'Achinet' (2017) was written with the talents of clarinettist Cristo Barrios and bass clarinettist Sarah Watts firmly in mind. This chamber double concerto takes inspiration from Barrios' home island of Tenerife, particularly the mythology surrounding its historical inhabitants the Guanches (who named the island Achinet) and the legend that they were descended from the people of the sunken city of Atlantis - the music begins in the lowest depths and, eventually, sinks back down there.
Another important inspiration is the whistling language 'silbo', found on Tenerife's neighbouring island La Gomera -- silbo is used to communicate over distances by farmers and shepherds (the section between 8'53" and 11'55" is partly based on transcriptions of actual silbo phrases, even requiring some of the players to double on 'Swanee' whistles to more closely imitate the sound of whistling).
A final element which the music references is a thematic connection with American artist Robert Motherwell's painting 'Beside the Sea no.22' -- its brilliant blue and energetic gestures find a mirror in the colours, textures and contours of the music both the soloists and the ensemble play.

'Achinet' was commissioned by Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast with funds from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Unit. The work is dedicated to the Crescent’s director Keith Acheson and to Greg Caffrey, the director of the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble which premiered the work.

Achinet (chamber double clarinet concerto)

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Ian Wilson (Belfast, 1964) has composed over 200 works in many different genres which have been performed and broadcast on six continents. He is a member of Aosdána, Ireland’s national association of creative artists, and his music is published by G. Ricordi & Co. Ltd and Universal Edition. 
Visit: www.ianwilson.ie

Achinet (chamber double clarinet concerto)

Ian Wilson, composer