104K

For Immediate Release

Old Music with a Contemporary Twist!

29 March 2006

Handel's Messiah, one of the most popular works of all classical music, was first performed in Dublin, 13 April 1742. Why Dublin? What was Handel doing here?

As part of the Contemporary Music Centre's 20th anniversary celebrations a talk and walking tour are taking place on Handel in Dublin, 1741-2. This Handel talk and walking tour is part of the Handel festival presented by Temple Bar Cultural Trust.

The talk on Handel's visit to Dublin, 1741-2, takes place in the Contemporary Music Centre (CMC), 11.00am - 12.30pm, 13 April 2006. Dr Barra Boydell, an expert on Dublin's musical history, discusses Handel and his time in Dublin.

Dr Boydell continues his exploration of Handel's Dublin with a walking tour, 2.30pm - 4.00pm, 13 April 2006. The walking tour commences outside the Contemporary Music Centre and visits locations associated with contemporary musical life and Handel's visit, finishing where it started in Fishamble Street.

The Contemporary Music Centre supports and develops the work of Irish composers. If Handel were alive he would be one of CMC's best clients, making use of the library and sound archive just like composers do today! If the Centre were in existence in 1742, when the Messiah was first performed, it would have been involved in promoting and running the performance!

Admission is free for both events but space is limited so booking is required. For further information and to make a booking please contact Karen Hennessy, Promotion Manager, the Contemporary Music Centre, 19 Fishamble Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 673 1922 email: khennessy@cmc.ie web site: www.cmc.ie

The Handel talk and walking tour are organised by the Contemporary Music Centre in association with Temple Bar Cultural Trust and the Handel Festival. For further information on the Handel Festival contact Roisin McCarthy at Temple Bar Cultural Trust on tel: 01 677 2255 or email: rmccarthy@templebar.ie

The Contemporary Music Centre is supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

Notes for Editors

Dr Barra Boydell
Dr Barra Boydell is a senior lecturer in music at NUI Maynooth. Author of A History of Music at Christ Church Cathedral. He is a Government of Ireland (IRCHSS) Senior Research Fellow and is editor of the forthcoming Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland.

Temple Bar Cultural Trust
Temple Bar Cultural Trust is the new company name for Temple Bar Properties Limited. This will take with effect from Monday 3rd April 2006. All our other contact details (postal, email and web site addresses, telephone and fax numbers) remain unchanged.