The 2007 RTÉ Living Music Festival will celebrate the work of American composer, John Adams.

The festival will take place in February 2007 and will include ten major works by Adams in performances by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, the Crash Ensemble and the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet, among others.

Adams has been strongly influenced by what he describes as ‘the musical vernacular’ -- jazz, swing, groove, bluegrass and pop -- and the festival will feature a strong strand of contemporary jazz, with a rich selection of events featuring the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Jim McNeely, Tim Berne and Simon Nabatov.

Under the artistic direction of composer Ronan Guilfoyle, the festival will also include music by Gerald Barry and Kevin Volans performed in a four-set chamber music marathon along with works by Bartók, Michael Gordon, Greg Felton and Ed Neumeister. A seminar on contemporary music will include contributions from contemporary classical music and jazz specialists.

The RTÉ Living Music Festival will take place from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 February 2007, the week of John Adams’ 60th birthday, with events at Vicar Street, the National Concert Hall and the National Gallery of Ireland. See Calendar for details.

Posted: 13 December 2006