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The CORONAS

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New Download Single "Someone Else's Hands"
From their Meteor Award Winning Best Irish Album "TONY WAS AN EX-CON"
Also Features theSingles "LISTEN DEAR" & "FAR FROM HERE"
Out 30-4-10 on 3ú Records / iTunes
www.thecoronas.net
 
The Coronas – Australian Tour – May 2010

20th – The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
21st – The Factory, Sydney, NSW
22nd – Newcastle League Club, Newcastle, NSW
23rd – The Mean Fiddler, Sydney, NSW
27th – The Governor Hindmarsh – Adelaide, SA
28th – The Prince of Wales, Melbourne, VIC
30th – The Fly By Night Club, Perth, WA
 
 
The Coronas are back. Their debut LP – 2007's Heroes or Ghosts – achieved platinum sales in Ireland, and spawned massive singles such as "Grace, Don't Wait!", "Heroes or Ghosts" and especially "San Diego Song" which became an anthem in clubs and radio stations all across the country.

The Dublin quartet quickly followed its' release with sell-out shows nationwide, two meteor award nominations and a spellbinding set on the main stage at Oxegen. All this along with tours in the U.S., UK and Asia, has enabled the Coronas to establish themselves as one of Irelands' biggest new bands.
 
"We've worked really hard for the last two years but taking a break never really occurred to us", says lead singer Danny O'Reilly. "We wanted to continue to build on what we had going and we knew the only way to do that was to go into the studio and record an album that we felt blew Heroes (or Ghosts) out of the water".
 
"We were quite young when we recorded Heroes or Ghosts", concurs guitarist Dave McPhillips (indeed they had all just turned 21). "And, although we were so proud of it, we really didn't expect it to do as well as it did. The last couple of years on the road, constantly gigging and developing our sound, left us with a better idea of the album we wanted to make"
 
Indeed anyone who has become accustomed to the Coronas own brand of pop-rock tunes will have plenty of reason to cheer when it comes to their new album, Tony Was An Ex-Con, recorded over 6 weeks in the prestigious Sawmills studio in Cornwall. This time round the guys teamed up with esteemed producer John Cornfield (Muse, Razorlight, Oasis). "Working with John in the mill (Sawmills) was an amazing experience", says bassist Knoxy. "We thought that, with his resume, he'd be telling us exactly what to do but he was really cool and just let us do our thing. It was a really chilled-out, productive atmosphere."
 
 
The title track comes from an incredible story about the lads on tour in America, involving a psychotic bus driver who left the entire entourage fearing for their lives. "It's funny looking back at it now, but at the time it was really quite scary", says drummer Conor Egan. McPhillips: "The song was one of the first new songs that set us off on the writing spree that led to the entire record so it felt like the right title"
 
In Tony Was An Ex-Con, The Coronas' fans will once again be reminded of the endearing spirit that made Heroes or Ghosts a true word-of-mouth success, while many will be impressed by how far they've come musically.
 
"We're so proud of this record", says O'Reilly. "We realised along time ago that it's impossible to try to impress everyone. You can only make music that you believe in yourself – be it pop, rock, indie, rap, whatever. Hopefully the tunes will speak for themselves"
 
The Coronas latest album 'Tony Was An Ex-Con' was released in Ireland on Sept. 25th,2009.
Spotlight

Gavin Glass

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Releases his new single
‘
Just Like Rome’ on the 23rd April taken from album MYNA BIRDS (May 28th)
 
‘Just Like Rome’ is the first single to be taken from Dubliner Gavin Glass’ forthcoming third album, ‘Myna Birds’.
 
The single comes flip-sided with Gavin’s version of The Faces classic ‘Ooh La La’ which was recently used in the long-running Meteor television ad campaign.
 
‘Myna Birds’, which features collaborations with members of The Black Crowes & Wilco, is the follow up to his critically acclaimed 2007 release ‘Gavin Glass & the Holy Shakers’ which received a very rare 9 out 10 from HOTPRESS on release.
 
Glass has spent the last two years working & touring with Lisa Hannigan as a multi-instrumentalist in her band and contributed to her recent Mercury Nominated album ‘Sea-Sew’. His forthcoming album, ‘Myna Birds’ was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee during a break from Lisa’s recent North American tour.
 
