Ferenc Szücs has associations with numerous orchestras, institutes and ensembles worldwide. He studied at the Liszt Academy of Music inBudapest and won the prestigious State Award for musical excellence.  He joined the Hungarian State Orchestra while still at the Academy and subsequently was appointed as principal cellist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Festival Orchestra, New Queens Hall Orchestra and Oxford Orchestra da Camera. He has performed in several major festivals and has given master classes inHungary,Austria,Ireland,UK,Germany,Italy,France,Spain,Turkey,Canada,China,United States and South America. His recordings are published on ASV, BMG, Arte Nova, Future Classics and Hyperion labels. He is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Master’s programme in Classical String Performance at theIrishWorldAcademy,University ofLimerick.  He is currently working towards his doctorate with Prof. Susan Melrose atMiddlesexUniversity inLondon, and his research is focusing on questions of creativity and knowledge-transfer in contemporary performance practice.

Dr. Yonit Kosovske has performed as a soloist and chamber artist in major cities throughout the United States, Israel, Hong Kong, Spain, Colombia and Ecuador. Holding degrees in both modern and historical keyboard instruments, she performs on harpsichord, modern piano, fortepiano, chamber organ and harmonium. Playing repertoire spanning over five hundred years, her performances have been broadcast on radio stations across the United States and featured on programs such as National Public Radio’s Performance Today, Sunday Baroque and Harmonia. She has given concerts at the prestigious Early Music Festivals in Boston, Berkeley, Bloomington, Chicago, and in Quito, Ecuador, appearing in major concert halls throughout North and South America, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, amongst other venues. She holds a Doctor of Music degree in Early Music and Historical Keyboards from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. From 2008 to 2010 she taught at Indiana University as an Adjunct Lecturer of Music as well as an Instructor of Piano and Harpsichord in the Pre-College Music Programs. Her most recent recordings include: ¡Ay, España Infelice! Classical and Romantic Songs from Spain with her ensemble Canto Romántico (La Douceur, 2011); La Gracieuse, French chaconnes, passacailles, & preludes for solo harpsichord (La Douceur, 2010); Solo Keyboard Works by Girolamo Frescobaldi (Focus, 2010); Haydn’s Neun kleine frühe Sonaten on fortepiano (2009); Sweelinck’s Secular Pieces (2006); Fitzwilliam Favorites (2006); and À discretion (2000). Her book “Historical Harpsichord Technique, Developing La douceur du toucher” was published in July of 2011 through Indiana University Press.

Martin Hayes will appear with Caoimhin O Raghallaigh and Peadar O Riada in Concert

once again set up their recording equipment in Sean O’Riada’s cluttered study in Cúil Aodha in late November 2011 and recorded 18 tracks of 20 new compositions by Peadar O Riada. This second CD is not only a meeting of great musical minds but also a tour de force of masterful playing of inspired composition. Together they share a deep understanding of their musical heritage and their mutual respect for each other makes for ensemble playing that brings the music to a level that the listener can at once engage with. From the foot tapping polkas and reels to the delicate beauty of the airs and the courtly hornpipes and jigs the music is soulful, witty and always intimate. The ease of their playing also belies the arduous task of learning such a body of new work in a short time. The origin of Irish tune titles are often a great subject of debate for players and academics. In Peadar’s sleeve notes he tells of the source of the inspiration and the people they are dedicated to. Of special mention is the polka Maith thú Muiris (Track 5) a tribute to Muiris Ó Rocháin, founder and director of the Willie Clancy Summer School who passed away in October 2011.  Collectively and without hesitation they all agreed to dedicate the album to him.

Spanish-Ukrainian tenor Wolodymyr Smishkewych is a native of New Jersey, USA. He has specialized in medieval song, chant, and new music since the 1990s. He is a member of Sequentia Ensemble for Medieval Music and of Paul Hillier’s Theatre of Voices, and has performed at major festivals through Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, and South America including BBC Proms, Regensberg Tage Alter Musik, Festival Cervantino, Edinburgh Festival, and the early music festivals of Boston, Barcelona, Utrecht, and Berkeley. He has recorded for Sony/BMG, Harmonia MundiUSA, ExCathedra, and Focus records. He is director of the MA Ritual Chant and Song at theIrishWorldAcademy.

Benjamin Bagby is vocalist, medievalist, director of Sequentia (Paris) and professor for medieval music performance practice (Université de Paris, Sorbonne). He has been an important figure in the field of medieval musical performance for almost 30 years. After musical studies in the USA (Oberlin Conservatory and Oberlin College) and Switzerland (Schola Cantorum Basiliensis), he and the late Barbara Thornton formed the vocal ensemble Sequentia in 1977 in Cologne, Germany, where the ensemble was based until he moved to Paris in 2001.  Sequentia’sbest-selling CD, Canticles of Ecstasy, has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide and was nominated for a Grammy Award as best choral recording.  Apart from the research and ensemble work of Sequentia, Mr. Bagby devotes his time to the solo performance of Anglo-Saxon and Germanic oral poetry; an acclaimed performance of the Beowulf epic is an ongoing project, with performances given yearly worldwide, and a DVD production released in 2007.

