Ireland’s leading contemporary classical ensemble is planning its seventh annual showcase of up-and-coming composers next month. Crash Ensemble, founded by composer Donnacha Dennehy in 1997, will host Free State 7 at the National Concert Hall on Thursday, April 5th.
Running since 2006, the Free State series has given the likes of Julie Feeney, Linda Buckley and Andrew Hamilton their chance in front of appreciative audiences. Hamilton – whose commission “music for people who like art” was debuted at Free State VI last year – has curated the bill for this year’s concert.
The line-up of composers and musicians includes Daniel McDermott, Conal Ryan, Garrett Sholdice, Irene Buckley and Emma O’Halloran. The Dublin Laptop Orchestra will also guest collaborate with Crash Ensemble.
Hamilton says the composers chosen for the Free State 7 programme stood out for being “brave, odd, humorous, obsessive, thoughtful and writing moments of real beauty.”
The concert will be broadcast on Lyric FM later in the year, and there will be a pre-show discussion with the participating composers in the venue from 6.30pm. Tickets are available from nch.ie.
www.crashensemble.com