An introduction to Steve Gorman of the Black Crowes after a show in Boston led to an all-star band being put together, featuring: Audley Freed (Black Crowes, Train, Cry of Love, Dixie Chicks), Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo) and Jen Gunderman (Jayhawks). These are all bands that have had a resounding influence on Glass’ unique Irish flavoured Americana. Gavin and the band set-up camp in Nashville’s Eastwood Studios and recorded the album on the endangered format of analogue tape over an intensive two-weeks in March of last year. The album was then completed with the help of friends back in Dublin in between Hannigan’s hectic touring schedule.
 
Myna Birds will be released on Orphan records on May 28th
 
Tour Dates to be announced soon.
 
Latest News

CMC | Off The Rails

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The Contemporary Music Centre ‘Off the Rails’ Sound Gallery
 
The Contemporary Music Centre launches a new outdoor Sound Gallery as part of love:live music – National Music Day, 16 April 2010.

The CMC ‘Off the Rails’ Sound Gallery exists outdoors at the front railings of The Centre on 19 Fishamble Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. On National Music Day the Gallery will operate from 12:00pm to 6:00pm and will play works from the Centre’s Contemporary Music from Ireland promotional CD series, volumes one to eight.

Composers featured include Rob Canning, Kevin Volans, Ed Bennett, Andrew Hamilton, Deirdre McKay, Donnacha Dennehy, Jennifer Walshe, Ian Wilson, Jürgen Simpson, Roger Doyle, Piers Hellawell and Linda Buckley.
 
The idea behind the Gallery is to bring music from inside the Centre out onto the street for all to experience at no cost. It is the Centre’s new shop window and with over 5,500 works in the Centre’s collection the exhibits are endless!
 
‘Over the years we have organised projects which have involved playing music outdoors and we have always found a very positive response to these initiatives. This has now led us to developing our very own outdoor Sound Gallery and we are delighted to launch this as part of love:live music – National Music Day 2010.’ says Karen Hennessy, Promotion Manager, The Contemporary Music Centre.
 
Fishamble Street, where the Contemporary Music Centre is located, has a long tradition of outdoor music. The annual ‘Messiah on the Street’ each Easter commemorates the first performance in 1742 of Handel’s Messiah – the most high profile concert of new music by the most famous contemporary composer of the time. The CMC ‘Off the Rails’ Sound Gallery is the modern-day equivalent!

 
The Contemporary Music Centre is Ireland's national archive and resource centre for new music, supporting and developing the work of composers throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland. It is used on a national and international basis by performers, composers, promoters and members of the public interested in finding out more about music in Ireland.

 
The CMC ‘Off the Rails’ Sound Gallery
 
16 April 2010 12:00 – 6:00pm
 
Playlist One 12:00 – 1:00pm        
Rob Canning – Myriorama (Penelope Sleeps)
Kevin Volans – Four Guitars
Ed Bennett – Monster (excerpt)
 
Playlist Two 1:00 – 2:30pm    
Andrew Hamilton – Ich fahr dahin
Deirdre McKay – Dieppe
Donnacha Dennehy – To Herbert Brün (excerpt)
 
Playlist Three 2:30 – 3:30pm    
Jennifer Walshe – My Extensive Relationship with Mr Stephen Patrick M. (excerpt)
Ian Wilson – Atlantica
 
Playlist Four 3:30 – 5:00pm        
Jürgen Simpson – Rotation Patterns
Roger Doyle – The Ninth Set (sector 1)
 
Playlist Five 5:00 – 6:00pm   
Piers Hellawell – Weaver of Grass
Linda Buckley – do you remember the planets?
 
Latest News

Johnny Duhan

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A Beacon to the Power of Song

In a recent interview with the California Chronicle, Christy Moore stated that The Voyage (his most popular song according to iTunes) has been performed at over a million weddings worldwide, not to mention anniversaries, funerals and other occasions. This didn’t surprise the Galway based author of the song, Johnny Duhan, for since he wrote the ballad twenty one years ago he has received countless letters and emails from people all over the world telling him how much the song has meant to them and their families. Most of the correspondents describe cheerful wedding and anniversary occasions, as when a South American church was decked out with ship-shaped bunting and a children’s choir sang The Voyage to the accompaniment of a flamenco guitarist while the bride and groom, both in white regalia, swanned down the aisle; or when four generations of a family crowded out a New York church for the 60th wedding anniversary of their proud forbears and a sizeable crew of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren appeared in striped sailor suits, singing the chorus: 

Life is an ocean, love is a boat
In troubled waters it keeps us afloat,
When we started the voyage there was just me and you,
Now look around us, we have our own crew.

