Episodes

  • amplify #114 - Larissa O'Grady on her new album, Six New Works for Violin

    amplify #114 - Larissa O'Grady on her new album, Six New Works for Violin
    Nov 22 2024
    Larissa O'Grady joins CMC's Jonathan Grimes for an explorative discussion about her new release, Six New Works for Violin. on Farpoint Recordings. Show Notes Six New Works for Violin (Farpoint Recordings) by Larissa O'Grady Six New Works For Violin is the debut release by Larissa O'Grady on the Farpoint Recordings label, and features an extraordinary programme of new music composed by a collection of six leading Irish composers including David Bremner, Jenn Kirby, Judith Ring, Anselm McDonnell, Robert Coleman, Fiona Linnane. This project came into existence as part of the Contemporary Artists Network, established by the Contemporary Music Centre, which pairs composers and performers interested in engaging with contemporary music from Ireland as artistic partners. As part of this Network, in 2022 Larissa O'Grady commissioned six new works for violin and electronics/multimedia by a group of six composers from Ireland, collaborating to explore the possibilities of new sounds, which culminated in a public performance of the commissioned works for violin and multimedia. These commissions were generously supported by Arts Council Ireland. Featuring a wide range of presentations from spoken word to sensor led playback, live and fixed electronics, microtonal writing conveying the chemical process of burning sugar, and a live field recordist recording and playing back the violin and sounds of a greater spotted woodpecker. Farpoint Recordings
    • David Bremner
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Robert Coleman
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Jenn Kirby
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Fiona Linnane
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Judith Ring
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Anselm McDonnell
      • CMC Composer Page
    Music All music featured in this episode is available from Farpoint Recordings from the links below. Salient Memories - David Bremner Body Fragmented - Jenn Kirby Swept Through the Floods - Judith Ring Rusted Sugar - Anselm McDonnell Capturing Sound - Robert Coleman Would Be Poetess - Fiona Linnane Episode Credits Recording and editing: Jonathan Grimes Additional Editing: Keith Fennell Introduction: Evonne Ferguson
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    29 mins
  • amplify #113 - Live from West Cork Chamber Music Festival

    amplify #113 - Live from West Cork Chamber Music Festival
    Nov 12 2024
    A live podcast discussion recorded at the 2024 West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Composers Rhona Clarke and Deirdre Gribbin join Jonathan Grimes to discuss their work on ‘Magdalene Songs’, an ongoing project by pianist Deirdre Brenner, which features their songs along with songs by Deirdre McKay, all based on testimonies from survivors of the Magdalene Laundries. This discussion took place following a performance the previous evening of the ‘Magdalene Songs’ by mezzo Lotte Betts-Dean and Deirdre Brenner. From 1922 to 1996, more than 10,000 women and girls were incarcerated in Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries. Operated by four religious orders in 10 locations around the country, these for-profit institutions detained individuals against their will and forced them to work long hours, unpaid, under abusive and humiliating conditions. These institutions committed some of the most serious systematic violations against human rights in Ireland in the 20th century. This work by is intended to honour those women who were so gravely mistreated by church and state in the Magdalene Laundries by giving voice to their experience. Show Notes • https://www.westcorkmusic.ie/chamber-music-festival/ • https://www.rhonaclarke.com/ • https://www.cmc.ie/composers/rhona-clarke • http://jfmresearch.com/home/preserving-magdalene-history/about-the-magdalene-laundries/ • https://www.deirdregribbin.com/ • https://www.cmc.ie/composers/deirdre-gribbin • https://www.cmc.ie/composers/deirdre-mckay • https://www.deirdre-brenner.com/ • https://www.lottebettsdean.com/ Music All music from Magdalene Songs, performed live at West Cork Chamber Music Festival on 5 July 2024 at St Brendan’s Hall, Bantry by Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano) and Deirdre Brenner (piano), and recorded by RTÉ Lyric fm. • Rhona Clarke - Martina • Deirdre Gribbin - Bernadette • Rhona Clarke - Evelyn • Deirdre McKay - Litany to the Magdalene Dead Recording and editing: Keith Fennell
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    29 mins
  • amplify #112 - Composer Lab 2024

    amplify #112 - Composer Lab 2024
    Oct 11 2024
    This week’s podcast features conversations recorded during the workshop of Composer Lab, a professional development initiative from CMC and the National Symphony Orchestra aimed at composers who have had limited opportunities to write for symphony orchestra. Jonathan Grimes speaks to the participating composers Amelia Clarkson, Barry O’Halpin, Finola Merivale, and Yue Song, as well as Composer Lab mentor David Fennessy and workshop conductor Gavin Maloney. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson. Show Notes
    • Composer Lab public workshop
    • Amelia Clarkson
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Barry O’Halpin
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Yue Song
      • CMC Composer Page
      • Pastures at Malahide
    • Finola Merivale
      • CMC Composer Page
    Music
    • All music recorded during the Composer Lab workshop on 16 September 2024 by the National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Gavin Maloney
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    27 mins
  • amplify #111 - Rhona Clarke and Eric Skytterholm Egan at the ISCM World New Music Days 2024

