Stair to Nowhere is based on samples from a collection of field recordings made in the Marshes Shopping Centre, Dundalk, Co. Louth in 2010. They contain the droning of background music playing in the shopping centre and the clicking of shopping trolley wheels on the tiled floor as they pass the recorder. Together they create two contrasting sounds; the first is the ambient blur of the background music, while the second sound of the trolley’s clicking wheels adds a subtle rhythmic element to the work. Finally the entire soundscape is laid on a bed of undulating drones which change slowly over time. The 'stair' concept and general feeling of ascending is created by gradually filtering the frequencies of the samples from high to low throughout the work.

Stair To Nowhere

Bedouin Variations (2008) - for string quartet

Bedouin music is the music of nomadic Bedouin tribes of the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant. It is closely linked to its native text. Its songs are based on poetry and are sung either unaccompanied, or to the stringed instrument, the rebab. Other types of traditional instruments used are various woodwinds. Bedouin music has a distinctive, modal sound which I attempt conjure in this piece.

Audio programmed with Spitfire Audio Abbey Road Two.

Bedouin Variations

Day:Night:Night:Day (2009) - for flute, marimba and piano

The title of this piece, Day:Night:Night:Day, is significant for two reasons. First it represents my own personal feelings and struggles in writing the piece. Secondly, it bears significance to the overall form and structure of the composition. The piece seemed to take an extremely long time to write and as a result, I felt as though I was working through an ongoing cycle of Day and Night, Night and Day. 
The structure of the piece took shape as an A/B1/B2/A form. This was unintentional at the outset of writing, however, my intuition seemed to have an influence on the resulting form. As a result, the form led me to giving the piece the rather symmetrical title of Day:Night:Night:Day.

Audio programmed with Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra and Garritan CFX Concert Grand.

Day:Night:Night:Day

Vela - Sails in the Stars (2009) - for string quartet

The title of this piece draws its inspiration from the star constellation, Argo Navis. It represents the Argo, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts. Argo Navis is the only constellation of the forty-eight listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy that is no longer officially recognised as a constellation due to its enormous size. As a result, it has since been subdivided into three smaller constellations representing different parts of the Argo: the keel, the stern and the sails. Vela, the constellation symbolizing the ship’s sails provoked in me the image of “sails in the stars”. While this image is fundamentally the central idea, the piece is also an opportunity to pay homage to Ptolemy’s forgotten constellation, Argo Navis.

Performance by the ConTempo Quartet. 
Recorded 5th June, 2012 @ National Concert Hall, Dublin.

Vela - Sails In The Stars (for string quartet)

Mirror (2010) - for organ, keyboard or synthesizer

Mirror

Ghostnotes (2010) - for solo clarinet and tape

Ghostnotes was inspired by a DART journey made from Connolly train station to Shankill in South County Dublin. Strange sounds onboard the train reminiscent of a well-worn clarinet emerged, emitting only a small range of notes. These notes repeated like a melodic motif building slowly and then falling away. When I reached my destination I peered into the adjacent carriages either side of me but could not find the mysterious creator of these sounds. The memory of these “ghostnotes” remained with me and provoked the idea to compose a piece based on their unique character accompanied by a recording of interior of the DART I once travelled on.

Performance by Paul Roe.
Recorded 17th May, 2013 @ National Concert Hall, Dublin.

Ghostnotes

Where there is resonance (2010) - for double string quintet

Where there is resonance is a study in sonorities, written for two string quintets or two string orchestras. The main idea of the piece is to have the two ensembles play contrasting layers of sound against each other. This concept is explored in various ways throughout, bringing a range of harmonic, textural and technical ideas to the musical material.
The word "resonance" from the title appealed to me as it has number of meanings. The first being the scientific definition: “the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating”. The other being the metaphorical meaning: “the ability to evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions”.

Audio programmed with Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Where there is resonance... (for double string quintet)

Where there is resonance (2010) - for double string orchestra

Where there is resonance is a study in sonorities, written for two string quintets or two string orchestras. The main idea of the piece is to have the two ensembles play contrasting layers of sound against each other. This concept is explored in various ways throughout, bringing a range of harmonic, textural and technical ideas to the musical material.
The word "resonance" from the title appealed to me as it has number of meanings. The first being the scientific definition: “the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating”. The other being the metaphorical meaning: “the ability to evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions”.

Audio programmed with Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Where there is resonance... (for double string orchestra)

Vela - Sails in the Stars (2009, 2011) - for string orchestra

The title of this piece draws its inspiration from the star constellation, Argo Navis. It represents the Argo, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts. Argo Navis is the only constellation of the forty-eight listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy that is no longer officially recognised as a constellation due to its enormous size. As a result, it has since been subdivided into three smaller constellations representing different parts of the Argo: the keel, the stern and the sails. Vela, the constellation symbolizing the ship’s sails provoked in me the image of “sails in the stars”. While this image is fundamentally the central idea, the piece is also an opportunity to pay homage to Ptolemy’s forgotten constellation, Argo Navis.

Audio programmed with Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Vela - Sails In The Stars (for string orchestra)

a small dry branch traces the sand to journey's end (2010, 2023) - for string orchestra

Audio programmed with Spitfire Audio Appassionata Strings.

a small dry branch traces the sand to journey's end (for string orchestra)

a small dry branch traces the sand to journey's end (2010) - for string quartet

Performance by the ConTempo Quartet. 
Recorded @ Irish Composition Summer School 2010, DIT, Rathmines, Dublin.

a small dry branch traces the sand to journey's end (for string quartet)

Guitars - Breifne Holohan & Rory Walsh

more info at http://breifneholohan.ie/w-rory-walsh/

The Booley House/The Butterfly

Athair is a short film by Líadan Holohan based on the short story of the same name by Mícheál O Conghaile.

Original soundtrack composed, performed and produced by Breifne Holohan.
Also featuring Trudy Maguire on accordion.

http://breifneholohan.ie/athair/

Open Spaces

Reflections

(2013)
for electric guitar. Arranged, performed and produced by Breifne Holohan.

An attempt to recreate Eno's sonic masterpiece using a single electric guitar and tape delay.

discreet music by Brian Eno (arranged for electric guitar)

En Verre (In Glass) is a composition inspired by the concept of Zen and the tranquil Ryōan-ji garden in Kyoto. Water trickles from a nearby pond and a temple bell periodically rings, gently grazing against the timeless silence.

En Verre

An Irish musician/composer based in Co. Louth, Holohan's music crosses a vast range of genres, from modern classical, acoustic guitar and minimalist music, to traditional Irish, ambient and electroacoustic styles. A regular performer of his own work, he has also had his music performed by various ensembles and soloists such as the Contempo Quartet, John O' Shea, Mary McCague, Paul Roe and John Feeley. 

Breifne Holohan

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