 

 

Occasionally letters arrive with harrowing stories of how the song has helped families through sickness and bereavement. One such correspondent, a doctor from the Isle of Skye, wrote some years back asking for permission to feature The Voyage on a celebratory CD for his wife’s 40th birthday. After Johnny gave his approval he didn’t hear from the GP for almost a year. Then a letter arrived with the tragic news that the doctor’s wife had contracted cancer. She died some months later and the CD featuring The Voyage  ended up being released as a commemoration album that went on to be nominated for The National Scottish Folk Awards. Another correspondent told of the family of a diseased fishing-boat skipper whose son read the lyric of the Voyage at his father’s requiem mass and reduced the mostly maritime congregation to tears. But of all the heart-breaking responses that Johnny has received to his songs down the years, one stands out like a beacon to the power of song.  Johnny was so moved by the story it told he sought and was granted approval by the writer of the letter to share its contents with his audience during a forthcoming tour that will feature songs and stories from the full collection of The Voyage album.
 
Dear Johnny,
 
I wanted to tell you how much your songs have blessed me and my family.  
 
 
A few weeks back I got a call in Chicago to come home.  My Mom had been rushed to hospital suddenly with liver failure.  As it turned out it was aggressive cancer.  Thank God, we made it on time and spent her last few days sitting with her in Blackrock Hospice.  On her last day with us we sang her favourite songs. My Dad requested that I sing ‘The Voyage’, a song I had played for them once when they danced. I sang it and he wept over her.  He asked me to sing it again at her funeral and there wasn’t a dry eye in the church.
 
Mom went to be buried in the county where she was born.  On the night before her burial, my brother and I almost got into a fight. It was brought on by years of issues never addressed and came to a head with the pressure of Mom’s death. I went home feeling horrible over the issue. My cousin Pat gave me your album and I read the following lines taken from your song In Our Father’s Name:
 
  In the long shadow of our family tree
  That darkened once the heart in me
  I found good reason to believe in our frail seed.
 
What beautiful words. They gave me such a power to forgive the hurts and recognise my own frailties that I often ignore.  Thanks for sharing your gift of song writing with the world. It has been a huge blessing to me. I’m leaving for Texas tomorrow and am looking forward to listening to the full album on the long drive there.  Your songs remind me of home, but I think they will also fit well with the cornfields of Illinois and the great wide open of Missouri. On my next trip home I hope to catch a show you may do.
Brian R.
p.s. Is the Father supposed to be God, or our Dads?

 
About Johnny Duhan

Johnny Duhan started his career as a fifteen year old front man in the Limerick beat group Granny’s Intentions, the most popular band in Ireland in the mid to late ‘60s. After rousing Dublin with their soul touch, they moved to London (one of the first Irish bands to do so), headlined in The Marquee and The Speakeasy, were signed to the prestigious Deram label, released a string of popular singles and one album, Honest Injun, and disbanded before Johnny was twenty one. Though plied with offers to front other super groups, Johnny turned his back on the popular music industry and started writing folk songs, poetry and prose. Known for his fierce independence and integrity as an artist, he has condensed a body of work spanning 40 years into a quartet of epic albums (Just Another Town, To The Light, The Voyage and Flame) that correspond with the four chapters of his recently published lyrical autobiography, TO THE LIGHT.
 
Though he has shunned the limelight for most of his career, Johnny has in recent years returned to the stage with a series of one-man shows based on his life in song. After the success of Just Another Town and To The Light in 2008/2009, his new show, The Voyage, plumbs marriage and family life for “treasures of the heart”.
 
