Louth Contemporary Music Society Festival to take place in Dundalk
The Louth Contemporary Music Society Festival takes place this weekend with a number of major composers making the journey from overseas to Dundalk.
Organisers have said that the two-day festival promises to be an "adventurous programme of contemporary music from some of the most exciting names on the international stage".
The festival, founded in 2006 by Eamonn Quinn and Gemma Murray, aims to make contemporary music more accessible and inviting new audiences.
This year's festival entitled 'Echoes' kicks off tonight with the Irish premiere of 'The Cold Trip Part 1' by acclaimed Austrian composer Bernhard Lang at An Táin Arts Centre. The reimagining of Franz Schubert's 'Winterreise' will be performed by the Aleph Guitar Quartet and vocalist Daisy Press.
The highlights tomorrow will include a live reinterpretation of 'The Marble Index' by Apartment House with Francesca Fargion at The Spirit Store.
Meanwhile, Chamber Choir Ireland, led by Nils Schweckendiek, closes the festival at St Nicholas' Church of Ireland tomorrow night with 'Songs of the Soul,' featuring a world premiere by Canadian composer Sarah Davachi, alongside works by renowned Irish composer Kevin Volans.
The festival continues to pique more people's interest each year and has brought major contemporary composers such as Philip Glass, Kaija Saariaho, and Arvo Pärt to Co Louth since its inception.
Co-founder Quinn, a winner of the Belmont Prize for Contemporary Music in 2018, has said this year's festival is about more than just the music.
He said: "Echoes is about how repetition can draw us in, unsettle us, and ultimately transform how we listen.
"This year's festival invites audiences into that space of deep attention, with remarkable musicians making their Dundalk debut and performances that promise to challenge, captivate, and resonate long after the final note."
The full programme for the weekend can be found on the Louth Contemporary Music Society Festival website.
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