Author: Press Officer

Irish Composers and Games Developers can put Ireland at the forefront of providing musical content to the social & casual gaming sector. 

Games Music Ireland (GMI) was launched this week by the Minister for Education and Skills Mr. Ruairi Quinn TD at an event hosted at the offices of IMRO.  Its mission is “To ensure that Irish composers are at the fore front in the creation of musical content for the social and casual games industry”.

Mick Kiely, co-founder of GMI said,  “Through my experience of being a composer for the AAA sector of the games industry I saw the opportunity for Irish composers to fulfil a huge need in other sectors of the gaming industry if we could get the skill set right.”

He went on to say, “The social and casual gaming sector presents huge possibilities for Irish composers.  It is the fastest growing sector of the games industry.  We have a huge wealth of talent in both the music and game development communities. Through our unique blend of technical, musical and cultural skills and the ambition offered by our composers, with support, education and hard work; Ireland will be positioned to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in this industry. By working together we will be able to create employment and service the needs of a fast growing industry”

In outlining the importance of developing services that meet the needs of industries looking to locate in Ireland Minister Quinn stated “The importance of up-skilling our workforce cannot be underestimated.  If we are to attract more companies and develop clusters for industries we need to have the requisite skill base to meet their needs.  We have been very successful in attracting high tech industry. With Ireland fast becoming the ‘Internet Capital of Europe’ we will be doing more to ensure that companies from the social and casual gaming sector choose to locate here”. 

He concluded by saying “GMI’s up-skilling programme and overall approach is a welcome step towards making Ireland a more attractive destination for social and casual gaming companies. They have identified a niche in a fast growing market and have taken it upon themselves to up-skill their members to meet the needs of that niche.  It’s a story that should be told and emulated”

Games Music Ireland

Games Music Ireland is a new organisation recently set up.  Its mission is;

“To ensure that Irish Composers are the fore front in the Creation of Musical Content for the Social and Casual Games Industry”.

 This will be achieved through;

• Educating Irish and up skilling composers on the specific needs of game developers introducing them to the latest technologies and production techniques
• Ensuring that there is a support network for Irish composers wishing to enter the games industry
• Fostering communication channels between Irish composers and games developers nationally and internationally
• Representing the views of Irish composers within the games industry nationally and internationally

Global Games Industry

Identified as one of the top 10 fastest growing industries it is estimated that by 2015 the games industry will be worth $82 billion.  With further growth predicted it will sustain its position as the fastest growing sector of the Global Entertainment Industry. 

Games Industry in Ireland

“Ireland has not only attracted some of the sector’s major global players but we have also home grown companies that have achieved global recognition…” Frank Ryan – Chief Executive, Enterprise Ireland[ 

“The potential for this sector is immense with potential job gains of 2,500 by end 2014 across a range of activities including games servicing and development”. Martin Shanahan, Chief Executive Forfás

Ireland has benefited from the global growth in this sector.  ‘Employment has increased five-fold since 2004 with over 2,000 directly employed today.  This number underplays the “complementary linkages” that the games sector has with other related activities’ such as animation, film, consumer-internet and e-learning

Background – Various Voices Dublin 2014

Various Voices is a pan-European choral festival aimed at gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender choirs and choruses. Following the wonderful 2009 festival in London, Dublin is ready to take the reins!

The festival will span four days, June 13th to 16th 2014, with an opening ceremony on Friday, and a closing ceremony on Monday evening. During the festival, each visiting choir will perform to the festival. There is also schedule of workshops and social events for each day. We look forward to welcoming the 80+ choirs from across the world, comprising 2,000 to 3,000 singers.

The festival has received support from Dublin PRIDE, DCU, Dublin City Council, Failte Ireland, IMRO among others.

The Irish Songbook

The board of Various Voices Dublin 2014 are setting out to create an Irish Songbook as part of the 2014 festival. This book would contain a number of new arrangements of both traditional and contemporary Irish songs, arranged for multiple choir formations. A copy of the Songbook will be sent to every LGBT choir and chorus around the world, approx 350, in the summer of 2012 becoming a key part of the festival marketing strategy.

It is anticipated that the choirs will include some/all of the songs from the songbook in their own repertoires in the year before the festival, performing them in their own cities and in their recordings. This will give IMRO members an opportunity to participate in an international event, with their works being performed across the globe, by some of the world’s most creative and renowned choirs, such as Los Angeles and New York Gay Men’s Choruses, Turtle Creek Chorale, London Gay Men’s Chorus and more.

The Songbook will continue to have a life outside and beyond the festival, with the potential to make the songs available online to any choir around the world to perform and record. The Irish Songbook will form a core to the 2014 festival, with a Songbook Concert held in The Helix – creating a choir of 1200 voices performing the songs. We hope to seek broadcasting and recording opportunities for this concert also.

The Irish Songbook will form part of the legacy of the Dublin 2014 festival.