  Belltable, Limerick –  Friday 30 April
  Balor Arts Centre, Ballybofey -7 May
  Town Hall, Galway – Thurs 13 May
  Source Arts Centre, Thurles – 4 June
 
 
Spotlight

Terry Topley

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Wicklow based songwriter and arranger Terry Topley has had his original Dublin ballad "Hooray for the Liberties" featured in Christian Slater's new TV series "The Forgotten", on ABC TV in the US. The show is broadcast coast to coast on Tuesday nights and the episode called "Double Doe" was set in Chicago.

Terry's LA based publisher, Tanvi Patel, says, "The Forgotten scene using the song by Terry was in an Irish bar in a Chicago suburb which has a huge Irish population.  His song worked great in establishing the atmosphere of the bar, with a great lead in before the dialogue kicked in.  Irish music is requested quite a bit for film and TV use, and having authentic songs by real deal Irish musicians from Ireland like Terry really adds credibility to the Crucial Music catalog.  We are honored to have Terry's music in the catalog". 

Terry is currently in the early stages of producing an album of some of his rock, country and folk songs. His 2003 album, "Call Me a Rover", has received airplay throughout the world and besides his regular Dublin and Wicklow live appearances, Terry has also toured in the UK, Germany and Spain.

Spotlight

Songwriting Events in Tralee

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Songwriting Events in Tralee with Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)
19th – 24th April 2010

