The King House Piano Commission 2023 marks the third and final in a series of music commissions by Roscommon County Council, in celebration of the grand piano at King House. The Steinway Grand Piano was purchased by Roscommon County Council in 1998 through the Arts Council Joint Purchase Scheme. The commission will also celebrate the history and heritage of the county through uplifting, exceptional music, reflecting the lives of Roscommon people in 2023.

The first commission was awarded to Ryan Molloy and premiered online as part of Boyle Arts Festival in August 2021 – this is a link to the film https://youtu.be/mPj-oK2xkiM. The 2022 commission was awarded to Ronan Guilfoyle and was premiered live in concert as part of the Boyle Arts Festival https://youtu.be/TxvxfOEat50.

This year’s commission invites composers to respond with a work for solo piano which is inspired by and responds to a text of the composers choosing that has a connection to King House and/or Boyle and the environs. https://www.visitkinghouse.ie/ There will be three separate solo piano works chosen as part of the commissioning process to be premiered together in concert alongside readings of the texts which have inspired the new piano works. Each solo piano work will be a maximum of six minutes in length. The text chosen by the composer as inspiration for the instrumental work can be in Irish or English and from any genre of literature. The text should be included as part of the application.

The solo piano works will be performed and premiered by Roscommon pianist Peter Regan at the premiere at Boyle Arts Festival at 8pm on Friday 28 th July 2023. Commissioned composers will be required to attend the premiere of the performance.

*How to Apply*

Roscommon County Council Arts Office invites professional composers to submit an application for consideration for this commission comprising:

Maximum two-page project proposal outlining the following:
- Artistic vision for a work of six minutes duration
- Theme – literary and otherwise
- Timeline
- Include literary text with application
- A current one-page CV, including examples of previous commissions.
- Links to recent work on recognised platforms such as YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo.

Applications should demonstrate the following:

- Track record of composer.
- A work which reflects the 2023 commission literary theme and the overall objectives of being exceptional, uplifting, and relevant to Roscommon, in particular for 2023, King House and/or Boyle and the environs
- High artistic merit.
- Clearly achievable in the timeframe and budget outlined.

Budget:

€2,500 composer fee to each composer for a 6-minute piece for solo piano. Composer fee to include composition and collaboration with pianist.
Roscommon County Council will arrange one night accommodation for each composer on the night of the performance. And one return journey travel expenses will be reimbursed to each composer.
During the development of the work, the Contemporary Music Centre will also provide a travel bursary of €200 per composer to enable collaboration with the pianist.

Completed applications should be emailed by 12 noon on January 11th 2023 to [email protected], with the subject King House Piano Commission.

For further details please see the link below.