Lunchtime Concert Performance, Thursday 2nd February

(This event is part of ‘Music in Healthcare Settings’ seminar at 4 pm on same day)

In 2010, the National Centre for Arts and Health at AMNCH hosted an exciting new residency funded by The Arts Council of Ireland. Ian Wilson was Composer-in-Residence at the stroke unit for three months. Wilson wrote a new work for Soprano (Ms Deirdre Moynihan) and String Quartet (2 violins, viola and double bass) and) based on the experiences of patients with stroke and staff in the unit. The final work is entitled Bewitched. Members of The Irish Chamber Orchestra returned to the hospital following a successful residency in 2006, performing for patients and conducting open rehearsals of the composition in progress. Patients and staff in the Age Related Health Care Unit were crucial to developing this new work.  The work was first performed in the hospital on Wednesday November 24th 2010 to great acclaim and the project was awarded the Arts Council Touring Award to tour this innovative performance to four diverse venues in 2011/2012, including today’s event at the Irish World Academy.

Ian Wilson was born in Belfast and began composing while at University. He has written nearly one hundred works, including chamber operas, concertos, string quartets, a range of orchestral and chamber music and multi-media pieces. His compositions have been performed and broadcast on six continents, and presented at festivals including the BBC Proms, Venice Biennale and Frankfurt Bookfair and at venues such asNew York’s Carnegie Hall,London’s Royal Albert and Wigmore Halls,Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw,Vienna’s Musikverein andTokyo’s Suntory Hall.

Deirdre Moynihan – Soprano

As a soprano soloist Deirdre has performed with many orchestral, choral, operatic & chamber music groups both on the International stage and throughoutIreland.  Festival and recital series performances include Lyric FM Lunchtime Choice Concert Series, The Hugh Lane Gallery “Sunday’s at Noon”, Ardee Baroque Festival, Boyle Arts Festival, Living Music Festival, Waterford International Music Festival, Dublin Guitar Festival and West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Her international career includes concerts inAmerica,Japan,Canada,Israel,Brazil,Lebanon,Chinaand throughoutEurope. She has recently performed with the R.T.É Concert Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Crash Ensemble and Con Tempo string quartet. Deirdre holds an MA in vocal performance from The Cork School of Music and she has received a number of Bursary Awards from The Arts Council of Ireland for the continued study and performance of baroque and renaissance repertoire.

Members of The Irish Chamber Orchestra: Kenneth Rice, Violin, Nicola Sweeney, Violin, Joachim Roewer, Viola Malachy Robinson, Double Bass

“A remarkably uplifting and extraordinarily moving memoir in motion”  Irish Independent

“‘Intimate, sincere and funny”. Irish Times

Colin Dunne returns to Ireland with his solo dance show following a critically acclaimed international tour which included a week-long run at the Baryshnikov Centre in New York. He performs this hugely critically acclaimed solo show at the Irish World Academy’s Theatre One, on Monday November 28^that 8 pm. Combining dance, sound design, film and spoken commentary, Out of Time is a fascinating insight into Dunne’s private world as a dancer rooted in the Irish step dance tradition. Using live digital sound processing his footwork is then looped, layered and distorted to create an evocative sound score as he is accompanied on stage by archival film images of dancers from the 1930’s onwards – including himself as a ten year old boy.

Intimate, personal and provocative, Out of Time is both an unsentimental homage to Irish step-dance and a bold statement of Dunne’s personal and artistic relationship with a tradition that has shaped his life. Following a two week sold out run at The Barbican inLondonin 2009, Dunne was nominated for a Laurence Oliver Award (outstanding achievement in dance) and a UK Critics Circle Award (best male dancer). Perhaps best known for his performances and choreography for Riverdance, Colin Dunne has been forging a new creative path since his time as artist in residence at the University of Limerick in 2001/2. He also appeared in Fabulous Beast’s production of The Bull at the Dublin Theatre Festival 2005, bite07 and at Berlin Festspiele in a role which saw him nominated for a UK Critics Circle Spotlight Award (male artists; modern dance). He recently acted as choreographer for the new Thomas Kilroy play, Christ Deliver Us! at The Abbey Theatre. RUNNING TIME: approx 60 mins, no interval.

