Concert: Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble

Thursday, April 12, 2018 - 13:00
Riverstown Hall

Programme:

LUCA (2017) — Gráinne Mulvey | World première
...for peace comes dropping slow (2017) — Greg Caffrey | World première
Eat, Sleep, Empire (unterwelt part 1) (2002) — Ian Wilson
A Battuta (2017) — Kevin O'Connell | World première
Gortnagarn II (2016) — Ryan Molloy

Greg Caffrey, director of the Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, writes:

"The HRSE commissioning scheme continues this year (funded by ACNI) and this lunchtime recital offers the ensemble the opportunity to expose all of the 2017/18 Season’s new commissions for ensemble in one sitting. At the time of writing, we wait with baited breath on the imminent arrival of new pieces to feature in this concert from Kevin O’Connell and Gráinne Mulvey, two of Ireland’s most influential figures in contemporary music, as composers and educators. Also, this concert will feature the premiere of my first formal commission from the ensemble this year too.

Also included in this concert is the beautiful Gortnagarn II, by composer Ryan Molloy, one of our commissioned pieces from last season. As Ryan teaches at Maynooth University, it is a pleasure to be able to perform this piece on his own academic turf. Completing the repertoire for this event is another Ian Wilson piece that the ensemble is revisiting from previous seasons, and with great pleasure. Eat, Sleep, Empire is a vibrant romp of a piece. Unusually – excitingly – all the works in this concert feature the full ensemble."