CMC's 2016 Salon series opens on 28 April with guitarist Redmond O’Toole

The Contemporary Music Centre opens its 2016 Salon series with Redmond O’Toole – 8 string guitar on 28 April at the Luteran Hall, Dublin. Redmond O’Toole is recognised as one of the most distinctive and original guitarists of his generation. He was the first to adopt Paul Galbraith’s  ‘Brahms guitar’. This groundbreaking instrument and technique uses an 8-string guitar in the position of a cello. 

The programme for the salon features fellow guitarist Brian Bolger - homage a brouwer; Irish composer Ian Wilson – cortège; renowned guitar teacher and performer Alan Grundy - the millenium mirror, and performer and composer Daragh O'Neill - the juggler . The composers featured will be present to talk about their work and the salon is hosted by composer Linda Buckley who has curated the 2016 series.

Redmond O'Toole has performed at major concert halls and events throughout Europe such as Passau International Guitar Festival, Germany, Irish National Concert Hall, Royal Dublin Society Concert Hall and Hallein Guitar Festival, Austria. He has performed as soloist with orchestras such as BBC Ulster and the Irish Baroque and has toured extensively as guitarist for legendary Irish group ‘The Chieftains’. He is a member of the internationally acclaimed Dublin Guitar Quartet and teaches at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

The Salon series has been running since 2004 and aims to encourage newcomers and enthusiasts alike to engage with the music of Irish composers. Each performance takes place in an informal atmosphere with dialogue encouraged between composers, performers and audience. Each year a curator is appointed to curate the series. An open call for proposals goes out early each Autumn with an October deadline. Previous curators have included Ian Wilson (2014) and Siobhán Cleary (2015). The curator for 2016 is Linda Buckley.

Other performers and composers featured in the 2016 series are viola player Sebastian Adams (26 May), Sylvia O'Brien and Contempo Quartet (23 Jun), Dublin Sound Lab (29 Sep). Also featured later in the year will be saxophonist Gavin Brennan with Aileen Cahill (piano), Adrian Mantu (cello) and Andreea Banciu (viola), (27 Oct). Cellist Martin Johnson and Adele Johnson (viola) will complete the season in December 2016.