Author: Breffni Banks

The 2011 IMRO sponsored Sligo New Music Festival takes place from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th April. The festival will be Ian Wilson’s 8th and last as director and the very special guests will be two outstanding Australian musicians – electric guitarist and soundscape artist extraordinaire Oren Ambarchi (www.orenambarchi.com ) and one of the world’s leading recorder players, Genevieve Lacey (pictured) (www.genevievelacey.com ). Oren and Genevieve will each perform an exciting solo concert and the festival’s highlight will be a collaborative performance featuring both artists playing together in public for the first time.

The festival will also present the world première of Ian Wilson’s new collaborative improvisatory work with saxophonist Cathal Roche and the Vanbrugh Quartet, The Book of Ways, which will open the festival as part of a concert which will also feature the 2nd performance of Wilson’s work re:play for improvising saxophonist, piano, string quartet and double bass.
 

Continuing the festival’s Improvisation theme, a new improvising duo called crOw (Cathal Roche, saxophones and Ian Wilson, live electronics) will make its debut in the Atrium space of the Model.

HMV will welcome Declan O’ Rourke to its Grafton St store on Saturday April 9th at 12.30pm. The platinum record selling singer-songwriter will be playing live and signing copies of his highly anticipated third album Mag Pai Zai.

The release of Mag Pag Zai represents an exciting venture for Declan O’ Rourke; it is the first album to be released on his own record label Rimecoat Records. Recorded primarily at The Factory and Windmill in Dublin and mixed at the world-famous Platinum Sound Recording Studios in New York, Mag Pag Zai sees the return of some old collaborators such as Steve Wickham.

That Declan O’Rourke is in a new, different and more elevated place as a songwriter is proven by the sheer quality of the material on Mag Pai Zai. From the deceptively simple opening song, Slieve Bloom and the heart-wrenching tale found within Langley’s Requiem to the life affirming Be Brave And Believe, he has fortified his talent with a firm mixture of intuitive lyrics and pure melodies.

Declan follows the release of Mag Pai Zai with a nationwide tour in May and June which will see him play in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Dublin to name a few. For more information on the tour log on to: www.declanorourke.com

Due to its popularity, the Philip Lynott Exhibition has extended its run until the May Bank Holiday. IMRO has secured a special discounted ticket price for all our members to visit the exciting new Philip Lynott Exhibition this April and May.