A new symphonic work by Derek Ball is to be premiered in the National Concert Hall in March.

The composer writes of the piece, ‘Passant de Maupassant de Mauvais Passant arose out of my passion for the stories of Guy de Maupassant. Some scholars claim to detect a progressive darkening in his literary style, linked to the creeping illness which ended in his early death at the age of 43. That deterioration is the structural idea behind the piece: every element of the music progressively goes downhill!'

Derek Ball was born in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal and studied composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, with A. J. Potter and James Wilson. He has been living in Scotland since 1978 and was the secretary and treasurer of the Scottish Society of Composers from 1991 to 2003. In recent years his pieces have been played by Dublin pianist Owen Lorigan, Unison (Glasgow University), the National Youth String Orchestra of Scotland, Two’s Company, the Saltire Quartet, the Dublin Guitar Quartet, and the Paragon Ensemble.

The concert will take place on 31 March in the National Concert Hall. For details please visit the Calendar.

Posted: 13 February 2006