The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), in association with Carlton Hotel Tralee and Tralee Town Council, will host a series of music events this April in Tralee, Co. Kerry.  The idea for the events grew from the unveiling of the commemorative Christie Hennessy sculpture in Tralee town last October, which symbolises the town’s strong tradition in music. Among the events taking place will be a series of music workshops in local secondary schools, and a songwriting panel followed by live performances on Saturday 24th April at the Carlton Hotel Tralee. Fresh from the release of her new album, Songs My Father Taught Me, Christie Hennessy’s daughter, Hermione Hennessy, will be returning to her roots to participate in the songwriting panel.
Renowned singer-songwriter, Luán Parle, and producer, Gavin Ralston, will join IMRO in visiting secondary schools in the town throughout the week to provide intensive workshops on singing, song writing, instrumentation, music engineering, production, recording, touring and many other facets of the ever changing music industry.
The workshops will also cover the latest developments in the industry today including the growth of legitimate digital sales, the dangers and consequences related to illegal downloading and the rapid growth of web based social and music networking.
Local schools participating in the workshops include Presentation Secondary School, CBS The Green, Mercy Mounthawk, Gaelcholaiste Chiarraí and Tralee Community College. Artists from each of the schools will also be taking part in a live concert at the Carlton Hotel Tralee at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, which will be headlined by singer-songwriter, Luán Parle.
An IMRO representative will be available on a one-to-one basis on Tuesday afternoon (20th April) and Friday afternoon (23rd April) for any local IMRO members who would like to discuss their membership or artists interested in learning more about the organisation. To book an appointment, please contact membership@nullimro.ie indicating your preferred time.
IMRO One-to-one Meetings  
Tuesday, 20th April 2010| 3pm – 4:30pm
Friday, 23rd April 2010| 2pm – 4pm
Carlton Hotel Tralee
On Saturday, 24th April, IMRO will host a songwriting panel for local artists at the Carlton Hotel Tralee. Panellists will include Angela Dorgan (First Music Contact), Hermione Hennessy (song-writer / Black & Blonde Management), Luán Parle (singer-songwriter), Gavin Ralston (producer/ sound engineer) and Sinead Troy (IASCA), along with some local radio presenters. Entry is free but places are limited. To reserve a place in the audience, email membership@nullimro.ie.
IMRO Songwriting Panel  
Saturday, 24th April 2010
Carlton Hotel Tralee
11am – 1pm
Panel Details
Hermione Hennessy
The name Christie Hennessy is well-known in the pantheon of Irish music Legends. His death left an enormous hole in the music scene but his music will ensure his legacy will stay alive eternally. And proving that an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, his daughter Hermione releases her new album Songs My Father Taught Me, a record that not only pays tribute to Christie, but an album he urged her to make before he died.
Hermione Hennessy is a classically trained pianist with a voice inherited from a legend. In the past she has duetted with her father on such tracks as Mr Blue, Gettin’ Over You and If You Were To Fall.
She has spent her working life in the music industry, helping nurture and develop acts such as Kami Thompson (Richard and Linda’s daughter) and Judie Tzuke, Stephen Bishop, Feeder and The Soldiers, as well as creatively aiding a diversity of acts from Groove Armada through to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, via Will Smith and R Kelly, through her company Black and Blonde.
Now it’s time for Hermione to shine. Since Christie’s death, she has been managing his back catalogue and taking care of the legacy. This album is as much about him as it is about Hermione.
Songs My Father Taught Me showcases a performer whose entire life has been steeped in the poetry and music of Ireland, with vocal stylings that remind of the likes of Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, right up to the beautiful and dramatic style of Ute Lemper.
Soon after release, Hermione intends to tour, saying “I plan to sing songs he loved, songs I grew up with, songs he wanted me to sing from when I first started playing the piano up to his passing, along with the songs that made the record. And it is my intention to take his music to the world and keep his name alive. “
Having written songs for Frances Black, Roisin O’Reilly and Rhian Mair Lewis, the album and tour will see Hermione debut her self-penned material. 2010 belongs to this multi-talented lady!
Luán Parle
The stunning, Meteor Award Winner for Best Irish Female: Luán (pronounced LU-ON) Parle possesses a powerful and distinctive vocal style, complimented by her ability to compose and perform across genres.
Wicklow girl Parle is an established, popular and critically acclaimed artist in Ireland – with a constantly growing international fan base. Luán holds numerous Industry awards including: A Meteor for “Best Irish Female Artist”, a Tatler “Music Woman of the Year” a Big Buzz “Best Female Performer” and a Balcony TV “Best Female Video”, making the future look very bright indeed.
Luán has performed on many national TV shows including Ireland’s longest running TV show: RTE’s the Late Late Show (where she first performed a song she wrote at the age of 11 years old), Tubridy Tonight, The Café, WeTV and TV3’s Ireland AM, & Xpose. She has also performed on all national, regional and local Irish radio shows including: Today FM & RTE Radio 1. Luán regularly features in national press and magazines and has received rave reviews from the top music and entertainment critics in the country. No novice to the music industry, she has been singing since age 7 and writing & performing since age 11.
Luán is currently concentrating, almost exclusively, on writing and recording a new body of work for the next studio album using her now established experience and credentials in terms of creative control over the upcoming sound. Apart from her own songwriting and production input she collaborates with notable industry “legends” such as: CHRIS KIMSEY (renowned producer for THE ROLLING STONES, INXS, DURAN DURAN etc.), HAL LINDES (formerly DIRE STRAITS, now an award winning film and TV score composer) and BILL BOTTRELL (renowned producer for SHERYL CROW, MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA, SHELBY LYNNE etc.). The album is intended to be ready for global release early in 2010.
Gavin Ralston
Guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer, Gavin Ralston has been involved in the music industry for many years, covering virtually every genre from rock, pop and folk to traditional, classical and theatrical. He is one of Ireland’s leading, highly respected and most sought after musicians / producers.
Gavin began his musical career performing on the Dublin music scene with various artists and bands before moving to Dingle in Kerry to study Irish Traditional Guitar with the legendary musical genius Steve Cooney. He has since gone on to perform and tour with acts crossing all genres including: Sharon Shannon, Beginish, Anuna, The Waterboys, Picturehouse, Revelino, Eleanor McEvoy, Clannad, Michael Flatley, Mairead Nesbitt and featured as a soloist with the RTE Concert Orchestra on a few occasions.
As a session musician he has been involved with among others: Phil Coulter, Luka Bloom, Sinead O’Connor, Ronnie Drew, Donal Lunny, Kieran Goss and Tim O’Brien. He has also produced a tuition book, video and DVD for Waltons / Melbay on Irish Traditional Guitar, currently lectures in the College of Music and writes extensively in music publications on modern recording methods.
Seven years ago Gavin set up Silverwood Studios and has engineered and produced for a large and growing list of clients including: The Blizzards, Laura Izibor, Picture House, Luán Parle, Ronnie Drew, Celtic Tenors, Susan McFadden, Clive Barnes, Donna Marie, The Coronas, Last Tycoons, Dave Munnelly / Andrew Murray and Scott Maher.
Gavin has made a lot of TV appearances with artists such as Shane Ward, Natasha Bedingfield, Francis Rossi (Status Quo), Trisha Yearwood, Lulu and Samantha Mumba, Josh Groban and Katie Melua.
Sinead Troy
Sinead Troy graduated from Senior College Ballyfermot in 1990.  On leaving college Sinead worked with noted Irish music promoter Pat Egan for three years.  She then decided to further her career and move to London where she worked with Grapevine Records for seven years as Interntional Product Manager.
Sinead then spent a year with international labels Mushroom and Infectious Records and then decided after seven years in London to return home in 2001.  Sinead worked with music merchandising company Seminal, and then went on to help launch digital start up MUZU.TV.
During her career Sinead has worked closely with many Irish and international artists including EmmyLou Harris, Christy Moore, Mary Black, Westlife,  Kris Kristofferson, Cathy Davey, Muse and Ash to name a few.  Sinead has also represented various employers at conferences such as MIDEM, SXSW, PopKomm and In The City.
Sinead is the General Manager of new society, Irish Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, which was established in late 2009.   IASCA was formed to provide a voice for Irish songwriters, composers and authors and lobby on their behalf.
Sinead can generally be found covered in mud at festivals or  at the back of gigs!
Angela Dorgan
Angela Dorgan is Director of First Music Contact (FMC) based in Dublin. FMC started life as a cross-border umbrella group for music collectives in Ireland, to promote, encourage and develop the work of music collectives, to facilitate those already in existence and to help in the start up of new groups.
Expansion in the past number of years now sees FMC as the only free and independent information and resource organisation for popular musicians and the popular music sector in Ireland.
FMC also co-run the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival, Ireland’s premier A&R festival showcasing emerging Irish talent. (www.hwch.net). Music from Ireland is another FMC spearheaded project, building a brand around Irish bands at international music festivals (www.musicfromireland.org)
Most recently FMC have spearheaded the Breaking Tunes project, providing a platform for Irish musicians to showcase their wares to the industry.(www.breakingtunes.net)
FMC is grant aided by the Arts Council / An Chomairle Ealionn

