THE co-founder of the Louth Contemporary Music Society (LCMS) Eamonn Quinn has said he is “delighted” the festival is back after a three-year gap.
The title of the festival is “Nothing has changed. Everything has changed” and it’s due to take place from June 17-18.
“All of the concerts are being held outside traditional arts venues in places such as St Nicholas Church, the Gaol in the Oriel Centre and The Spirit Store,” said Eamonn.
Originally from just outside Newry, Eamonn lives on the Lower Point Road, Dundalk with his wife, Gemma. They founded LCMS in 2006.
“We wanted to bring specialised contemporary music to the town. I’d never done anything like it before,” he said.
“The pianist Joanna McGregor was the first musician brought to Dundalk by LCMS. She plays vary varied stuff. That was the aim, to mix the whole thing up.”
The ‘Nothing has Changed. Everything has Changed’ festival opens on Friday, June 17 at St Nicholas Church of Ireland in Dundalk.
There’s a repeat performance there of Linda Caitlin Smith’s ‘Meadow’ for three string players.
Also catching up with music from lockdown, there’ll be a chance to hear Sam Perkin’s ‘Flow’ live.
This is similarly for string trio, and similarly a piece whose LCMS recording has been making waves.
On the same programme are new works by Irish composer Andrew Synnot and by one of the foremost composers in England and internationally, Gavin Bryars.
Among the ace performers are the outstanding Irish string quartet, the Esposito, ace flautist Silvija Scerbaviciute and the breath-taking soprano Juliet Fraser.
The next day’s events start at lunchtime in St Nicholas Church of Ireland. Australian singer Mitch Riley and French pianist Vanessa Wagner pull in at 1pm for their acclaimed performance of “O Mensch!”
There’s bass in the early afternoon at 3pm at The Spirit Store, where the stunning Icelandic improviser Bára Gísladóttir takes the stage with Skúli Sverrisson.
In the chapel of St Vincent’s Secondary School, Dundalk, there will be an absorbing delve into slow sound and interference patterns by Catherine Lamb, scored for string bass and quarter tone bass flute.
The festival closes that evening at the same venue with voices: the Vox Clamantis choir of Estonia, singing Arvo Pärt’s LCMS commission “The Deer’s Cry”, music by the younger Estonian composer Helena Tulve, Lou Harrison’s ecstatic “Mass for St Cecilia’s Day” and a new work, “Storm in Devon”, by Siobhán Cleary.
For more details visit www.louthcms.org. Funded by the Arts Council and Create Louth. Tourism Louth. RTÉ Supporting the Arts