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Maynooth University Department of Music

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The composers on our staff work at the cutting edge of practice-led research. As active professional composers and academics, the composition team brings a wide range of expertise to composition tuition particularly in the areas of contemporary performance practices, Irish art music in the 20th and 21st centuries, Irish traditional music, computer-based music and jazz. The Department’s in-house contemporary music ensemble, Fuaim, gives students the opportunity to perform compositions of their own and of others. This, coupled with regular workshops from visiting composers, musicians, and ensembles, makes for a vibrant and dynamic contemporary musical life in the Music Department and wider University.

Much of the composition staff’s sizeable output has been performed throughout the world – live, on TV and on radio. In addition, original works and performances have led to a number of accolades and international recognition. Composers from the Department have been awarded prizes including a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellowship, the New Music for Sligo Audience Prize, the IAC/IMRO International Composition Competition and the Highly Commended Prize in the Jerome Hynes Composition Competition.

Academics involved in this area include:
Dr Gordon Delap
Prof. Victor Lazzarini
Dr Iain McCurdy
Dr Ryan Molloy
Dr Martin O’Leary

Composition modules in the Department at undergraduate at postgraduate level include:

MU155 Creativity & Technique I
MU156 Creativity & Technique II
MU214 Composition 2
MU218 Introduction to Composition
MU224 Electronic Music Composition
MU317 Single Original Composition
MU367 Double Original Composition
MU370 Electronic Composition 1
MU619A Electroacoustic Composition
MU633 Contemporary Compositional Techniques 1
MU634 Contemporary Compositional Techniques 2
MU645A Portfolio of Compositions

Current Research Specialisms

Research specialisms include:

Contemporary performance practices (and their relation to contemporary compositional practice):
- Many of the composition staff are active performers and have given the premières of works by a range of composers, including John Casken, John Buckley, Kevin O’Connell, Gráinne Mulvey, Rhona Clarke, Paul Hayes, Peter Michael Hamel, and Greg Caffrey.
- Performance is an important pedagogical tool in composition classes and the performance of new and recent music is promoted through the Department’s in-house contemporary music ensemble Fuaim.
Analysis
Irish art music in the 20th and 21st Centuries
Irish traditional music in compositional contexts
Computer music, both fixed medium and live electronics (particularly the application of novel synthesis and processing techniques via Csound)
The music of Havergal Brian and Olivier Messiaen.
Jazz-influenced composition (e.g. modal exploration, additive rhythmic cycles)

Outputs (Performances, Recordings, Awards/Prizes)

The work of the composition staff in the Music Department is regularly performed at both national and international level with recent premières given in Ireland, the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Finland, the USA, Canada and Brazil. Lecturers’ work has been broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1, Lyric FM, Raidió na Gaeltachta, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC 2 (NI), BBC World, TG4, and Radio France amongst others.

Through active professional compositional work, the Department has connections with many exciting performers and ensembles such as Concorde, Crash Ensemble, Ulster Orchestra, Fidelio Trio, ConTempo String Quartet, Danish String Quartet, Clare Hammond, Carla Rees, Alexander Bernstein, Carol McGonnell, and Hard Rain Soloists Ensemble.

Composers in the Department have been awarded numerous prizes including a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellowship, the New Music for Sligo Audience Prize, the IAC/IMRO International Composition Competition, the Psalm Commission for the Dublin Millennium, the West Cork Music Composition Competition, and Highly Commended Prize in the Jerome Hynes Composition Competition.

Recordings of work have been published by CMC, FarPoint recordings, Compass Records, Trad Noise Trio, and Cló Íar-Chonnachta amongst others. All of our composers are represented by the Contemporary Music Centre, Dublin.

Compositional work in the Department is supported by other academic writings such as conference papers, regular seminars, and occasional written publications such as Dr O’Leary’s contribution to the Ashgate publication ‘Aspects of Havergal Brian’.

Opportunities

The bustling compositional life of the Music Department revolves around several ongoing activities including:

A regular lunchtime concert series
Visiting professional musicians
Talks and workshops from visiting composers
Resident ensembles (including fuaim, our dedicated new music ensemble)
Collaborations with new technologies
‘Short Cuts’ concert series of new student works
MA Study Day performances
Contribution to the CMC New Music Marathon

Careers
The range of transferable skills developed in compositional practice is considerable and enables students to progress to possible careers including:

Professional musician (performer, teacher)
Composer (from classical to electronica; composing for film and TV etc., arranging)
Music producer
Broadcaster (TV & Radio)
Academic
Researcher
Primary/Secondary school teacher
IT/Consulting/Industry through the various graduate recruitment schemes.

Further Information