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amplify

amplify

By Contemporary Music Centre

A podcast from the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland on new music and composers from Ireland.
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amplify #46 - Deirdre Gribbin on her new quartet for the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, and a conversation with the festival's artistic director Francis Humphrys

amplifyJun 25, 2021

00:00
39:60
amplify #100 - We Only Want the Earth
Mar 21, 202422:19
Bonus Episode - Brian Bridges on his work Ramp Waves at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

Bonus Episode - Brian Bridges on his work Ramp Waves at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

In this special bonus episode of amplify, Jonathan Grimes speaks to Brian Bridges about his new work, Ramp Waves which he performed at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival back in November. Show Notes
  • Michel Chion: Requiem @ HCMF This concert commemorated the 50th anniversary of the premier performance of Michel Chion’s Requiem at the Théâtre Récamier in Paris in 1973 Music Ramp Waves was recorded live at Belfast Festival on 13 October 2023. This interview was recorded on 22 November 2023 at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Editing: Keith Fennell
  • Dec 28, 202309:24
    amplify #99 - Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

    amplify #99 - Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

    CMC travelled to Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival back in November. Whilst there we had the great pleasure of interviewing some of Ireland's finest exponents of new music who were performing at the festival. This episode features interviews with Kirkos, Stone Drawn Circles, Jennifer Walshe and Andreas Borregaard

    Show Notes

    Music

    Thank you to the composers, performers, BBC and Music Network for permission to use the recordings featured in this episode. In order of appearance in the episode:

    • Excerpts from Kirkos - Beginner's Guide to Slow Travel (2023) performed and composed collaboratively by Sebastian Adams, Robert Coleman, Yseult Cooper Stockdale, Jane Hackett, Hannah Miller and Joan Somers Donnelly. Recorded live on 21 November at HCMF 2023 by Jonathan Grimes.
    • Excerpt from Karen Power - can you hear me now???? (2019) performed by Stone Drawn Circles. Recorded live on 21 November 2023 at HCMF 2023 by the BBC.
    • Excerpt form Úna Monaghan - In Formation (2023) performed by Stone Drawn Circles. Recorded live on 21 November 2023 at HCMF 2023 by the BBC.
    • Excerpt from Jennifer Walshe - Oscailt (2023) performed by Jennifer Walshe (vocalist), Elizabeth Hilliard (soprano), Nick Roth (saxophone) and Panos Ghikas (viola/electronics). Recorded live at Riverbank Arts Centre on 20 September 2023 by The Rise Studio.

    Interviews recorded on location at HCMF 2023 by Evonne Ferguson and Jonathan Grimes. Editing: Keith Fennell and Jonathan Grimes.

    Dec 20, 202336:21
    amplify #98 - Live from the James Wilson Centenary Celebration at the Irish Summer School
    Dec 12, 202301:02:16
    amplify #97 - RAMP
    Nov 24, 202325:02
    amplify #96 - John McLachlan

    amplify #96 - John McLachlan

    Recorded in July of this year, composer John McLachlan talks to Jonathan Grimes about his CMC Composer Residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, his current approach to composing, and his new album of piano music recorded by pianist Mary Dullea.
    Show Notes

    John McLachlan
    CMC Composer page


    John McLachlan Awarded CMC Residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris
    Reflections on the residency


    Drinking the Stars (Farpoint Recordings)

    Music

    John McLachlan - December (Winter Music), Mary Dullea (piano)
    John McLachlan - Le dernier bourgeon de l’avenir
    John McLachlan - Ockham’s Razor, Mary Dullea (piano)
    John McLachlan - fail ceoil, Mary Dullea (piano)
    John McLachlan - Stone Bell and Sandwave - X. Narita, Mary Dullea (piano)
    John McLachlan - Stone Bell and Sandwave - XI. Celesta, Mary Dullea (piano)
    John McLachlan - Stone Bell and Sandwave - XX. Vita, Mary Dullea (piano)

    Editing: Keith Fennell
    Oct 27, 202331:43
    amplify #95 - Sinead Hayes on Composer Lab
    Oct 20, 202326:13
    amplify #94 - Culture Night at CMC, Timescapes soundwalk at IMMA, and INO’s Breathwork
    Oct 12, 202344:12
    amplify #93 - Raymond Deane at 70

    amplify #93 - Raymond Deane at 70

    Marking his 70th year in 2023, Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson talk to composer Raymond Deane. The conversation was recorded in front on an invited audience at an event in CMC last month, and also includes extracts from live performances of some of his music.

    Show Notes


    Raymond Deane


    CMC Composer Page



    Music

    All music used was recorded live in CMC on 30 June


    Raymond Deane - Excursus (Robert Finegan - saxophone)
    Raymond Deane - Microforms (Emma Coulthard - flutes, David Appleton - piano)
    Raymond Deane - 5 Roses in 4 Parts (Bláth Conroy Murphy, Bríd Ní Ghruagáin, Shane Barriscale and Paul McGough)

    Recording and editing: Keith Fennell
    Jul 20, 202343:05
    amplify #92 - Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble's Greg Caffrey and Aisling Agnew

    amplify #92 - Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble's Greg Caffrey and Aisling Agnew

    Recorded in Belfast just before the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble’s final 2022/23 season concert, Jonathan Grimes talks to the group’s outgoing Artistic Director Greg Caffrey and flautist and Concerts Manager Aisling Agnew about the ensemble’s first 10 years. Show Notes Music

    With the exception of the opening music, all music is taken from the Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble’s concert at the Harty Room, Queen’s University Belfast on 16 June 2023

    • Jane O’Leary - Beneath the Dark Blue Waves (Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble)
    • Rhona Clarke - Non-stop (Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble), Harty Room, Queen’s University, 16 June 2022
    • Gráinne Mulvey - LUCA (Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble), Harty Room, Queen’s University, 16 June 2022
    • John Buckley - Three Mobiles after Alexander Calder (Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble), Harty Room, Queen’s University, 16 June 2022
    Jul 13, 202319:37
    amplify #91 - Sylvia O'Brien on Seóirse Bodley at 90

    amplify #91 - Sylvia O'Brien on Seóirse Bodley at 90

    Marking composer Seóirse Bodley’s recent 90th birthday, amplify features a conversation with soprano Sylvia O’Brien about her collaboration with Bodley, and his approach to writing for voice. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson. Show Notes Music
    • Seóirse Bodley - St Kevin and the Blackbird from ‘The Hiding Places of Love’ (Sylvia O’Brien, Isabelle O’Connell), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2023
    • Seóirse Bodley - Squall (Sylvia O’Brien, Seóirse Bodley), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2007
    • Seóirse Bodley - The Naked Flame (Sylvia O’Brien, Seóirse Bodley), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2007
    • Seóirse Bodley - At Banagher from ‘The Hiding Places of Love’ (Sylvia O’Brien, Seóirse Bodley), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2013
    • Seóirse Bodley - At Banagher from ‘The Hiding Places of Love’ (Sylvia O’Brien, Isabelle O’Connell), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2023
    • Seóirse Bodley - Postscript from ‘The Hiding Places of Love’ (Sylvia O’Brien, Seóirse Bodley), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2013
    • Seóirse Bodley - Cavafy from ‘The Hiding Places of Love’ (Sylvia O’Brien, Seóirse Bodley), Hugh Lane Gallery, April 2013
    Jun 29, 202336:38
    amplify #90 - Andrew Hamilton and Yue Song on their works premiered at New Music Dublin 2023
    Jun 23, 202319:25
    amplify #89 - Eliza McCarthy, Ryan McAdams and Donnacha Dennehy on his new piano concerto, Limina
    Jun 13, 202312:50
    amplify #88 - Garrett Sholdice on his new album 'The Blue Light'
    Jun 08, 202330:19
    amplify #87 - New Music Dublin 2023: Choral Sketches, Áine Mallon, Ailís Ní Ríain, and Elizabeth Hilliard

    amplify #87 - New Music Dublin 2023: Choral Sketches, Áine Mallon, Ailís Ní Ríain, and Elizabeth Hilliard

    The first of two episodes with conversations recorded with some of the artists who featured in this year’s New Music Dublin festival. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson, the episode includes interviews from CMC and Chamber Choir Ireland’s Choral Sketches workshop, composers Áine Mallon and Ailís Ní Ríain, and soprano Elizabeth Hilliard.
    Show Notes

    Ailís Ní Ríain: The Last Time I Died (NMC Recordings)
    New Music Dublin
    Choral Sketches 2023
    Áine Mallon
    CMC Composer Page


    Ailís Ní Ríain
    CMC Composer Page


    Elizabeth Hilliard

    Music

    Ailís Ní Ríain - Seahorse (Long snouted)
    All other music from Choral Sketches workshop and Chamber Choir Ireland Concert at New Music Dublin

    Editing: Keith Fennell
    May 31, 202324:14
    amplify #86 - Stephen Graham on Contemporary Music and the economy

    amplify #86 - Stephen Graham on Contemporary Music and the economy

    Read interview transcript: www.cmc.ie/amplify/episode-86

    A discussion with Stephen Graham, Head of School of Arts and Humanities and Senior Lecturer in Music at Goldsmith’s University of London about new music and its relationship to the economy.
    Show Notes

    Stephen Graham
    Becoming Noise Music
    Twentieth-Century Music in the West
    Composing Capital

    Music

    Seán Clancy - Sign
    New Music New Ireland four


    May 18, 202344:58
    'Sounding the Alarm' - new music and the climate emergency: amplify LIVE at New Music Dublin 2023
    May 05, 202335:34
    amplify #84 - amplify LIVE at New Music Dublin 2023
    Apr 28, 202338:36
    amplify #83 - amplify LIVE at Finding a Voice
    Mar 31, 202340:51
    amplify #82 - Deirdre Gribbin on composing for film
    Mar 10, 202336:02
    amplify #81 - New Music::New Ireland 4 Belfast Launch and Composer Lab
    Feb 24, 202338:58
    amplify #80 - Roger Doyle and Linda Buckley
    Feb 03, 202336:54
    amplify #79 - Sebastian Adams
    Dec 20, 202227:31
    amplify #78 - Kate Ellis and Donnacha Dennehy on Crash Ensemble at 25

    amplify #78 - Kate Ellis and Donnacha Dennehy on Crash Ensemble at 25

    This week, amplify marks the 25th anniversary of the Crash Ensemble with interviews with Artistic Director, Kate Ellis as well as founding member and the ensemble’s first Artistic Director, Donnacha Dennehy. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson.

    Show Notes


    Crash Ensemble
    [reactions]
    Donnacha Dennehy


    Music


    Barry O’Halpin - Lethargarian
    Éna Brennan - Runaway
    David Fennessy - Jack
    Barry O’Halpin - Wingform
    Sam Perkin - Children in the Universe
    Barry O’Halpin - Wingform
    Dec 14, 202228:37
    amplify #77 - Neil O'Connor, Ruth McGinley and Neil Martin
    Dec 06, 202237:30
    amplify #76 - new music::new Ireland Four launch
    Nov 24, 202236:02
    amplify #75 - Jane O'Leary, David Fennessy and Matthew Whiteside
    Nov 14, 202239:38
    amplify #74 - Anne-Marie O'Farrell's 'Who'd Ever Think it Would Come to This?'

    amplify #74 - Anne-Marie O'Farrell's 'Who'd Ever Think it Would Come to This?'

    An episode featuring conversations with some of the creative team behind composer Anne-Marie O’Farrell’s cantata based on material from UCD Archives on the Irish Civil War. Featuring contributions from the composer, Principal Archivist at UCD Archives Kate Manning, the work’s librettist Ed Vulliamy, and Kellie Hughes. Presented by Jonathan Grimes.
    Show Notes

    Civil War Cantata
    Anne Marie O’Farrell

    CMC composer page


    UCD Archives
    Ed Vulliamy

    Music
    All excerpts taken from premiere recording of Who’d Ever Think it Would Come to This? at O’Reilly Hall, UCD on 30 September 2022. Colette Delahunt (Soprano), Sharon Carty (Mezzo), Dean Power (Tenor) and Rory Musgrave (Baritone), Resurgam (Artistic Director Mark Dulley), RTÉ Concert Orchestra, conductor Ciarán Crilly. Recording by RTÉ lyric fm.
    Oct 31, 202234:49
    amplify #73 - Timothy Cape, Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, and Ryan Molloy
    Oct 15, 202249:08
    amplify #72 - 'Future Music?', a discussion from Music Current 2022
    Jul 28, 202219:52
    amplify #71 - David Bremner's new opera, 'Slow Recognition'
    Jul 12, 202224:25
    amplify #70 - Ulysses Journey 2022 in Budapest and Paris
    Jul 01, 202247:33
    amplify #69 - New Music Dublin 2022: Amanda Feery on Creative Lab and Sam Perkin on his work for Crash Ensemble 'Children in the Universe'
    Jun 14, 202223:18
    amplify #68 - New Music Dublin 2022: Choral Sketches, Crash Works and Ergodos Records
    Jun 03, 202241:45
    amplify #67 - amplify live at New Music Dublin: George Higgs, Music for 5 Silent Poems
    May 13, 202251:38
    amplify #66 - amplify live at New Music Dublin - Joyce and new music
    May 06, 202244:59
    amplify #65 - John Kinsella (1932-1921)

    amplify #65 - John Kinsella (1932-1921)

    Episode 65 pays tribute to composer John Kinsella, who passed away last November at the age of 89. The episode features an in depth contribution from Séamas de Barra, author of a forthcoming book on Kinsella’s music, as well as contributions from Séamus Crimmins, Gerry Keenan and Katherine Hunka about the composer’s life and work. Presented by Evonne Ferguson, with interviews by Jonathan Grimes. Show Notes Music

    Prodcution and editing: Jonathan Grimes, Keith Fennell

    Apr 12, 202255:60
    amplify #64 - Rhona Clarke on her new choral album 'Sempiternam'
    Mar 28, 202233:16
    amplify #63 - CMC Scholar-in-Residence pianist Aileen Cahill introduces a playlist selected to mark this year's International Women's Day
    Mar 22, 202208:00
    amplify #62 - Barbara Dignam on Roger Doyle's 'Babel'
    Mar 17, 202242:49
    amplify #61 - Ailís Ní Ríain and Yonit Kosovske

    amplify #61 - Ailís Ní Ríain and Yonit Kosovske

    Episode 61 features conversations with composer Ailís Ní Ríain and pianist Yonit Kosovske about ‘Watershed’, a song cycle composed by Ailís Ní Ríain for Yonit Kosovske and contralto Julie Comparini. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson. Show Notes Music

    All music taken from Ailís Ní Ríain's Watershed performed by Yonit Kosovske and Julie Comparini. Listen to and purchase the album here.

    Please consider subscribing to our podcast here and if you’re already a subscriber leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.


    Production and editing: Jonathan Grimes, Keith Fennell

    Mar 08, 202229:16
    amplify #60 - Raymond Deane on his recent work for piano quartet 'Vayu Vata'
    Feb 24, 202230:11
    amplify #59 - Ulysses Journey 2022
    Feb 11, 202244:56
    amplify #58 - 2021 highlights and reflections: Greg Caffrey
    Dec 27, 202111:02
    amplify #57 - 2021 highlights and reflections: Mary Dullea
    Dec 26, 202112:23
    amplify #56 - 2021 highlights and reflections: Toner Quinn, Journal of Music

    amplify #56 - 2021 highlights and reflections: Toner Quinn, Journal of Music

    The third in a short mini series of episodes marking the end of 2021. Journal of Music editor Toner Quinn selects recordings from Gerald Barry, Jane Deasy, Dave Flynn and Anne-Marie O’Farrell as his recorded highlights of the year.


    Show Notes


    Toner Quinn
    Alice’s Adventures Under Ground - Irish National Opera


    Review in Journal of Music

    Jane Deasy
    Dave Flynn
    Anne-Marie O’Farrell


    Music


    Gerald Barry - Alice’s Adventures Under Ground - Signum Classics
    Jane Deasy - Thawing
    Dave Flynn - String Quartet No. 3: The Keening from the album ‘Irish Minimalism’
    Anne-Marie O’Farrell - AirDance from the album ‘Embrace’
    Dec 24, 202118:36
    amplify #55 - 2021 highlights and reflections: Elizabeth Hilliard
    Dec 23, 202111:37
    amplify #54 - 2021 highlights and reflections: Linda Buckley
    Dec 22, 202110:50
    amplify #53: Music Current 2021
    Dec 08, 202143:11
    amplify #52: Garth Knox
    Nov 19, 202129:01