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Author: Breffni Banks

PRS for Music & IMRO Announce Winners of CultureTECH Music Mentorship

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in Industry News.

Culture-Tech-boxPRS for Music and the Irish Rights Music Organisation, IMRO, have today announced the winners of the Media Writing Mentorship which will take place during this years’ CultureTECH festival. The mentorship is being delivered in partnership with CultureTECH, the annual digital festival in Derry-Londonderry, taking place from 9th to 15th September.

PRS for Music and IMRO have chosen 12 songwriters and composers to come together to compose pieces of music that will soundtrack a TV documentary and animation title sequence. The final composition will be shown at the CultureTECH Festival on 12 September as part of the festival programme.

The recipients are:
• Pete McCauley
• Shauna Tohill
• Martin Byrne
• Katie Richardson
• Adam Montgomery
• Yumi Mashiki
• Mark Hennessey
• Larry Hogan
• Louise Heaney
• Doug Sheridan
• Emmett Cooke
• Paul Campbell

The Mentorship seeks to promote new repertoire as well as to show songwriters and composers that other opportunities exist for them outside traditional songwriting.

As CultureTECH festival Director Mark Nagurski explained:
“This is going to be a great addition to our festival line-up. It’s an absolute pleasure to be working with PRS for Music and IMRO, and I can anticipate a massive response from both their memberships, which are bursting with talent. The final showcase event is going to form part of our great music line-up, and I’m sure it’s going to showcase some interesting ideas.”

Music composer, Emmett Cooke continued: “I’m absolutely delighted as this is a great opportunity to get some hands on experience in writing to a brief. I have some experience in this already, but can’t wait to start the mentorship programme so I can take my skills to the next level”.

Singer songwriter, Shauna Tohill added: “I am really pleased to have won the place and am looking forward to working with some new musicians on a cool project like this! It will be a fantastic opportunity to network and experience something new.”

More information about the PRS for Music and IMRO Media Mentorship is available at www.culturetech.co

Christie Hennessy Song Contest 2013 | Open For Entries

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in Industry News.

Entries are now open for the third annual Christie Hennessy Song Contest which takes place in memory of one of Tralee’s most famous musical sons. Songwriters are invited to submit their entry to IMRO before the deadline of Friday, 6th September.

Ten finalists will be selected to perform their song at the live final of the contest on Saturday, 19th October in the Carlton Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Born in Tralee, Co. Kerry, Christie Hennessy was the youngest of nine children and grew up in a very musical household. His influences ranged from Elvis, Al Jolson, Bill Haley, Fats Domino, Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt to The Beatles and all types of musicals.

At 15, Christie went to work on building sites in London by day and played in the R&B clubs by night, writing his first song at the age of 23. He released his first album “Christie Hennessy” (also known as “The Green Album”) in 1972, “The Rehearsal” 1992 (triple platinum), “A Year In The Life” 1993 (quadruple platinum), “Lord of Your Eyes” 1994 (triple platinum), “The Box” 1996 (triple platinum), “This Is As Far As I Go” 1999 (double platinum), “The Definitive Christie Hennessy” 2003, “Stories For Sale” 2005, “The Platinum Collection” 2007.

Christie’s songs became hits for many artists including Christy Moore (“Don’t Forget Your Shovel”), Frances Black (“All The Lies That You Told Me”), Moya Brennan (“Oh Jealous Heart”) and Nizlopi, who reached Christmas Number 1 in UK and Ireland in 2005 with their hit “JCB Song”, sampling Christie’s lyrics from “Don’t Forget Your Shovel”.

Christie composed music for the BBC TV series “Get Well Soon” written by Ray Galton (“Steptoe & Son”) and composed and wrote a musical/feature film about his native Ireland “Two Stops to Paradise”. As well as writing, Christie produced two of his own albums with Steve Nye, “The Box” and “This Is As Far As I Go”. He solo produced Aled Jones’ album “Whenever God Shines His Light”.

