MUSIC CURRENT COMMISSION 2021, FOR PANAYIOTIS KOKORAS
Panayiotis Kokoras (photo, Arminas Bižys)
Dublin Sound Lab is delighted to announce two new commissions for Music Current Festival 2022. The annual award has been offered to the Greek composer Panayiotis Kokoras who will collaborate with cellist Ilse de Ziah to develop a new work for cello, prosthetic bow and electronics, which will be premiered in Dublin at the MUSIC CURRENT Festival 2022. In addition, a second commission has been offered to Irish composer Brona Martin to develop a new acousmatic work based on the recordings made by American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax in Ireland in the early 1950s.
The commission is offered annually as part of MUSIC CURRENT, with the newly commissioned work being prepared for the following year’s festival. Previous commissioned composers included: Patricia Martinez (Argentina), Anna Murray (Ireland), Seán O'Dálaigh (Ireland), and Silvia Rosani (Italy).
We were much impressed by Panayiotis's clear and detailed proposal and his considered approach that related philosophy, musical material and musical forces through applied, novel technologies.
Panayiotis says, "I am deeply honoured and delighted to receive the Music Current Commission award 2021-22. I am looking forward to working with accomplished cellist Ilse de Ziah. The new piece for cello and electronics explores cello's sound potential using fabricated prosthetic devices that blend composition and performance practice with electronics and instrument design. I would also like to thank the Music Current Festival for its commitment to supporting new music and reaffirming the importance of individual effort through collaborative and public events."
Brona Martin
Brona has been deeply engaged with music technology and sound spatialisation for many years and her new work will engage this expertise to mediate documentary material and folk music recordings.
Brona comments, "I am really thrilled to be offered this commission to compose a new work for Music Current 2022. I am looking forward to performing my work in Ireland at this wonderful festival, and meeting the other artists who are participating in this event. My new work will explore the Alan Lomax oral history collection with a focus on materials from the Ireland 1951 and 1953 collection. Thanks to Music Current for this wonderful opportunity."
The new works will be premiered at Music Current Festival, Project Arts Centre, Dublin, 19 April 2022, alongside works from the Music Current 2021 Composition Workshop by Gráinne Mulvey, Seán Scully and Jane Deasy.
Learn more about Panayiotis's work and music at:www.panayiotiskokoras.com.
Learn more about Brona's work at www.bronamartin.org.
