Gigs & trips… Part deux!

So No. 2 – Opportunities!

Just so y’all know, I’m heading on a little spin across the world in January. I’m Melbourne bound for a whole sunny month and am looking for any hints on what,who,where,where, who (did I already say that?) I should be visiting. Answers on a postcard to PO Box 22222222222222, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.

The Association of Irish Choirs is looking for a new General Manager. It’s a three-year, fixed term contract in what are very hedgy times for jobs in the arts, and as such is an amazing opportunity for the right person based in Limerick. The deadline is next Tuesday 01 December.

InRes is a new resource by Create, which contains detailed information on local, regional, national and international opportunities for collaborative artists. Most of the opportunities are visual arts based but there are a number of opportunities for musicians and sound artists. Check out November opportunities.

The focus of the Seoul International Music Competition is “promoting cultural exchanges among nations through music and supporting talented musicians from all over the world”. The 2010 competition is based on vocal competition and the application deadline is 15 January 2010 and all the information is contained on the competition site.

RTÉ Lyric fm have released information on (deep breath) Diffusion Prize 2010: International Electroacoustic Music Composition Competition – a competition focused on “promoting ‘up and coming’ composers regardless of age or nationality”. A prize of €3000 will be awarded to the winning entrant in the form of a commission to compose a stereo electroacoustic work between 8-10mins in length. The deadline for entry is 22 January 2010.

The Forum for Music in Ireland holds its next plenary session on Tuesday 08 December in IMRO’s lovely new premises on Pembroke Row. The plenary is titled Grasping the Nettle and will address such questions as “What are the issues of greatest concern to musicians in Ireland?”. If you come along you’ll be treated to a presentation by Mé Féin on the U2/Music Network Music Education Scheme. I’ll be joined by Gerard Flanagan of Kylemore College who participated in the first pilot programme for the scheme.

The Kuenstlerdorf Schoeppingen Foundation is taking applications for it’s 2010 residence stipends at the moment. The deadline for applications is 15 January 2010 and the residency is open to artists working with “experimental music/musical compositions”. I’d actually love to be a practicing artists so I could go on these amazing residencies! Bah!

Gigs & trips…

There is a whole lot going on at the moment so I’m going to throw together two quick posts:

No 1 – Gigs!

First things first – check out Music Network’s cracking new website! Swit swoo! We’re loving it!! There’s more to come too, watch this space for the lovelive:music (Ireland’s first ever national day celebrating music) website! There are a load of upcoming gigs with Tasmin Little on tour in Ireland at the moment. We’re gearing up towards our big Gala Fundraising concert on the 05 December in Dublin Castle. Tasmin will be performing works from her Naked Violin album and guests will also be entertained by Trihornophone and Fidil on the evening.

It seems there are a few events on the 05 December and Tasmin sells out you could always drop over to Ergodos Voices in the NCH. The new performing group, established by Ergodos consists of Peyee Chen, Marja Liisa Kay, Michelle O’Rourke and Robin Bier. The programme on the 5th includes works by Linda Buckley, Ben Schlepper-Connolly, Garrett Scholdice, Séan Clancy and Judith Ring.

The next Kaleidoscope takes place on Tues 01 December and will feature performances by Ergodos Voices (in case you can’t make the 5th, catch them here!), Redmond O’Toole and Yurodny. New Sound Worlds, the programme curated by composer Siobhán Cleary, takes place the same evening in the NCH so I’ll be running between the two gigs, trying to catch a bit of both!

Other performance bits

There is an amazing new group doing the rounds – they’re called Traz, they’re based in Sligo, their sound is the most fresh thing you heard on the radio in ages and…. they’re all still in school! Check out their facebook page here and they featured last week on Donal Dineen’s Fresh Air Festival. You heard it here first people, they’re gonna be big, if only because I won’t stop talking about them until everyone has heard their music!

 

 

 

Blog this…

I have a load of emails in my inbox with the subject line “Blog this”, which are meant to remind me to follow up on something or other. I don’t always get around to blogging the notes I sent, but here are the few in my inbox at the moment:

Notes:

Creative Review blog cover an interesting project by Youth Music in the UK to celebrate their 10th year. I was doing a little research into international musical instrument projects last year for the Music Capital Scheme and came across Youth Music. They instigate some very worthwhile projects in the UK and are worth checking out.