Opportunity

IMRO members are invited to submit an arrangement of:

An Irish song, either contemporary or traditional
Arrangement should be accessible to most levels of choir
Where possible arrangement should be submitted for SSA, SATB and TTBB, either in three separate arrangements or arranged so that it can be transposed
Arrangements can be a cappella or with accompaniment

Submissions must be received no later than Friday 16th June.

12 songs will be selected from the submissions for inclusion in the printed Irish Songbook.

If you have any questions or queries please contact:

Ian Doyle Festival Director ian@nullvariousvoices.ie  www.variousvoices.ie
Tel: +353 (0)86 3545011 46 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1, Ireland

Seminar Date: Saturday 21st July
Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Lower Baggot Street, D 2.
Time: 11am – 4pm

BOOK NOW!

IMRO members looking to reserve a place at this seminar should send an email to membership@nullimro.ie

(limited availability – no admission charge)

Gary Nicholson is a number one hit songwriter, a two time Grammy winning producer, a world traveling performer, recording artist, and session guitarist.

In 2006 he was nominated to the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, in 2011 he was inducted into the Texas Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. There are over five hundred recordings of his songs in various genres including country, rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, and pop by such diverse artists as BB King, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Etta James, John Prine, Dixie Chicks, Stevie Nicks, Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Keb Mo, George Jones, Neville Brothers, Reba McKentire, Robert Plant, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Guy Clark and the list goes on.

In addition to his Grammy winning records with Delbert McClinton, who has recorded over forty of his songs, he has produced records for The Judds, Wynonna, Pam Tillis, Billy Joe Shaver, T Graham Brown, Chris Knight, Taylor Hicks, Seth Walker and others.

His work has been included in many major motion pictures and television, the song “Falling and Flying “ is featured in the Oscar winning film “Crazy Heart” performed by Jeff Bridges. ”Peace Dream” recorded by Ringo Starr was co-written by Gary, Ringo, and Gary Wright and features Paul McCartney on bass.

Current songwriting credits include a song on the new release by Bonnie Raitt, another co-written song with Ringo Starr for his new CD, and new recordings by George Strait, Dierks Bentley, The Mavericks, and a BB King/Buddy Guy duet.

For a complete discography and more info visit www.garynicholson.com

For anyone who wants to know more about music for the screen this panel is a must.

Whether it is was the use of Irish ballads in films such The Informer and The Plough and the Stars or an evocative uses of colonial folk songs in Westerns, John Ford understood the importance of music in film. This panel will find composers and musicians discussing the various considerations and concerns that surround producing music for the screen.

Panellists will include:

American Jazz musician Kyle Eastwood who has contributed music to films such as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and Gran Torino.

Composer and musician Christopher Caliendo has written over five hundred classical/world music compositions. He wrote the award-winning score for the DVD re-issue of John Ford’s epic Western The Iron Horse.

Date: 9th June
Time: 16:00
Venue: Project Arts Centre

Book Tickets Here 

JOHN FORD IRELAND – FILM SYMPOSIUM JUNE 7-10

The Iron Horse – Opening Night Gala at the NCH with the RTE Concert Orchestra – 7th June
Peter Bogdanovich – Public Interview 8th June
Directors Panel with Jim Sheridan, John Boorman, Brian Kirk, Thaddeus O’ Sullivan – 8th June
In Conversation With Stephen Frears – 9th June
Music for the Screen with Kyle Eastwood and Christopher Caliendo – 9th June
Writers Panel with Colin Bateman, Pat McCabe & Ian Power – 9th June
Editing Masterclass with Joel Cox – 9th June
Plus a host of Screenings, Discussions, Panels and more

View Full Programme details at www.johnfordireland.org

Open For Entries

Rules of the Ballad Competition

1. Entries to be received by no later than Friday, July 6th 2012
2. Entries to be submitted on one CD with 3 typed copies or song lyrics (or in very clear handwriting).
3. Entries to be accompanied by cheque/postal order for €25.00.
4. No entries will be returned.
5. Name, address and telephone number to be clearly written on CD cover and back of each copy of lyrics.
6. Finalists will perform their entry in Teach Siamsa Finuge on Saturday 4th August at 8.30 p.m 
7.  The overall winner and runner-up will be decided then.
8. Entries may be in English or Irish.
9. Entries must be original and not previously performed or published.
10. No in-house music supplied by committee.
11. No pre-recorded backing music allowed.
12. Adjudicators’ decision is final.
13. Make Cheques or Postal Orders to Sean McCarthy Weekend.
13. Performances on the night of the final may be recorded and /or videoed at the Committees discretion. Such recordings may be played/transmitted on radio, television or the internet and entrants are deemed to have given their permission for same unless otherwise indicated by them to the Committee.

Download Application Form Here

Send entries to:

Peggie O’Connell, Irremore, Listowel Co.Kerry.  Phone 068-40203
Mobile: 087 -9049371

Enquiries: Bridget O’Connor, phone 087–6250516

E-mail: info@nullfinugeweekend.com www.finugeweekend.com