We’re delighted to announce details of the Sligo New Music Festival 2010, which returns to The Model from 16th — 18th April with the early, ground-breaking music of Gavin Bryars, including his classic works The Sinking of the Titanic and Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet, After the Requiem and Between The National and the Bristol. The festival also coincides with Ireland’s first National Music Day.
It’s really worth clicking on the links to read about Titanic and Jesus’ Blood in particular; great stories inspire them both. Jesus Blood has been on repeat in our offices for months now. Stunning. We’re also thrilled that Gavin Bryars has accepted our invitation to attend the festival and he will be in Sligo for the weekend, conducting at least one discussion about his work over the course of the festival. Bryars’ long-term collaborators the Smith Quartet will be the guest ensemble for the festival, coming to Sligo from London for the performances.
Leading Irish improvising duo Morla — saxophonist Se�n �g and guitarist Simon Jermyn — will provide another counterpoint to the programme. Performing alongside the Smiths for Bryars’ Jesus Blood, Morla and the Smiths will also perform a major new work for sextet composed by the duo. The video below is taken from a recent performance in Dublin’s St. Audon’s church for note productions.
The festival is also proud to present the world premiereof a new work for electric guitar and string quartet by leading Northern Irish composer Frank Lyons, and additionally will present work from Donnacha Dennehy (Stamp!) and Alfred Schnittke: String Quartet No. 3. You can watcha video of The Smith’s performing Stamp! at Liverpool 2008 right here>
or here- about 4mins in:
The Model (previously The Model Arts and Niland Gallery) has been closed for two years for an ambitious extension and redevelopment project, which has seen the creation of a new, purpose-built performance space, new studios and galleries and a new entrance for the impressive arts and cultural centre. It seems likely that the New Music Festival will provide visitors with their first opportunity to preview the impressive new building.
Championed for offering such a rich and diverse programme of contemporary music each year, the Sligo New Music Festival, produced by The Model and curated by Ian Wilson, has been one of the highlights of the Irish contemporary music calendar since its inception in 2002. An offsite, one-day format for the festival was experimented with during the closure in 2008, and 2010 sees the festival making a welcome return to The Model, and to its popular full weekend format.
“The day’s performances�. were a model of what the presentation of such challenging music needs to achieve – a sense of absolute identity with the composer’s wishes.”-The Irish Times
The Sligo New Music Festival provides audiences with access to some of the best contemporary music from around the world. Created as a composer-orientated event that focuses each year on the work of one, or two, key composers. Their work is programmed alongside new works from Irish composers and the festival seeks to premiere new works where possible. The SNMF then invites top-quality performing ensembles to Ireland who are best placed to present the work of the Festival’s featured composer(s), who then perform alongside leading Irish musicians thus fostering a musical exchange that lasts beyond the festival events themselves.
This couple of days of the Festival that I attended presented a challenging collection of music, all in excellent performances� I hope this excellent example (thanks to Festival director Ian Wilson) can be copied elsewhere. – Andrew Toovey – Classical Source
——————————————————————————-
Programme
Here’s a first peek at the programme. further events are to be added, and the final programme may change (slightly) from the below so consider all times tbc.
Friday 16th April, 8.30pm – €20/18
Bryars: The Sinking of the Titanic (25’) SQ
Dennehy: Stamp! (6’) SQ
INTERVAL
Morla: improvised set MO
———————————
Saturday 17th April, 1pm – €15/12
Bryars: Between the National and the Bristol (19’) SQ
Bryars: After the Requiem (16’) SJ + SQ
Bryars: Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet (25’) SQ + MO
Saturday 17th April, 8.30pm – €15/12
Frank Lyons: New Work for e-guitar and string quartet (15’) SJ + SQ
Schnittke: String Quartet No. 3 (16’)
INTERVAL
Morla: New Work for Morla and string quartet (35-40’) MO + SQ
———————————
Sunday 18 April, 12.30pm – €12/10
Se�n �g: Sacred Chants (40’) SO
SQ = Smith Quartet; MO = Morla; SJ = Simon Jermyn; SO = Se�n �g
Tickets on Sale from Monday 1st February. Call The Model on 071-914 1405 or email tickets@modelart.ie. All tickets purchased in advance can be done so at the concession price, the full price will apply on the door. Tickets for 2 or more concerts may also avail of the concession price on all concerts, either in advance or on the door