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For Immediate Release

Landmark Podcast from the Contemporary Music Centre

1 July 2005

The Contemporary Music Centre today becomes the first Irish arts organisation to podcast from its web site.

In an exciting development for the Centre, an interview with Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy is now available as a podcast.

Dennehy is one of our most innovative younger composers with a growing international reputation. His music has been described by the New York Times as 'viscerally thrilling' and his group, the Crash Ensemble, is at the cutting-edge of Irish contemporary music.

Podcasts are 'the next big thing' in new media formats. They involve downloading digital audio content from web sites and playing it back when and where you want.

All you need is one of the increasingly available mp3 players -- such as the Apple iPod -- now on the market, and a broadband or equivalent connection to your computer. Then you save the programme you are interested in and can listen to it whenever you like.

Eve O'Kelly, director of the Contemporary Music Centre, said, "Our work is at the forefront of new music so it makes sense to use all the latest technologies. Podcasting is an ideal way for us to showcase what Irish composers are doing at the moment."

Podcasting also offers the facility to subscribe to updates of any content. For instance, it is now possible to subscribe to CMC's composer of the month podcast and receive it as an automatic download each month.

However for those who are not yet fully integrated into the digital age the CMC composer of the month interviews will continue to be available in the regular audio and video formats, and even as a traditional text transcript.

Ends

Notes for Editors

Podcasts
There are now thousands of podcasts available on the Internet. These range from talk shows to documentaries, political content to arts and entertainment. With the growth in the market for digital music players -- such as the Apple iPod -- there is a demand for content to listen to and podcasts provide just that. They are also easy to make with the right equipment and Internet connection.

By using computer programmes such as iPodder and iTunes listeners can select details of the content they want to listen to. This is then collected and automatically sent to their music players when they are connected to a computer.

According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, "Podcasting's initial appeal was to allow individuals to create their own "radio shows", but the system is increasingly used for other reasons, including: a new outlet for commercial and public radio stations...broadcasters creating programming that they wouldn't get away with otherwise....unofficial audio tours of museums..education...religion."

Some recent users of podcasting include BBC Radio, Virgin Radio and even some US politicians.

The name podcast comes from the word for Apple computer's iPod audio player, however there is no requirement that an iPod is used. Any digital audio player or computer with the appropriate software can play podcasts.

Further information on podcasting is available from:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/podcasting

Podcast software:
iTunes: apple.com/itunes/
iPodder: ipodder.sourceforge.net/index.php

The Contemporary Music Centre
The Contemporary Music Centre (CMC) is Ireland's national archive and resource centre for new music, supporting and developing the work of composers throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland.

It is used on a national and international basis by performers, composers, promoters and members of the public interested in finding out more about music in Ireland. Its unique library and sound archive comprise the only comprehensive collection in existence of music by modern Irish composers. It engages in an wide-ranging programme of development work to promote new Irish music at home and abroad.

The Contemporary Music Centre is funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and receives project funding from bodies such as the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO).

The Centre is based in Fishamble Street in the west end of Dublin's cultural quarter, Temple Bar and is open to the public free of charge from Monday to Friday, 10.00 am - 5.30 pm.

For further information on CMC:
www.cmc.ie

To access the Donnacha Dennehy podcast:
www.cmc.ie/articles/article1028.html

For photos of Donnacha Dennehy:
www.cmc.ie/press/images/index.cfm