    amplify #111 - Rhona Clarke and Eric Skytterholm Egan at the ISCM World New Music Days 2024
    Sep 27 2024
    CMC’s podcast on artists active in New Music in Ireland returns with interviews recorded with two of the featured Irish composers at this year’s ISCM World New Music Days in the Faroe Islands. Recorded in June, the episode features conversations with composers Eric Skytterholm Egan and Rhona Clarke. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson. Show Notes
    • ISCM World New Music Days 2024
      • ISCM
    • Eric Skytterholm Egan
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Rhona Clarke
      • CMC Composer Page
    Music
    • Eric Skytterholm Egan - in some or other Oasis (2014 rev. 2023) (Lapland Chamber Orchestra), live performance at Tórshavn Music School, Tórshavn, Faroe Island, 24 June 2024. Video of concert available here.
    • Rhona Clarke - O Vis Aeternitatis (2020) (ARS NOVA Copenhagen, conductor Graham Ross), live performance at The Nordic House in Tórshavn, 29 June 2024. Video of concert available here.
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    17 mins
  • amplify #110 - TERRAIN

    amplify #110 - TERRAIN
    Jul 19 2024

    An episode featuring a live panel discussion from Northern Ireland's newest contemporary music festival, TERRAIN in the Accidental Theatre, Belfast featuring Aisling Agnew, Lina Andanovska and Ian Wilson. Presented by Evonne Ferguson.

    Show Notes

    • Aisling Agnew
    • Lina Andanovska
    • Ian Wilson
      • CMC Composer page

    Music

    All music featured in this episode was performed live at TERRAIN Music Festival on 18 May 2024

    • Improvisation 1 - Lina Andonovska (contrabass flute & flute), David Lyttle (Drums) & Cathal Roche (alto sax)
    • A Winter Sketchbook - Jane O'Leary - Aisling Agnew (flute) & Petcu-Colan (violin)
    • Improvisation 2 - Lina Andonovska (contrabass flute & flute), David Lyttle (drums) & Cathal Roche (alto sax)
    • 'Vigour, Rigour, Jigger' - Greg Caffrey - David McCann (cello) Episode Credits

    Chief Sound Engineer: Martin Price

    Sound Technician: Peter Cunningham Podcast Recording: Emma Bainbridge Editing: Keith Fennell
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    22 mins
  • amplify #109 - Topographies mini festival of Experimental music in Berlin

    amplify #109 - Topographies mini festival of Experimental music in Berlin
    Jul 3 2024

    An episode featuring a panel discussion from the Topographies mini festival of Experimental music in Berlin along with contributions from Shane Latimer and Izumi Kimura. Presented by Evonne Ferguson.

    Show Notes

    • Topographies
    • Shane Latimer
      • Residuum
    • Izumi Kimura
    • Francis Heery
    • Elliot Murphy
    • Ellen King

    Music

    • Shane Latimer - Ten Minutes in the Tumble Dryer
    • Shane Latimer, Izumi Kimura, Francis Heery, Ute Wasserman - live performance at Soweiso, Berlin, 23 May 2024
    • Ellen King - in situ, live recording from PAS, Berlin, 25 May 2024
    • Francis Heery - not knowing what brambles are, live recording from PAS, Berlin, 25 May 2024
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    26 mins
  • amplify #108 - Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea on Gerald Barry's violin and piano music

    amplify #108 - Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea on Gerald Barry's violin and piano music
    Jun 14 2024
    Jonathan Grimes talks to violinist Darragh Morgan and pianist Mary Dullea about recording and performing Gerald Barry’s music. The conversation was recorded at the 2024 New Music Dublin Festival, and also features extracts from their 2022 album of the composer’s works ‘In the Asylum’. Show Notes
    • Darragh Morgan
    • Mary Dullea
    • Gerald Barry
      • CMC Composer Page
    • Gerald Barry in Focus at New Music Dublin 2024
    Music

    All music taken from the album In the Asylum, Mode Records

    • Baroness von Ritkart: 1 - Clever, noble, but not talented, (Darragh Morgan, violin and Mary Dullea, piano)
    • Triorchic Blues, Fidelio Trio
    • Midday, (Darragh Morgan, violin and Mary Dullea, piano)
    • 1998, (Darragh Morgan, violin and Mary Dullea, piano)
    • Le Vieux Sourd, (Mary Dullea, piano)

    Recorded, presented and produced by Jonathan Grimes.
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    13 mins
  • amplify #107 - Linda Buckley on her new work, Tuile agus Trá for Iarla Ó Lionáird and the National Symphony Orchestra

    amplify #107 - Linda Buckley on her new work, Tuile agus Trá for Iarla Ó Lionáird and the National Symphony Orchestra
    May 31 2024

    Back in April, as New Music Dublin 2024 was approaching, Evonne Ferguson sat down for a chat with Linda Buckley and Iarla Ó Lionáird to discuss Tuile agus Trá, a new work for the National Symphony Orchestra composed by Linda and dedicated to the memory of her mother, Mary Buckley.


    Show Notes


    • Linda Buckley

      • ​CMC Composer page

    • Iarla Ó Lionáird
    • Doireann Ní Ghríofa
    • National Symphony Orchestra
    • New Music Dublin
    • National Concert Hall
    • The Creative Space @ CMC

    ​Tuile agus Trá premiered on the 26 April in the National Concert Hall as part of New Music Dublin 2024. It was broadcast live on RTÉ lyric fm for a special episode of RTÉ lyric Live co-presented by Paul Herriott and John Harris. You can listen to the full broadcast here.

    Tuile agus Trá was commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and New Music Dublin.


    Episode Credits


    Presented by Evonne Ferguson

    Recorded and edited by Keith Fennell

    Show NotesEpisode Credits
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    21 mins