This latest release in the Contemporary Music from Ireland series showcases works composed over the last five years. Eleven composers are represented: some are well known with impressive credits, while others are just establishing their careers. All have very individual voices which, in reflecting the present rather than the past, may well challenge your notion of what ‘Irish music’ should be.

A snapshot of Irish music
The music is played by some of our most exciting performing groups, together with leading international musicians who have adopted Irish repertoire: the Karol Szymanowski, Vogler and Amstel Quartets; the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra; Concorde; Tiroler Ensemble fur Neue Musik; and the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra. Also represented are Darragh Morgan (violin), Paul Roe (clarinet) and Karen Dervan (viola).

Funding and support
The project would not have been possible without joint funding from the Arts Council of the Republic of Ireland (An Chomhairle Ealaíon), the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (through the ‘Awards for All’ scheme), and Culture Ireland. We sincerely thank them all for this support.

We are very grateful to all the performers who so generously gave their services and whose support for Irish composers is a constant encouragement. We also sincerely acknowledge the kind co-operation of radio stations and other copyright holders in making recordings available to us.

As with earlier CDs in the series, some 3000 copies of this new release will be distributed internationally to radio stations, festivals, concert promoters, performers, libraries, schools and universities.