Amplify returns with a conversation with composer Jonathan Nangle, recorded during this year’s ISCM World New Music Days 2025 in Lisbon in June. Presented by Jonathan Grimes, the episode centres on Nangle’s work Artificial Blissful State — performed at the festival by saxophonist Henrique Portovedo — a piece that reflects on our relationship with technology and how we are increasingly controlled by it.
Shownotes: https://www.cmc.ie/amplify/episode-126
A conversation with composer and guitarist John Godfrey, Artistic Director of Quiet Music Ensemble, recorded in May 2025 ahead of the launch in CMC of two new albums on Farpoint Recordings - *Moon Phases* by Francis Heery and a remastered edition of *The Mysteries Beyond Matter*. Presented by Jonathan Grimes, the episode includes an extract from a live performance recorded at the launch event with John Godfrey, QME cellist Yseult Cooper Stockdale, and Anthony Kelly and David Stalling of Farpoint Recordings.
Shownotes: https://www.cmc.ie/amplify/episode-125
In the second episode of our New Music Dublin Exchange Showcases, CMC Emerging Composer Tadhg Kinsella, a classically trained percussionist and live electronics musician, performs a live improvisation using modular synthesisers. Presented by Jonathan Grimes.
Show Notes
Music recorded at IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 HW59.
Recording:
Keith Fennell and Garrett Sholdice
Editing:
Keith Fennell
This episode of amplify features a conversation and improvisation by violinist Cora Venus Lunny and pianist Izumi Kimura, recorded live at the Contemporary Music Centre’s Creative Space as part of New Music Dublin Exchange. Presented by Jonathan Grimes
Show Notes
Music recorded at CMC’s Creative Space, Fishamble Street, Dublin, 2 April 2025. Sound: Keith Fennell
Image credit: Paul Hillier's final concert as AD of Chamber Choir Ireland (In Illo Tempore, October 2024), filmed by Dominik Kosicki.
Conductor Paul Hillier, who up to 2024 was Artistic Director of Chamber Choir Ireland, speaks to Evonne Ferguson about some of the Irish composers and works commissioned and performed during his time with the choir. The conversation was recorded in October 2024 and features works by Gerald Barry, Siobhán Cleary, Rhona Clarke, David Fennessy, Andrew Hamilton, Stephen McNeff and Jennifer Walshe. Show NotesChamber Choir Ireland:
Composers featured in this episode:
MusicIn order of appearance in the episode:
chOirland - David Fennessy
Letter to Michael - David Fennessy
Theophilus Thistle and the Myth of Miss Muffett - Siobhán Cleary (Live Recording)
Everything is Ridiculous - Andrew Hamilton
Schott and Sons Mainz - Gerald Barry
Long Time - Gerald Barry
The White Noisery - Jennifer Walshe (Live Recording)
Dives and Lazurus - Stephen McNeff (Live Recording)
Pie Jesu from Requiem - Rhona Clarke (Live Recording)
All music featured in this episode was performed by Chamber Choir Ireland under the direction of Paul Hillier.
CMC’s podcast returns for 2025 with a recording taken from CMC’s recent Spring Gathering event featuring soprano Sylvia O’Brien and flautist Bill Dowdall performing Cathy Purcell’s ‘Droplet’. Winner of the 2024 Finding a Voice Composition Competition, Cathy Purcell also speaks to Jonathan Grimes about her experience composing the work. Presented by Jonathan Grimes and Evonne Ferguson.
Show Notes
Music
‘Droplet’ by Cathy Purcell, performed live in CMC by Sylvia O’Brien and Bill Dowdall on 30 January 2025
For the final episode of amplify for 2024, Ian Wilson joins music journalist and contemporary music educator Tim Rutherford-Johnson for a conversation spanning his career and centred around a new essay commissioned by CMC. You'll also hear excerpts of live performances from the evening featuring Lina Andonovska (flute), Ioana Petcu-Colan (Violin) and the composer himself, Ian Wilson (piano).
You can order a hard copy of the essay here.
All music featured in this episode was recorded live in CMC's Library and Creative Space on December 6 2024.
Terra and Fuoco from I Quattro Elementi for solo violin - Ioana Petcu-Colan (Violin)
Die Zwitscher-Maschine for solo piccolo - Lina Andonovska (Piccolo)
Spilliaert's Beach for alto flute and piano - Lina Andonovska (Alto flute) and Ian Wilson (Piano)
Recording and editing: Keith Fennell
Introduction: Jonathan Grimes
Caterina Schembri, whose debut album 'Sea Salt & Turpentine' was released on Ergodos, talks to Jonathan Grimes about her musical background and work as a composer. Show Notes
Music
All music taken from Sea Salt & Turpentine (Ergodos)
An episode featuring a live panel discussion from Northern Ireland's newest contemporary music festival, TERRAIN in the Accidental Theatre, Belfast featuring Aisling Agnew, Lina Andanovska and Ian Wilson. Presented by Evonne Ferguson.
Show Notes
Music
All music featured in this episode was performed live at TERRAIN Music Festival on 18 May 2024
Chief Sound Engineer: Martin Price
Sound Technician: Peter Cunningham Podcast Recording: Emma Bainbridge Editing: Keith Fennell
An episode featuring a panel discussion from the Topographies mini festival of Experimental music in Berlin along with contributions from Shane Latimer and Izumi Kimura. Presented by Evonne Ferguson.
Show Notes
Music
All music taken from the album In the Asylum, Mode Records
Recorded, presented and produced by Jonathan Grimes.
Back in April, as New Music Dublin 2024 was approaching, Evonne Ferguson sat down for a chat with Linda Buckley and Iarla Ó Lionáird to discuss Tuile agus Trá, a new work for the National Symphony Orchestra composed by Linda and dedicated to the memory of her mother, Mary Buckley.
Show Notes
Tuile agus Trá premiered on the 26 April in the National Concert Hall as part of New Music Dublin 2024. It was broadcast live on RTÉ lyric fm for a special episode of RTÉ lyric Live co-presented by Paul Herriott and John Harris. You can listen to the full broadcast here.
Tuile agus Trá was commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and New Music Dublin.
Episode Credits
Presented by Evonne Ferguson
Recorded and edited by Keith Fennell
Show NotesEpisode Credits
