The Dublin Choral Foundation has issued a new CD of contemporary music for choir and organ by Eric Sweeney. Performed by the choirs The Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso under their director, Íte O’Donovan and with the composer as organist, Circle of Light contains a number of major works spanning the last two decades of Sweeney’s output. Among them are Le Cercle de Lumiere (1999), Missa Brevis (1986 rev. 1995) and The Widening Gyre (2003).

The CD was recorded in Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford, using its restored organs, in 2003. The Lassus Scholars, an adult choir, and Piccolo Lasso, a children’s choir, perform a wide repertoire of choral music at many venues in Ireland and further afield and their founder/director, Íte O’Donovan, is one of Ireland’s best-known choral conductors. In April 2004 the National Concert Hall will present a concert of works from the CD (with the same performers) in the Composers Choice series.

Eric Sweeney will be composer in residence at a contemporary music festival at Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland, next March. During his stay he will lecture on his music and give an organ recital. A number of his works, including the premiere of The Wilderness for multiple keyboards and chamber ensemble, will be performed.

On March 2nd his music will feature in the first of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland’s Horizons concerts with the Irish premiere of his Concerto for Saxophone and String Orchestra and the world premiere of Three Pieces for Orchestra. Also in March a recent work, Prism, for percusssion ensemble will be played in New York.