Christie was the Patron to the Irish charity “Children in Crossfire”, with a special focus on schools literacy programmes after experiencing his own literacy difficulties at school. Following a trip to Kenya with the charity in 2006 and after spending time in the different villages with the children, Christie wrote a song “A Price For Love”. He thought it was important that the lyrics came from what the children would say to us all if they could. All royalties from this single are being donated to the charity in perpetuity. You can find out more about “Children in Crossfire” on their website

CHRISTIE HENNESSY SONG CONTEST
RULES OF ENTRY

1. The lyrics and music must be the original work of the songwriter (s).
2. The contest is open to all types of song, in any style – ballad, country, pop, rock etc.
3. Songs may be entered in either the English or Irish language.
4. The Contest is open to national and international songwriters.
5. Songwriters may only enter one song for consideration.
6. Entries will not be returned – all songwriters should retain a copy of their song submission.
7. Entries can be submitted on a CD or via an online link to your song to membership@nullimro.ie. (NOTE: Please do not email MP3s). All entries must be accompanied by a copy of the lyrics; typed or clearly written.
8. A commercial recording of the entry must not be released for sale before Saturday 19th October 2013.
9. Finalists will be notified by 1st October 2013.
10. The provisional adjudication will be on the basis of the CDs/tracks submitted, from which 10 finalists will be chosen.
11. Each of the 10 finalists will be invited to take part in a live concert in Tralee on Saturday 19th October 2013. Backing tracks are not permitted for this performance.
12. Each songwriter will be responsible for providing the singer and/or group for his/her entry in the final at his/her own expense.
13. A first prize of €1,000 will be presented to the winning songwriter on the night of the final.
14. Final adjudication will be on the night of the final. Decisions of the adjudication panel will be final.
15. Entry for the contest implies acceptance of all the rules.
16. Postal entries should be sent to:

Christie Hennessy Song Contest
C/o Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)
Copyright House
Pembroke Row
Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

Please include your name, address, phone number and email address with your entry.

17. CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES:
6th September 2013.

For enquiries contact: membership@nullimro.ie

The Christie Hennessy Song Contest is supported by IMRO, Tralee Chamber Alliance, Radio Kerry, Kerry’s Eye, Tralee Advertiser, The Troubadour Club & The Carlton Hotel

“Since we won The Christie Hennessy Song Contest in 2012 we are both delighted to have received some radio play for our song Follow The Water, we’ve also had a live video made for the song and have now both returned to finish our solo projects since then. Christine’s album “Inspired By You” is now available and Enda’s Irish language album is nearing completion. Thanks again to the organisers, it was a great event!”

Enda Reilly & Christine Deady – 2012 Contest Winners

Video Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEsE8IAoLT4

http://christinedeady.bandcamp.com/

http://www.endareilly.com/

Méav Set to Release New Album | “The Calling”

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.


MéavMulti-million selling world music artist Méav teams up with Grammy award-winning producer Craig Leon (Blondie, Talking Heads, Ramones, Pavarotti) on her latest recording, a folk-pop album The Calling, due for release this Friday, 23rd August.

Méav returns to her musical origins with The Calling, 12 tracks of newly written songs, folk ballads and fresh interpretations of timeless classics. Produced and co-written by the Grammy award-winning producer Craig Leon, responsible for iconic records by Blondie, Talking Heads, Ramones and Pavarotti amongst others, The Calling showcases Méav’s crystal clear voice, fusing her classical training with her folk roots.

From an early age Méav displayed an exceptional musical talent, immersed in Irish traditional music at her family home in Dublin. She went on to study classical voice, harp and piano while simultaneously studying Law at Trinity College. Her professional career was established with the Riverdance Choir, before going on to star in Lord of the Dance and embarking in three US tours with the Irish National Concert Orchestra.

This brought her to the attention of Celtic Collections who released three Méav solo albums including Celtic Journey with EMI, which debuted in the Billboard World Music top 10. In 2004, Méav was invited to be one of the five founding members of female supergroup Celtic Woman, who have sold six million records in the US and worldwide. It is remarkable that every album Méav recorded with Celtic Woman reached number 1 in the Billboard World Music Charts.

