of over 1000 people. CMO members Niamh Varian-Barry and EtainMcCooey were featured vocal soloists on this occasion as they will be for ‘Mná Brian Ború’ alongside the successful applicant to this scheme.

This is a marvellous opportunity for any singer to perform solo with this remarkable group of musicians in such beautiful surroundings as St. Flannan’s Cathedral in Killaloe.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions in relation to the scheme please visit
http://www.clarememoryorchestra.com/cmo-singers-scheme-faq.html

For any further queries please contact CMO Project Manager Rebecca Halliday rebecca4cmo@nullgmail.com