 

GLINSK SONG CONTEST 2010

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NOTE TO SONGWRITERS FROM GLINSK SONG CONTEST:
   
Glinsk Song Contest has arrived at its 23rd year.  Indeed, each year the support of Songwriters has grown.  We thank all of you for such sustained and continuous support throughout the years.

Whether you are a budding songwriter or an established composer – its time to put that pen to paper for this year’s event.   Our finalists over the years have made the final a thrilling event each year – Perhaps you could be one of those finalists this year!
 
Glinsk Song Contest attracts a huge variety of styles and themes among our entries each year and all are welcome.  We believe our Contest is one of the easiest to enter as all we require is a CD, cassette tape or mini-disc of your song plus two copies of the lyrics. [If possible, enclose a simple chord sheet]
 
If your song is one of the thirteen chosen for the final on Sunday 4th July, then Glinsk Song Contest will do all the arrangements etc for you.  You must provide a singer of your own choice who will be accompanied by the Glinsk Song Contest orchestra.
 
Don’t forget the CLOSING DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO APRIL 23rd.  We look forward to your entry over the next few weeks – Let Glinsk Song Contest be your ‘shop-window’ this year.  Remember we want this to be your Song Contest…. Glinsk Song Contest is the oldest and biggest Song Contest in Ireland….Make it your contest this year!!
 
Glinsk Song Contest acknowledges the generous  support of IMRO over the years.
Without the support of IMRO – Glinsk Song Contest could not have survived.

Click onto www.glinsk.com/songcontest to find out more about Glinsk Song Contest.
We look forward to hearing from you….
 
Best Wishes,
Martin Ward (Director Glinsk Song Contest)
Latest News

IMRO Feis Ceoil Composition Awards

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The winners of the IMRO sponsored ESB Feis Ceoil Composition Competitions were announced this week and are as follows:

18.01 IMRO €1,000 Award – Chamber Ensemble: 1st: Donal Rafferty HC: Glen Austin

18.02 IMRO €1,000 Award – String Orchestra 1st: Daniel McDermott HC: Dan O'Neill

18.03 Feis Ceoil €1,000 Award – Choral 1st: Donal Sarsfield HC: Dan O'Neill

Donal Rafferty

Born in Dublin in 1982, Dónal Rafferty studied piano and music theory at The College of Music and voice and aural training with The Palestrina Choir from the age of 7. Dónal continued to study music during the years of his primary and secondary school education, competing and achieving success in local competitions for piano, piano duet and singing, while concurrently touring the world and gaining invaluable musical experience as a member of The Palestrina Choir.

