As part of Foyle Arts Research Seminars, the University of Ulster is presenting seminars by two of Northern Ireland’s leading composers.

Both Frank Lyons and Brian Irvine will host presentations focussing on their compositional style on Thursday 9 March and Thursday 23 March respectively.

Frank Lyons' talk will trace the development of his compositional style from the late 1980s to the present and is entitled Frank Lyons: Recent Developments in My Compositional Style.

‘I have developed several significant threads in my compositional language. In this paper I will trace these developments, investigating how they fit in with current trends in contemporary composition,’ says Frank Lyons, current lecturer in composition at the University of Ulster.

Brian Irvine's seminar is typically ambiguous in its title -- Brian Irvine: Window cleaning and how to avoid it!

‘The answer is simple... become a composer! The day starts later, and you don’t have to experience the distressing feeling of icy cold water trickling down the inside of your sleeve as you sponge down a window at 5.00 am,’ says Brian Irvine, lecturer in music at North Down and Ards Institute and winner of a BBC Radio 3 Jazz Award in 2003.

Both presentations are free of charge and take place between 1.15pm and 2.05pm in the classroom space at the rear of the Foyle Arts Building situated at the Magee Campus of the University of Ulster in Derry.

Admission is free and anyone interested in attending should contact Professor Carole-Anne Upton, email ca.upton@ulster.ac.uk or telephone +44-28-7137 5142.

Jonathan Bailie

Posted: 27 February 2006