Music Network has announced 24 musicians and composers who will premiere newly-commissioned pieces of music in the online music performance series The Butterfly Sessions.
The 10-week series will feature two premieres each week, kicking off with performances by Grammy-nominated guitarist and composer John Doyle on Wednesday, April 8th - watch below - and critically-acclaimed jazz pianist Carole Nelson on Friday, April 9th, both at 7.30pm.
Music Network's CEO Sharon Rollston said: "We are pleased to announce 24 talented Irish and Ireland-based artists who will compose and perform for our new online performance series The Butterfly Sessions. Music Network has always sought to offer audiences throughout the country the very best in classical, jazz, traditional and roots music.
"The quality and breadth of this line-up reflects our ambition to continue to find ways to support and celebrate the wealth of musical talent currently in Ireland, whether in a live concert hall setting or from artists’ own homes."
Introducing The Butterfly Sessions
Other musicians announced include renowned composer and director of Cór Cúil Aodha Peadar Ó Riada (15 April) and the exciting young Italian-born, Ireland-based guitarist Julien Colarossi (17 April).
The Butterfly Sessions will also feature highly-regarded concertina player and traditional dancer Caitlín Nic Gabhann (22 April) and master songsmith Ger Wolfe (24 April).
TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year 2020 Laoise Kelly will perform in the online series (29 April) and Irish composer Judith Ring will compose a new piece performed by Australian flautist Lina Andonovska (1 May). Other artists include critically-acclaimed traditional accordion player David Munnelly (6 May) and renowned songstress of the jazz world Christine Tobin (8 May).
Further traditional musicians and composers include outstanding concertina player Niall Vallely (13 May), nominee for the RTÉ Folk Awards 2019 Original Song of The Year Gerry O'Beirne (22 May), former member of supergroup Solas Niamh Varian-Barry with a traditional composition for viola (3 June), harper & songwriter Brona McVittie (10 June) and RTÉ Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2019 nominee, traditional flautist and member of Flook, Brian Finnegan (15 June).
Additional compositions include a new work by saxophonist and artistic director of the Yurodny Ensemble Nick Roth (29 May), with multi-instrumentalist and multi-genre musician Tom Portman bringing roots music to the fore on lap steel guitar (20 May).
Performances of classical compositions will include Crash Ensemble’s Deirdre O’Leary performing new music by Jonathan Nangle (15 May), celebrated violinist Mairéad Hickey performing a piece by composer Andrew Hamilton (27 May) and prize-winning pianist Fiachra Garvey presenting the work of Amanda Feery, currently composer-in-residence with Irish National Opera (5 June).
Hosted on Music Network’s YouTube channel, this new initiative is one of a number of ways in which Music Network will support Irish and Ireland-based artists in the coming weeks during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Music Network presents: The Butterfly Sessions
- John Doyle, Wednesday 8 April 7.30pm
- Carole Nelson, Friday 10 April 7.30pm
- Peadar Ó Riada, Wednesday 15 April 7.30pm
- Julien Colarossi ,Friday 17 April 7.30pm
- Caitlín Nic Gabhann, Wednesday 22 April 7.30pm
- Ger Wolfe, Friday 24 April 7.30pm
- Laoise Kelly, Wednesday 29 April 7.30pm
- Judith Ring & Lina Andonovska, Friday 1 May 7.30pm
- David Munnelly, Wednesday 6 May 7.30pm
- Christine Tobin, Friday 8 May 7.30pm
- Niall Vallely, Wednesday 13 May 7.30pm
- Jonathan Nangle & Deirdre O'Leary, Friday 15 May 7.30pm
- Tom Portman, Wednesday 20 May 7.30pm
- Gerry O'Beirne, Friday 22 May 7.30pm
- Andrew Hamilton & Mairéad Hickey, Wednesday 27 May 7.30pm
- Nick Roth, Friday 29 May 7.30pm
- Niamh Varian-Barry, Wednesday 3 June 7.30pm
- Amanda Feery & Fiachra Garvey, Friday 5 June 7.30pm
- Brona McVittie, Wednesday 10 June 7.30pm
- Brian Finnegan, Friday 12 June 7.30pm