Méav left Celtic Woman in 2008 to start a family and resumed her solo career in 2010, performing to a sell-out crowd at New York’s Carnegie Hall. In 2012, Méav met legendary producer Craig Leon in Abbey Road Studios, London while working together on the score of a space film in collaboration with NASA. Despite their different musical backgrounds in pop and world music, they quickly realized that they shared a love of song-writing and ethnic music. This resulted in The Calling, a contemporary pop treatment of new songs and folk classics from Ireland, England, Scotland, Brittany, Galicia and America.

Signed CDs can be pre-ordered from Warner Music Ireland here : http://www.warnermusicirelandstore.com/product/meav-the-calling-pre-order.
If you prefer a digital copy, it is also available for pre-order on ITunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/artist/meav/id64924853

You can listen to two more song snippets on Méav’s website here:
http://www.meav.com/music/

 

 

Pearse McGloughlin & Justin Grounds ‘Idiot Songs’

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.

idiot songsIdiot Songs was conceived of in 2012 when Pearse McGloughlin and Justin Grounds were discussing possibilities for collaboration. The catalyst for the project was Dostoevsky’s The Idiot, a book they both loved though the duo also gleaned inspiration from many other quarters. 
 The recording took place over the cold winter, when files from recording sessions in Clonakilty and Canada, Sligo and Windmill Lane were exchanged over the internet. The pace was quick; creativity sparked and decisions were made from instinct. The result is an atmospheric sounding record of electronic chamber songs that is now available on Urchin Collective.

A concept album? Yeah. But accessible and fresh.

Critical Praise ‘I’m utterly overwhelmed by the quality of work here and more than anything, long to abandon my place in front of this laptop and, with these songs drifting outwards, want to pull The Idiot from my bookshelf and disappear for a week. It’s a beautiful homage to the empathy and creativity of Dostoyevsky and without a doubt one of the best concept albums I’ve heard in my time’………. Harmless Noise

‘a series of sonic gems (gifted with beats and beautifully spectral spoken-word inserts) that breathe life and art into electronic music’…..Tony Clayton-Lea, The Irish Times 4****

‘the pair…create what the best albums manage to do, an atmosphere exclusive to itself with its own identity’….. Album of the Week, Nialler9

‘impresses on just about every level’ ….Album of the Week, Dan Hegarty, The Alternative, 2FM

www.idiotsongs.bandcamp.com

Debut Single from Billy Treacy | “Woe”

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.

Billy Treacy_Woe“Woe!” is the debut single from Dublin singer/songwriter Billy Treacy. Billy is well known around Dublin’s Temple Bar as the lead singer in the Ha’Penny Heads who have had a residency for the past three years in The Ha’Penny Bridge Inn. Brought up over a pub in Dublin’s Inner City, Billy served his music apprenticeship listening to a vast array of music and songs played and performed in the pub.

It was later in Chicago that he first started playing guitar, writing songs and opening for various different Irish acts like Sharon Shannon and Stockton’s Wing on tour there.

“I feel so strongly about the message in “Woe!”. I begged and borrowed to get the song recorded and released. I wrote it in a couple of hours one day this summer as a way of venting my anger, frustration and helplessness at all that is happening in Ireland at the moment. I know that there are thousands of proud people out there who feel the same way and I hope they will identify with my song.” Billy Treacy

“Woe” will be available for download from iTunes from this Friday, 16th August.

For more see billytreacy.com

 

 

Maria Butterly ‘Blue Mandolin’ Single

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.

ButterlyLCM Promos is thrilled to launch the latest single ‘Blue Mandolin’ from Maria Butterly, who stands poised to be the new jewel in the crown in Ireland’s rich crop of musical talent. Lauded on TV3’s Ireland AM as “One of Ireland’s most talented Singer/Songwriters” Maria soon delivered on such promise with the much-prized ‘Songwriter of the Year’ accolade at the 2013 Leinster Entertainment Awards. Her first single ‘Angel’ launched her into the spotlight as a contestant on this year’s Glor Tire on TG4. Maria’s original style draws on influences from both the Celtic/Irish Folk genre and the American Country genre, as can be heard on ‘Blue Mandolin’.

