John McLachlan is a composer and member of Aosdána. www.johnmclachlan.org
John McLachlan
Composer Ed Bennett's latest release with his ensemble Decibel has just the right number of swerves and asymmetries, writes John McLachlan.
Music critic Tim Rutherford-Johnson's new book on modern composition since 1989 covers a massively broad range of creative musical approaches and techniques, writes John McLachlan, and will inspire a new generation.
John McLachlan attends Crash Ensemble's 9th 'Free State' concert, which offered a range of work from emerging Irish composers.
A night of improvised music hosted by the Diatribe label was experiential, experimental and more, writes John McLachlan.
Alfred Brendel's new book is a reminder of how the really dedicated musician goes about things, writes John McLachlan.
There is arguably less adventure in classical music recitals today than at the time of Liszt, but not in the case of Joanna MacGregor, writes John McLachlan.
Despite the clichés, music is full of boundaries, writes John McLachlan, and traversing them needs a 'strong musical mind', as in a new recording by composer Karen Power.
After the rejection of repetition by many modernist composers in the mid twentieth century, the extreme repetition of minimalism seemed inevitable. But, writes John McLachlan, composers don't always know when to stop.
The idea of a common language in composition is a thing of the past: the world of contemporary music is now entirely chaotic, the result of individualism, tradition and cosmopolitanism pulling, irreconcilably, against each other. John McLachlan found this world in action at the ISCM World Music Days in Zagreb earlier this year.
A concert in Donegal found unity in the vitality of contemporary Irish composition's diverse strands.
Recent concert and competition jury experiences suggest to John McLachlan that only the best music sparks disagreement, and that mediocre work enjoys consensus.
Now that we no longer have a common practice in music, novelty moves in different directions and at different speeds, all depending on the context.
The challenges facing the funding of the arts go beyond the current economic situation, writes composer John McLachlan.
Promoters of art mislead audiences by suggesting that there is meaning where there is none. Sometimes you just have to trust the artist, writes John McLachlan
ISCM World New Music Days, Visby, Växjö and Gothenburg, Sweden, 24 September – 4 October 2009
How is music written? A short bit, then extended, and soon the whole piece is there? John McLachlan discusses the subtle paths from conception to finished work.
John McLachlan asks if we have what it takes to develop a thriving contemporary music scene.
The sixth RTÉ Living Music Festival, featuring Arvo Pärt, took place on 15-18 February 2008 under the artistic direction of composer James McMillan. John McLachlan was there.
John McLachlan looks at the achievement of the Crash Ensemble as they celebrate their 10th anniversary.
Composer John McLachlan argues that there is a sixth musical parameter which never gets mentioned in musicology or theory
Terry Riley in Drogheda and Benjamin Dwyer's Guitar Concerto No. 2
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