In 2007, Dónal graduated first place in the Bachelor of Music degree at the National University of Ireland at Maynooth, specialising in composition with Martin O’Leary. In 2006, Dónal was chosen as a finalist in the Neerpelt European Music Festival for Young People Composition Competition for his composition Unresolved Tension for symphonic band. As a result, he was invited as a guest to the festival and participated in a workshop with composer Johan de Meij (Netherlands). Following his graduation from Maynooth, Dónal participated in the 2007 IMRO Irish Composition Summer School, studying with Kevin O’Connell (Royal Irish Academy of Music) and Nicola Lefanu (University of York). During the same year, Dónal was engaged to arrange Irish traditional music for the South Carolina fiddle group Na Fidléirí and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

Dónal commenced postgraduate studies in 2008 at King’s College London for the degree of Master in Music. He specialised in composition with Robert Keeley and George Benjamin, and studied analysis with Arnold Whittall, and musicology with John Deathridge and Christopher Wintle. He graduated with distinction in January 2010. Since July 2009, Dónal has worked with the London Chamber Orchestra, managing the LCO New: Explore composition competition scheme. He is a member of the Irish Composers’ Collective.

Daniel McDermott

Daniel McDermott is a composer, pianist and multi-instrumentalist. He studied classical piano and guitar from a young age before progressing to Jazz piano and tenor saxophone in college. He studied composition in Dundalk IT School of Music before doing a Masters in Composition in Queen's University, Belfast.

He has attended master classes with Donnacha Dennehy and Simon Bainbridge. He names his musical hero as John Zorn and sees himself as an "internet composer", someone who grew up and was exposed to the profound and endless musical styles that fill the internet – from Klezmer to death metal to Stockhausen to Japanese pop. This results in a disparate and extremely wide range of musical genres existing within his compositions, or sometimes its antithesis: a more unified piece like the Feis Ceoil piece, "Stab", which explores one relentless idea.

www.feisceoil.ie

Latest News

Sligo New Music Festival

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Gavin Bryars in Sligo for New Music Festival
Sligo New Music Festival 2010
Fri 16 – Sun 18 April
 
Ground-breaking composer and musician Gavin Bryars will be the featured guest at the Sligo New Music Festival, which returns to The Model from 16th – 18th April 2010.
 
The Model (formerly the The Model Arts and Niland Gallery) has worked out of temporary premises for the past two years to facilitate an ambitious extension and redevelopment project, and its new purpose built performance theatre space will open to host the 2010 Sligo New Music Festival. 
 
During the festival, Gavin Bryars’ classic works, including The Sinking of the Titanic and Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet, will be showcased.  As part of the three-day festival programme – which includes four separate concerts – Bryars will take part in a public discussion with Lyric FM’s Bernard Clarke. The festival is the first event to be held in the new building which will become fully operational on Saturday, May 1st.
 
The UK-based Smith Quartet, regular collaborators with Bryars, will be the festival’s guest ensemble.  Leading Irish improvising duo Morla – saxophonist Seán Óg and guitarist Simon Jermyn – will join the Smith Quartet in performing Bryars’ work and will also perform separately. 
 
The festival will present the world premiere of a new work for electric guitar and string quartet by leading Northern Irish composer Frank Lyons.  The final performance of the festival will be marked by Sean Óg’s Sacred Chants.
 
The Sligo New Music festival will open on Friday, 16th April and coincides with National Music Day (a new Music Network initiative).
 
Championed for offering a rich and diverse programme of contemporary music on an annual basis since 2002, the Sligo New Music Festival is produced by The Model and curated by Ian Wilson. 
 
The Sligo New Music Festival is a composer-orientated event which focuses, each year, on one or two key composers.  Their work is programmed alongside new works from Irish composers and the festival seeks to premiere new works where possible. Collaborations between the festival performers are encouraged.
 
The 2010 Sligo New Music Festival is supported by The Arts Council and IMRO and is delighted to have LYRIC FM as festival media partner.
 