On that note, the deadline for the Music Capital Scheme landed on Monday last and my office in the coach house is once again the most flammable room in the building with piles of applications in boxes and on my desk. Watch the Music Network website for announcements of awards in December.

Jennifer Walshe continues to stir things up in the US – read the brow-wrinkling description of her latest project Ma La Pert in Issue Project Room

NorthWest Connects is a networking event coming up on Sat 28 Nov in Sligo which promises to bring together local creativity and regional networks. I’d love to be attending – it looks like a promising hub for creative entrepreneurs and businesses in the North West area. The attendee list is already the Who’s Who of the most innovative people working in the North West, and indeed in Ireland as a whole and the most amazing part is it’s free! Twitter

Gigs:

Music Network are in the middle of another tour at the moment – Songs for Cecelia is stopping at a venue near you over the next week or so. The Dublin takes place in the Coach House this coming Tuesday although I’m pretty sure there are very few tickets left.

I like that the emails bulletins from Note Productions are titled “a little note”. The latest one contains details of an upcoming performance by Iarla Ó Lionáird in preferred Note venue, St Audeons Church. The Dublin concert features a guest performance by Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and should be a lovely gig!

Apparently Tuesday nights are the nights of choice for contemporary music in Dublin. I attended the second of the Kaleidoscope series in the Odessa Club on Tuesday last, which featured performances by Malachy Robinson, Clíodhna Ryan, Kate Ellis, Cora Venus Lunny, Martin Tourish & Lorcán Mac Mathuna and an improv by Enda Bates & Linda Buckley. Tourish’s Exegesis left a lasting impression and I’d like to hear the work again when I’m not falling down with exhaustion after a mental day.

Starting this coming Tuesday, New Sound Worlds is a programme curated by Siobhán Cleary, taking place in the NCH each Tues for four weeks. There is no websites for the series but information on tickets is available from the NCH site. Word on the ground is that people will be giving their right arm to attend the first performance by Sarah Leonard and Rolf Hind on Tues. I’ll be putting my hand in at the Coach House so won’t make the first performance but it should be excellent.

On one last note, I promised a quick mention to a new night starting in Dublin- SALT is a new gay music night in Twisted Pepper, every second Wed. The organisers are billing it as a new night targeted at young gay people who are not comfortable with the gay scene as it exists and could well be a fun night!

culture notes & that…

The QME performance on Saturday night last was a beautiful exploration of improvised and experimental electro-acoustic music. I’ll write a longer post on the event once I get the pics.

A project initiated by artist Mark Garry went online on MySpace today, it’s worth checking out if you get a chance. Sending Letters to the Sea is a music project that brings together musicians Ireland and France that work across genres. It includes contributions from Karl Him, Nina Hynes, Sean Carpio and Fabien Leseure.

On Friday (06 Nov) in Cork UCC Concert Series presents an improv session with Han-Earl Park and Paul Dunmall. It’s a lunchtime event so if you’re around Cork at lunch drop over to O’Riada Hall in UCC.

Jonathan Grimes uploaded a video of Roger Doyle’s 60th birthday concert to his blog – check it out

CMC are hosting open nights for student composers (Tues 04 Nov) and student music teachers (Mon 09 Nov) – details here

Donal Dineen’s Small Hours presents Fresh Air Festival – a  celebration of his picks of new music. It’s airing on Today during Dineen’s 12 midnight to 2am slot and will include artists such as 3epkano, chequerboard, dark room notes, Katie Kim, R.S.A.G and a load of others. I’m going to try catch the first show tonight although am pretty wrecked after the weekend so we’ll see if I make it through the whole show.

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ArtCamp is a new initiative along the same lines as BarCamp for artists and arts workers. There is no info up yet but keep an eye on the site for updates.

Take your Seat initiative runs from 09 – 14 November, promoting arts and performance. The initiative aims to demonstrate that attending events is not just about box office takings but is about supporting the performers -the people who dedicate themselves to standing/sitting in front of the audience on an ongoing basis. As someone who always found it painful to stand up in front of anyone and perform, I wholeheartedly support the initiative – get out there and put bums on seats!

The National Campaign for the Arts is growing in numbers. If you haven’t already become a member please join up and show your support – many of us are connected with the arts, either directly and indirectly. Any cuts to public support for the arts will have a detrimental effect on the lives of many people I know. Use your vote and your voice. They also have a petition on the website, which includes the retention of Culture Ireland, The Film Board and artists exemption.