Kámen (Stone) for string quartet by Ben McHugh
Played by the ConTempo String Quartet July 2010

Kámen (Stone) for string quartet - Ben McHugh

A piece for solo cello written for Yseult in August 2013 and performed in her final year recital last year (although I think this is a recording from a rehearsal beforehand). The piece was written as a scabby birthday present.

Rhapsodic and brooding throughout, the piece culminates in a lament played with one finger (very) high on the G-string over a pedal C, marked 'allow to gradually disintegrate into grit'. This sounds easy but it's extremely difficult - and brilliantly done by Yseult. Let's convince her to play it again!

Nachtmusik (peformed by Yseult Cooper Stockdale)

Performed by Raymond Deane in the Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall, Dublin, January 29th 2015, as part of his featured concert of the AIC 'Irish Composers on Irish Music' series. 

More information on AIC (Association of Irish Composers):

www.composers.ie

Miniature for piano (performed by Raymond Deane)

Commissioned and performed by Co-Orch Dublin on the 26th of February 2015. Soloist: Keith Sutherland.

Hiraeth (for Bassoon And Orchestra)

Buy on Bandcamp

Nothing I Do Will Ever Be Good Enough

Interview with composer Éna Brennan

Patrick's new work for solo fiddle will be premiered by Zoe Conway in the Irish Georgian Society on May 19th.

See who else is going here: www.facebook.com/events/1416695765314288/

All bookings available at http://thestrungseries.eventbrite.ie/

Musical extract taken from workshop with Zoe Conway

"‘and so the branches began to dance’ was inspired by my observations of Zoe’s visceral playing in workshop back in November. This new work takes typical Irish traditional elements and tweaks them slightly. It is structured as a work in two parts forming an arch from sparse ambient harmonics to frantic punchy ornamented rhythms. The piece begins with an Air on harmonics centered around one simple melodic phrase which is transformed as the piece progresses. The texture gradually thickens and leads into the second section where the melodic phrase becomes more playful borrowing from different Irish dance rhythms. As the piece quickens Zoe’s tapping foot also becomes a part of the piece, allowing you to grip on to the abnormal downbeat pattern of 12 12 123 12 123 123 12. Borrowing from the popular key of D major in Irish traditional music, Zoe’s violin is detuned to F#-D-A-D to allow for increased resonance of the open strings in this very special venue." - Éna Brennan

Éna Brennan is a composer and designer based in Dublin, particularly fond of multi-disciplinary collaborations. She has an MPhil in composition from Trinity College Dublin and currently performs in multiple chamber groups and bands as a violinist. She has most recently started to write and record demos of more alternative music that she performs herself. She is also Press & Marketing Officer for the Irish Composers Collective.

Read and listen more at www.irishcomposerscollective.com/ena-brennan

Interview w/Éna Brennan

Irish composer Ryan Molloy on his new album of piano works recorded by Alexander Bernstein. 

The album is available from CMC's site - https://www.cmc.ie/shop/ryan-molloy-innisfail 

Ryan Molloy on his new CD Innisfail

A last minute space became available in an Irish Composers Collective concert for solo harpsichord on 20/4/12 so I arranged and submitted this piece. It didn't take very much to alter the original composition to fit perfectly on harpsichord. David Adams performs excellently. Recorded by Dylan Rynhart.

Stave Off arranged for Harpsichord performed by David Adams

The Irish Composers Collective was founded in 2003 and is committed to creating high-quality performances of music by its composer-members.

‘The ICC is a ready-made community of creators, performers, and listeners, and they are blazing a trail for 21st-century music in Ireland.’ - The Guardian

Interview w/Éna Brennan

Irish Composers Coll

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