For up-to-date information and ticket sales contact: 071 914 1405 or www.tickets.ie
 

 
Sligo New Music Festival 2010 Programme (16th-18th April 2010)
 
Friday, 16th April
 
Performance time: 8.30pm
The Smith Quartet: Gavin Bryars’ The Sinking of the Titanic (25’)
The Smith Quartet:  Dennehy: Stamp! (6’)
Morla: improvised set
Tickets: €20/18
 
Saturday, 17th April
 
Performance time: 1pm
The Smith Quartet: Gavin Bryars’ Between the National and the Bristol (19’)
Simon Jermyn and the Smith Quartet: Gavin Bryars’ After the Requiem (16’)
The Smith Quartet and Morla: Gavin Bryars’ Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet (25’)
Tickets – €15/12
 
Performance time: 3:30pm
Gavin Bryars in conversation with Bernard Clarke (Lyric FM; Nova)
Tickets: Free but ticketed
 
Performance time: 8:30pm
Simon Jermyn and the Smith Quartet: Frank Lyons: New Work for E-guitar and String quartet (15’)
The Smith Quartet: Schnittke’s String Quartet No. 3 (16’)
Morla and the Smith Quartet: New Work for Morla and String quartet (35-40’)
Tickets – €15/12
 
Sunday, 18th April
 
Performance time: 12.30pm
Seán Óg: Sacred Chants (40’)
Tickets – €12/10
 
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Concorde Concert: 21st Century Women in Ireland

Written by Press Officer on . Posted in News.

Concorde Concert: 21st Century Women in Ireland, taking place within the International Conference on Women and Music in Ireland, NUI Maynooth

Saturday 17 April 2010 | 5.20pm  – 6.30 pm
 
Renehan Hall, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
Tickets: €10 (€5 student)
Tickets are available on the door or they can be reserved in advance by contacting Jenny O'Connor, jenny.m.oconnor@nullgmail.com
 
Concorde
Jane O’Leary: piano, director; Tine Verbeke: soprano; Madeleine Staunton: flute/alto flute; Paul Roe: clarinet/bass clarinet; Elaine Clark: violin; David James: cello
 
21st Century Women in Ireland
Emma OHalloran           A Chosen Landscape  (clarinet, cello, piano)   2009   
Rhona Clarke                8 Improvisations for alto flute   2006  
Alyson Barber               Bóithre Bána  (soprano & cello)    2009    
Deirdre McKay             Umber sepia   (bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano)    2005    
Alyson Barber               Bothar na Sióga  (flute & piano)   2008  
Elaine Agnew                Snowhole (soprano & cello)   2003   
Jane OLeary                 Soundshapes (soprano, violin, clarinet, alto flute)  2006    
 
Concorde present a concert of music by a selection of Irish women composers to close the international conference, Women and Music in Ireland, at NUI Maynooth on Saturday April 17.  The works represent a variety of styles and instrumentation but were all written in the 21st century and have featured in programmes presented by Concorde at the National Gallery of Ireland in recent years. 
 
Alyson Barber's music is inspired by Irish legends and music and the poetry of Eoghan O Tuairisc, Emma O'Halloran's by the poetry of Paul Verlaine ('your soul is a chosen landscape').
 
Elaine Agnew has chosen the poetry of Michael Longley, imagining a bed as a vast, white snowscape. Deirdre McKay's quartet is visual in its concept, painting a picture of lonely cuttlefish, retreating from the world in a brown cloud of sepia.
 
Rhona Clarke's improvisations for solo alto flute open a vista for your imagination and Jane O'Leary's interlocking textures for voice and 3 high instruments treat sound in a sculptural way.  The concert is sponsored by IMRO.
 
For further information on the International Women and Music in Ireland Conference see:
 
Friday April 16, 4 5.30 pm
Concorde: Open Rehearsal (part of National Music Day)
DIT Conservatory of Music & Drama, Rathmines (opposite Swan Centre). 
All Welcome!
 
David James and Tine Verbeke will be rehearsing Alyson Barbers Bóithre Bána  and Elaine Agnews Snowhole, two pieces for soprano and cello.
http://www.lovelivemusic.ie/whats_on/event/concorde_open_rehearsal/
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