29th November 2006

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New compositions for violin and electronics will be premiered at concerts at the University’s Magee campus next week as part of a day-long celebration of electroacoustic music. 

The dynamic young violinist Darragh Morgan, currently UU Musician-in-Residence, will perform a lunchtime concert in the Great Hall which will include two Irish premieres of pieces by Scott Wilson and Michael Gordon as well as recent works by Michael Alcorn and Ed Bennett.    

Darragh will also perform Dazed by the Haze, by Frank Lyons, UU Lecturer in Music.  This piece, which was written especially for Darragh, is subtitled ‘Homage to Hendrix’ and was inspired by the innovative and ‘on the edge’ playing of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. 

Later that evening, the Great Hall is the venue for a concert of purely electronic music by composers such as Donnacha Dennehy, Scott Wilson, Ed Bennett, Frank Lyons and Michael Alcorn.  The recorded music will be mixed and diffused using a surround-sound speaker system to create a unique sonic experience for the audience.    

Frank Lyons said: “These are the first professionally produced electroacoustic concerts to be performed in the North West and we are delighted that a number of the featured composers, all of whom have international reputations for working at the cutting-edge of electronic music, will be at Magee to hear their works being performed. 

“The technologies employed by these composers can be used to create very interesting and diverse ‘sound worlds’ and the audience can certainly expect to hear some beautiful, weird and wonderful sounds.” 

Darragh Morgan has established a reputation across Europe as one of the foremost new-music soloists. He is also a member of the Smith Quartet. Darragh has given numerous recitals and festival performances, worked with many of the world’s leading contemporary music groups and broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio 3 and RTÉ Lyric FM, among others. 

Both concerts will take place in the Great Hall, Magee Campus on Tuesday 05 December (1.15pm and 7 pm respectively).  Admission to the lunchtime concert is £3 and admission to the evening concert at 7pm is free.   

Further information is available from the Cultural Development Office on: 028 7137 5658.

 

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter