How The World Begins Again

A series celebrating the lives and work of women composers and sound artists working in Ireland presented by singer Elizabeth Hilliard.

In this RTÉ lyric fm radio and podcast series, singer Elizabeth Hilliard meets twenty women: composers and sound artists connected to the island of Ireland. They share their stories, their inspirations, creativity and challenges as they connect the listener to their work. In the series Elizabeth explores the wonderfully alive and energised ecosystem of music in Ireland today, talking to women from diverse backgrounds: both academic and non-academic, including an astrophysicist, a computer programmer, artists coming from different places, cultures and countries and reflecting an age range from twenties to seventies, but who are all connected through their music on the island of Ireland. In the eight part series listeners are introduced to their music, ranging from piano trio to orchestral, from games music to improvisation. The series title - How the World Begins Again - is taken from a line in Eavan Boland's poem CODE, about how women; artists, scientists, poets and composers alike, become visible and heard through their work and make the world anew.

 CODE - by Eavan Boland ends with these lines:

"I am writing at a screen as blue,
as any hill, as any lake, composing this
to show you how the world begins again:
One word at a time.
One woman to another."

How The World Begins Again : Episode 1: ‘A Sense of Place’

In this first episode of How The World Begins Again singer Elizabeth Hilliard meets with composers and sound artists, Jane O'Leary, Natalia Beylis and Jenn Kirby and finds out what place and belonging means to them. She discovers how meeting new people from different backgrounds inspires them in their work and how they've explored new beginnings in their lives and brought that into their music and soundcraft. Music heard in this episode includes Jane O'Leary, From Sea-Grey Shores, Natalia Beylis, Invaded by Fireflies and Jenn Kirby, Terre Pop.

The theme music for the series is from Phonology Garden by composer Gráinne Mulvey featuring the voice of Elizabeth Hilliard.  The series is researched and written by Elizabeth Hilliard, the producer is Helen Shaw and the audio mix is by John Howard.

How The World Begins Again - RTÉ lyric fm - trailer - starts Friday Oct 22nd from 7pm

How The World Begins Again : Episode 3: ‘A Shared Path’ 5th November 2021

In this episode of How The World Begins Again singer Elizabeth Hilliard meets with composers and sound artists, Tiffany Qiu, Susan Geaney and Claire Fitch and hears about their role models and what inspired them to begin composing. She discovers how they work within a community of composers and what it means to them to create. 



Music featured in this episode includes Tiffany Qiu, Unsterbliche Geliebte, Tiffany Qiu, The Raven, Susan Geaney, Multiphonic, Claire Fitch, Being Imperceptible.

The theme music for the series is from Phonology Garden by composer Gráinne Mulvey featuring the voice of Elizabeth Hilliard. The series is researched and written by Elizabeth Hilliard, the producer is Helen Shaw and the audio mix is by John Howard.

How The World Begins Again, RTÉ lyric fm, Fridays at 7pm – listen during the interval of The Lyric Concert.

How The World Begins Again Promo

Elizabeth Hilliard and composer Gráinne Mulvey chat about their past collaborations, their process and the creation of a new work to be premiered on the 26th November in The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Elizabeth and Gráinne are working on this piece as part of the Resonate Residency at The Dock in association with Music Network.

Interview 26 Sept - Elizabeth Hilliard and Gráinne Mulvey

Why is that so difficult?

After spending half an hour setting up my new sound system (that was quick for me!) I got to have a little fun

Playing With Sound - EH

Maynooth - Week 1

Maynooth - Week 2

Maynooth - Week 3

This collection of new works for voice by Irish and British composers demonstrates the wide range of styles and structures available. In some works she is accompanied by discreet electronic sounds and by overdubbing her voice. 
This album is a fine way to explore new vocal music which is both exploratory and individualistic but also attractive and sensuous.

Magnification - Christopher Fox

Phonology Garden - Gráinne Mulvey

Numarimur - Linda Buckley

Sea To The West - Christopher Fox

I'm a soprano from Dublin. I sing a wide range of repertoire, bringing a dramatic quality and emotional intensity to performance. I have a passion and relish for performing music by living composers.

Elizabeth Hilliard

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