Originally from Laytown, Co Meath, Maria lived & toured in Nashville & LA, USA, for a number of years, perfecting her repertoire performing at hit venues such as Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, The House of Blues (LA), and New York’s world famous Mercury Lounge having played alongside such icons as Bob Wooten (Johnny Cash’s Band), Raul Malo (The Mavericks), Hal Ketchum, Damien Rice, Eleanor McEvoy, and Mundy. Headlined the ‘Angelica Huston Gala Event’ at Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles & won previous awards at the ‘New York International Film & Music Festival’ She recently performed her song ‘Quiet Man’ to Hollywood Star MAUREEN O’HARA on her 90th Birthday. Furthermore, Maria is now showcasing her talent as a co-writer on the new upcoming album (self titled Blue Mandolin, produced by Bill Shanley) with Nashville No.1 hit writers Kostas Lasarides (who penned ‘What a Cryin Shame’ for the Mavericks) and Charles Quarto (songwriter for Crosby, Stills & Nash; Garth Brooks), as well as Ireland’s very own Charlie McGettigan. Maria says: ‘I have a specific style and sound that I wanted to create and not just blend in with the other genres but to create a new one, my own as Maria Butterly.”

“One of the strongest contestants ever on Glor Tire, particularly smooth – in fact utterly butterly” – JOHN CREEDON, RTE “This album is the best local production to come out of Ireland since A Womans Heart” – PETER BARDON, BARDIS MUSIC PUBLISHING

Tour dates for August / September Tues 20th, August – Bolger Brothers Charity, Woodlands Hotel, Waterford Fri 20th, September – Arthurs Pub, Dublin, performing with Dean Friedman Sat 21st, September – Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena, performing with Dean Friedman

www.mariabutterly.com

Professional Summer Event for Young Composers | Levon Manukyan Collegium Musicum

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in Industry News.

Levon Manukyan Collegium Musicum

The 2014 edition of the professional summer program for emerging composers, Collegium Musicum, offers to a small number of selected composers from around the world the opportunity to have their works rehearsed and performed by a professional orchestra, the Levon Manukyan Collegium Musicum.

The composers will engage in a week of intensive workshops and conferences – live, and streamed online – from professional connections and network with colleagues from the arts industry. The program will take place between July 6th and July 15th, 2014 in Bourgas, Bulgaria and will involve active participants and auditors who will not have works performed. The event and the names of all participants will be heavily publicised in local and international media.

The main working language will be English. Note that selected active participants will not be asked to write works specifically for the internship, but the work must fit the provided instrumentation.

Cost

Total cost for active participants (tuition + hotel accommodation + two meals a day):

€1,200 – active participants

Total cost for auditors (tuition + hotel accommodation + two meals a day):

€400 – auditors

Merit-based financial aid is available

The hotel will be Guest house Matev, a family own hotel with double-occupancy rooms including wireless internet, TV, small fridge and air conditioning, located minutes away from the beach.

http://www.matev-guest-house.com/bg/

Application process

Note that everything must be submitted by e-mail at  comp@nulllevonmanukyan.com  by February 2nd 2014:

Send the following information:

1. Your full name

2. Your date of birth

3. Your nationality

4. Your CV

5. Names and email addresses of two referees

6. Whether you are applying for active or auditor status, and whether you would accept to attend as auditor if you apply for active participation.

7. Three PDF files of your works, and recordings thereof (if you have any)

8. €100 fee/deposit by paypal at the following e-mail address:  levon@nullmail.bg. (This €100 will count as a deposit towards your total cost if you are accepted. If you are not accepted, the Collegium will refund you your 100 Euros. However, if you are accepted but you decline to participate, the Collegium will keep your 100 Euros deposit. This is done to ensure that you are committed to participating and take your application seriously.)

