Opinion & Book Reviews
Four months after Arts Council England made cuts to opera companies and orchestras, the BBC is now disbanding its professional choir and promising a 20% cut to its orchestras. Composer Christopher Fox discusses the growing crisis in British music.
Richie Piggott’s recent book, 'Cry of a People Gone: Irish Musicians in Chicago, 1920–2020', explores the story of Irish music in the Midwest city, documenting important milestones and including numerous biographies as well as hundreds of photos. Martin Dowling reviews.
The film 'Out of Place', which features Denise Chaila, God Knows, MuRli, Hey Rusty, His Father’s Voice and more, explores the challenge of finding spaces to create and perform in Limerick, during lockdown and after. Drew Stephens reviews.
A new collection of essays on sean-nós singing, 'Dhá Leagan Déag: Léargais Nua ar an Sean-Nós', edited by Philip Fogarty, Tiber Falzett and Lillis Ó Laoire and published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht, explores a range of contemporary issues around the art form. Dáibhí Ó Cróinín reviews.
The Dublin-based Dutch soprano Judith Mok, born to Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, has recently published 'The State of Dark', a book telling the story of her family. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
There have been renewed calls for a boycott of Russian culture, but many Russian artists are at odds with the regime and we should support them, writes Adrian Smith.
Bono's new memoir, 'Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story', brings the reader from his formative years up to the present and explores the rise of U2, the band's catalogue of albums, his political campaigning, and family relationships. Laura Watson reviews.
The University of Chicago Press has recently published a book on the influential Irish music collector Francis O'Neill, 'The Beat Cop – Chicago’s Chief O’Neill and the Creation of Irish Music' by Michael O’Malley. Mary Louise O'Donnell reviews.
Benjamin Britten is one of the most unique composers of the twentieth century, but in Ireland the programming of his work has been inconsistent, writes Thomas Neill.
A lot has been achieved in Irish traditional music over the past several decades, but what happens next? What are the challenges for this music, and how can the traditional music community work together to create an even better future? Below is the edited text of a talk given by Toner Quinn, Editor of the Journal of Music, on 24 November 2022 as part of Na Píobairí Uilleann’s 'Notes & Narratives' lecture series.
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