New CMC Composers 2015
The Board of CMC recently accepted the following composers for representation:
Liam Friel is a composer, organist and choirmaster based in Belfast. He pursued his musical studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, and he was Head of Music at St Louise’s Comprehensive College, Belfast from 1978-2004. His works include several motets, two Masses (one a four-part setting in Latin), a Fugue for wind instruments and a Fanfare for two trumpets, in addition to his song settings.
His work Settings of Poems by Padraic Fiacc for Soprano and chamber ensemble was premiered by Marion Jordon (soprano), David McCann (cello) and Nigel McClintock (piano) at the First Presbyterian Church, Belfast on 25 April 2014, to celebrate the poet Padraic Fiacc’s 90th birthday.
Belfast-born Neil Martin is a composer and musician who has had many orchestral and choral commissions and has composed much material for television, film, dance, radio and theatre, including his compositions for The West Ocean String Quartet. A cellist and an uilleann piper, he has worked with many leading musicians, both on stage and in the studio, and in his roles as producer, arranger and musician he has contributed to more than a hundred albums.
His work Vanished Lands was commissioned by Wicklow County Council under the Per Cent for Art Scheme funded by the Department of the Environment on behalf of Music Generation Wicklow, managed and produced by the Contemporary Music Centre. It was premiered by Sylvia Roberts (violin), Catherine Humphreys (cello), Eimear Saunders (oboe) and Neil Martin with traditional groups Club Cheol na Lochanna and Music Under the Mountains at New Notes Now! New Music by Irish Composers for County Wicklow, Tulfarris Hotel, Blessington Lakes, Co. Wicklow on 6 July 2014.
Listen to a podcast about the work on CMC's SoundCloud page.
Ben McHugh is an Irish composer currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. He holds a B.Mus and an MA in Composition from Maynooth University and has studied with Jesse Ronneau, Martin O'Leary and Vít Zouhar. His music has been performed at Hilltown New Music Festival, Sonic Arts Waterford, Walled City Festival Derry, See|Hear Festival, The National Concert Hall, Project Arts Centre, The Crescent Belfast, CMC, and in various universities around Ireland.
His work About… for baritone and chamber ensemble was premiered by Ensemble ICC at an ICC Concert, Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall, Dublin on 15 August 2014.
Listen to this and other works on Ben McHugh’s SoundCloud page.