Timeline of the Program

Sunday, February 2nd 2014: Application deadline

Sunday, February 9th: Decision announced

Sunday, March 2nd: Fee payment deadline

Sunday, March 9th: Selected participants receive the instrumentation for their ensemble work

Sunday, June 8th: Deadline for submitting the work

(reminder: it does not have to be composed specifically for the occasion)

Sunday July 6th – Arrivals and accommodation in Bourgas, Bulgaria

Sunday, July 14th – Final concert with Levon Manukyan Collegium Musicum

Monday, July 15th – Departures

For more information, see http://en.levonmanukyan.com

Caruso Set to Release New Album | “Everything You Need Is Here”

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.

Shane CarusoCaruso’s second album, “EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS HERE” is set to be released in Ireland on 6th September. The first single from the album, “It’s Up to You (Crazy Mrs. Whelan)”, will be released on download on the same day. The album follows Caruso’s 2009 debut, “The Watcher and the Comet”.

“It’s Up to You” is already receiving steady radio rotation in Germany and Austria and the new album will be released in Europe and North America on 2nd September.

No stranger to the Irish music scene Shane O’Fearghail of Caruso has been plying his trade as a songwriter and performer throughout Europe over the last ten years.  With the completion of Caruso’s second album “EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS HERE” Shane is set to bring it back home.

Caruso will be touring Germany later this summer and announcing Irish dates in the autumn.

www.caruso.ie

Mmoths Announces Irish 2013 Tour

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.

MMOTHS-IRISH-TOUR-2013-POSTER-webAfter a year in which Jack Colleran released his second EP “Diaries”, toured with the XX, and played a slew of festival gigs, MMOTHS is capping off a big 2013 with his first Irish Tour. The band will be hitting the road in October, bringing the new, fully formed live show (complete with drums, bass, guitar, and lights) to a handful of cities across Ireland.

2013 IRISH TOUR DATES
10/10 • GALWAY • RÒISÌN DUBH
19/10 • LIMERICK • DOLANS
1/11 • CORK • THE PAVILION
2/11 • DUBLIN • THE BUTTON FACTORY
15/11 • BELFAST • OH YEAH CENTRE

Tickets are on sale now here: http://mmothsmusic.com/shows

Spirit of Folk Awards Semi-Finalists Announced

Written by Breffni Banks on . Posted in News.

MOXIE

The semi-finals of the inaugural Spirit of Folk Awards will be taking place at Whelans on Saturday 31st August.

Held in conjunction with the Spirit of Folk Festival, which takes place in Dunderry Park, Co Meath in September, these awards are a celebration of the very best of Irish folk music. An impressive 100 bands applied and nine have made it through to the semifinals, where they will be performing live in one of Dublin’s best music venues.

The nine semi-finalists were named today as: Moxie, Miriam Donohue, Mossy Nolan & Colm McGowan, My Fellow Sponges, Garr Cleary, Laura Ann Brady, The Cujo Family, Vickers Vimy and A Band Called Wanda.

‘Participating in the Spirit of Folk Talent search has been a real pleasure and has provided further proof to me that there is a very healthy and thriving community of music makers and creative artists out there. This SOFF initiative provides a great platform for these artists.’ Says Carl Corcoran of RTE Lyric FM’s Blue of the Night, one of four tasked with judging the awards.

The Spirit of Folk Awards Semi-Finals will also play host to storytellers from all over Ireland including Stephen James Smith, Ruth Marshall and Gemma McGowan. And the Dublin Storytelling Bus will move from their usual home to the boutique Parlor Bar for the night. The event, which runs all day from 3pm, includes a craft and hot food market and will finish with a massive céilí.

By the end of the night, 3 acts will be chosen to go forward to the Final, which takes place as part of the Spirit of Folk Festival on September 21. Established in 2011 by a small team of music enthusiasts, event managers and artists, this festival provides a valuable platform for Irish folk music. Set in the stunning Dunderry Park, other events include storytelling in a megalithic cairn, experimental archeology, druidic ceremony, a three course folksy feast, astronomy, archery and a whole games area with magic, carnival challenges and late night fires and parties.

Tickets for the Semi finals at Whelan’s are €10, Tickets for the Spirit of Folk Festival at Dunderry Park are €50 and include a three course meal. Both are available from www.spiritoffolk.com.

www.facebookcom/spiritoffolkfestival

@spirit_of_folk

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