OUT OF TIME was originally commissioned by Glór Irish Music Centre, Co. Clare and supported by the Arts Council/An Comharaile Ealaion, Clare County Council, Daghdha Dance Company and Green Hippo.   Out of Time continues to be supported by CultureIrelandinternationally and by Green Hippo.   The Irish Tour is supported by The Arts Council/ An Comharaile Ealaion. THEATRE ONE, IRISH WORLD ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE, UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK MONDAY NOVEMBER 28^TH 8 PM TICKETS: + 353 61 331549

“A remarkably uplifting and extraordinarily moving memoir in motion”  Irish Independent

“‘Intimate, sincere and funny”. Irish Times

Colin Dunne returns toIreland with his solo dance show following a critically acclaimed international tour.Combining dance, sound design, film and spoken commentary, Out of Time is a fascinating insight into Dunne’s private world as a dancer rooted in the Irish step dance tradition. Using live digital sound processing his footwork is then looped, layered and distorted to create an evocative sound score as he is accompanied on stage by archival film images of dancers from the 1930’s onwards – including himself as a ten year old boy. Intimate, personal and provocative, Out of Time is both an unsentimental homage to Irish step-dance and a bold statement of Dunne’s personal and artistic relationship with a tradition that has shaped his life. Following a two week sold out run at The Barbican inLondonin 2009, Dunne was nominated for a Laurence Oliver Award (outstanding achievement in dance) and a UK Critics Circle Award (best male dancer) Perhaps best known for his performances and choreography for Riverdance, Colin Dunne has been forging a new creative path since his time as artist in residence at the University of Limerick in 2001/2. He also appeared in Fabulous Beast’s production of The Bull at the Dublin Theatre Festival 2005, bite07 and at Berlin Festspiele in a role which saw him nominated for a UK Critics Circle Spotlight Award (male artists; modern dance). He recently acted as choreographer for the new Thomas Kilroy play, Christ Deliver Us! at The Abbey Theatre. RUNNING TIME: approx 60 mins, no interval.  Tickets from + 353 61 331549

OUT OF TIME was originally commissioned by Glór Irish Music Centre, Co. Clare and supported by the Arts Council/An Comharaile Ealaion, Clare County Council, Daghdha Dance Company and Green Hippo.   Out of Time continues to be supported by CultureIrelandinternationally and by Green Hippo.    The Irish Tour is supported by The Arts Council/ An Comharaile Ealaion

The National Dance Archive of Ireland is to be housed in the Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick and works in partnership with Dance Research Forum Ireland, the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and the Arts Council. The Archive is the first of its kind inIreland and is the most comprehensive in the country. It is committed to collecting, preserving, digitizing and cataloguing multimedia dance material, and to providing access and guidance to the collections; these include traditional dance, social dance, contemporary dance, ballet, urban dance and world dance. The National Dance Archive is an important public resource for dance education and research. It is a living Archive that forges links with dancers, scholars, choreographers, companies and organisations of dance in the wider community.

The National Dance Archive of Ireland (NDAI) was pioneered from 2005 by Dance Research Forum Irelandin partnership with the Glucksman Library and the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. In 2008, the Arts Council awarded funding to Dance Research Forum Irelandfor a feasibility report and in 2009 awarded two-year seed funding for the set-up phase of the Archive at the Glucksman Library, Universityof Limerick. Today, the Archive is home to numerous collections of dance generously donated by individuals, companies and dance organisations.  According to Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Director of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the Universityof Limerick, “The establishment of the National Dance Archive of Ireland at the University of Limerick, is a direct follow on from the inspired and inclusive vision of Dance Research Forum Ireland, across ballet, contemporary, traditional, popular and world dance genres.” Dr Catherine Foley, Project Leader of the National Dance Archive and course director of the MA Ethnochoreology and MA Irish Traditional Dance Performance programmes at the University of Limerick states, “ Many dancers, choreographers, dance companies and dance institutions have already donated their collections and these now form the backbone of the Archive. The Archive is is inclusive of all dance forms and therefore dancers, no matter what their dance background and experience, have something to contribute to the Archive.  These can be anything from scrap books and photographs to DVDs and books. The National Dance Archive is an important public resource for anybody interested in dance”. 

The National Dance Archive of Ireland will be launched at the Irish World Academy on November 15th at 5.30 pm

Further information: Ellen Byrne, Irish World Academy. Phone: + 353 61 202917 ellen.byrne@ul.ie

This is the first book to explore and describe the important role that music therapists can play in helping ensure successful attachment between parent and infant in vulnerable populations. It includes case studies, offering a personal account of how music therapy han help those vulnerable populations and provides an international perspective, exploring how music therapists across the world are helping improve the lives of parents and infants.

This is the first book to focus specifically on the way that music therapists provide support for the development of the special and necessary bond between parents and their infants, where some vulnerability is experienced. In the book, music therapists from four countries, Australia, Ireland the UK and the US, describe their practices with reference to contemporary theory and research. Throughout, the chapters are illustrated with engaging case material. Many of the authors are the world leaders in the area of music therapy to promote parent and infant bonding. The book will be valuable for music therapy practitioners and studnets, and more broadly for all those in the field of infant mental health.  (Oxford, Paperback ISBN 978-0-19-958051-4)