John Buckley Programme on Nova January 1 2012

John Buckley is one of Ireland's leading composers and Nova+1 celebrates John's 60th birthday with an in-depth profile, tracing the private and public careers of this extraordinary musician. Nova traces his beginnings in Templeglantine, Co. Limerick, maps his pioneering work with the Ennis Summer School of Composition and drops in on his work today in St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra.

Light - painted and filmed, is also another powerful inspiration as we see in the dark through his music. Along the way Nova probes his love of contemporary French composers, and of Ligeti and Lutoslawski, also exploring his penchant for compositional virtuosity.

With contributions from just some of the musicians and composers John has encouraged, this is a rich radiophonic portrait presented by Bernard Clarke.