242K

For Immediate Release

The Contemporary Music Centre Christmas Concerts with SoundSet

24 November 2010

The Contemporary Music Centre is delighted to celebrate the Christmas season with two concerts featuring SoundSet, an innovative new ensemble, on 15 December 2010.

Both concerts will take place in the Centre’s new platform for performance space on the ground floor of its building in Fishamble Street. Entitled Winter Variations the concerts feature a selection of contemporary Christmas carols by Irish and International composers.

Irish composers Anne Marie O’Farrell, Jane O’Leary and Nick Roth have all written new works specifically for the ensemble and the occasion. Irish composers Stephen Gardner, Piers Hellawell and Solfa Carlile also feature. A call for contemporary carols by the Contemporary Music Centre, through its international networks, has resulted in an international carol by Pawel Lukaszewski of Poland.

SoundSet, under the direction of Laura Kilty and Emma O’Halloran, aims to put on high quality concerts which feature repertoire from a huge variety of musical genres - contemporary, electronic, Renaissance, Baroque and anything well-written and exciting!

"The Contemporary Music Centre is very pleased to provide SoundSet with their first performance opportunity and for SoundSet to be the first ensemble to perform in the Centre's new platform for performance. We hope this is a sign of many future collaborations for our new space and continuing opportunities for Irish composers to have their work performed" says Karen Hennessy, Promotion Manager, The Contemporary Music Centre.

The first performance on 15 Dec is at lunchtime, 1pm – 2pm. It is open to the general public and free of charge. Booking is recommended as space is limited. To book tel: 01 6731922 or email info@cmc.ie The second performance is for friends, colleagues and supporters of the Contemporary Music Centre and takes place 6pm – 7pm, followed by a reception.

The Contemporary Music Centre is Ireland's national archive, resource centre and promotional body for new music, supporting composers both north and south. The Centre is supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Notes for Editors

SoundSet
Established in 2010, SoundSet is an innovative new ensemble consisting of choir and strings under the direction of Laura Kilty and Emma O'Halloran. The aim of SoundSet is to put on high quality concerts which feature repertoire from a huge variety of musical genres - contemporary, electronic, Renaissance, Baroque and anything well-written and exciting! The CMC Christmas concerts will see a subset of SoundSet - an all-female choir - performing together for the first time.

Laura Kilty – Laura Kilty is a Dublin based vocalist and composer. She is currently studying for a doctorate in composition under the supervision of Donnacha Dennehy at Trinity College Dublin.

Emma O'Halloran – Emma O’Halloran is a composer and conductor based in Dublin. She is currently the Director of the UCD Philharmonic Choir.

Programme - Winter Variations

Opal Solfa Carlile

The Mahogany Tree (premiere) Stephen Gardner

Emerodde Piers Hellawell

Two Christmas Motets (Irish premiere) Pawel Lukaszewski

A Winter's Prayer (premiere) Anne-Marie O'Farrell

Ding, Dong (premiere) Jane O'Leary

Maoz Tsur (premiere) Nick Roth