John Feeley, talking musician
Have you ever wished, when you were at a concert, that you could ask the composer and the performer what the work is all about? Well, thanks to the Contemporary Music Centre, you'll be able to do just that when a new CMC Salon series kicks off. The series provides a relaxed platform for new music, in which the performers and composers discuss the works, and the audience ask questions. For the first salon, Irish guitarist John Feeley (right) and renowned flautist William Dowdall will perform music by contemporary composers Rhona Clarke, Frank Corcoran, Eric Sweeney and Ian Wilson. "Many of these works haven't been played before, so there's a certain excitement playing pieces that no one else has played," says Feeley. The informality of the salons helps to demystify contemporary classical music, which people sometimes find intimidating. "You get a better insight into what's going on," says Feeley. "The composer talks about what he has in mind, and we talk about it from our point of view. It's a very good way of finding a way into contemporary music." The first salon takes place at the Printing House, Trinity College Dublin, on Friday 6.30-7.30pm. Admission free. See www.cmc.ie. Eimear McKeith