Dr. Dave Flynn - Academic CV
Academic Qualifications
2006-2010 - DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin – Ph.D.
2003-2004 - Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London – M.Mus. (Composition)
1999-2003 - DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin – B.Mus. (Composition)
1995-1997 – Senior College Ballyfermot, Diploma in Popular Music Performance
Key Skills
Composition, guitar, percussion, conducting, teaching music, curating events, artistic direction, production, highly skilled at computer music applications (Sibelius, Finale, Pro-Tools, Audacity), leadership, recruitment, fundraising, budgeting, administration, PR.
Research Interests
Contemporary composition, ethno-musicology, traditional Irish music, Congolese music, Zimbabwean music, Malian music, Nigerian music, Balkan music, Eastern European music, Scandanavian traditional music, baroque music practices, minimalism, improvisation, poly-metric music, modality, micro-tonality, classical guitar music, American composers, Irish composers, the music of Jean Sibelius, folk music composition, popular music, electro-acoustic music, alternative tuning systems, early music.
Biography
Dr. Dave Flynn is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, conductor, songwriter, arranger, producer, educator and curator whose award-winning work crosses many genres. His compositions and PhD thesis Traditional Irish Music: A Path to New Music (TU Dublin, 2011) mark him out as one of the leading composers and researchers exploring the dichotomous interaction between traditional Irish music and contemporary composition. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed Irish Memory Orchestra, a uniquely Irish orchestra which mixes some of Ireland’s finest classical, traditional and jazz musicians to create a distinctive new 21st Century sound.
Dr. Flynn's compositions embrace many styles and instrumentations including orchestral, chamber and electro-acoustic works. They have been performed by renowned artists including the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Prague Chamber Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, New Juilliard Ensemble, Smith Quartet, Vanbrugh Quartet, ConTempo Quartet, Rolf Hind, Liz Carroll, Mairtín Ó'Connor and Martin Hayes.
His awards include the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Composers’ Award, the IMRO Composition Award, the Eamon Ceannt Memorial Commission and numerous awards from the Arts Council of Ireland and Culture Ireland. In 2016 his composition Calmly Awaiting the End was chosen by RTÉ to represent Ireland at the International Rostrum of Composers. His music, published by Mel Bay, Reed Music and Frisbee Publications, has been broadcast internationally, including features on WNYC and RTÉ.
Dr. Flynn is an innovative educator who has devised and led several outreach schemes as Artistic Director of the Irish Memory Orchestra. This includes 'Apprentice Schemes' and 'Singers Schemes' which have educated hundreds of diverse, talented musicians of all ages in an inclusive cross-genre orchestra training and performance environment. Since 2017 Dr. Flynn has been developing an outreach programme with Clare Arts Office to enable blind/visually-impaired musicians to perform in orchestras. This work, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, will culminate in October 2019 with the premiere of The Vision Symphony. This involves the Irish Memory Orchestra mentoring and performing with dozens of blind and vision-impaired musicians, the first project of its kind in the world.
In 2012 he was invited to be Guest Lecturer in Composition at the DIT where he had the responsibility of supervising final year undergraduate composition students. He has given workshops, papers and master-classes in universities, conferences and festivals in New York, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Japan, Russia, New Zealand, Romania and around Ireland.
Prior to obtaining his PhD Dr. Flynn gained a Masters Degree in Composition from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and a BMus (Composition) from the DIT. In addition to his university studies he has conducted ethnomusicological field research in Ireland, India, Finland and Estonia. This research has informed his writings and compositions. Dr. Flynn's studies have been funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, The Guildhall Trust, The Michael Collins Memorial Foundation, an ABBEST Scholarship and IMRO. His writings have been published by the Journal of Music, Na Piobaire Uilleann and the Irish Times.
As a performer Dr. Flynn is a virtuoso cross-genre guitarist and former founder member of the Dublin Guitar Quartet. In this capacity he has premiered music by composers including Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, Michael Gordon, Kevin Volans and Eric Sweeney. His solo guitar recordings Contemporary Traditional Irish Guitar and Winter Variations have received considerable acclaim. He has toured Europe, Asia and New Zealand performing in numerous prestigious venues and festivals including Ireland's National Concert Hall, London's Cadogan Hall, Moscow Christmas Festival and Asia's largest traditional music festival – The Sori International Festival. Other prestigious engagements include invitations to perform for Irish President Michael D. Higgins and US President Bill Clinton.
As a chamber and orchestral musician he has performed with leading artists across numerous genres including Irish traditional musicians Martin Hayes, Mairtin O'Connor, Tommy Peoples, Mick O'Brien and Liz Carroll; classical ensembles The RTE Concert Orchestra, RTE ConTempo Quartet and Crash Ensemble; and jazz musicians Louis Stewart and Hugh Buckley. In 2017 he made his professional conducting debut with the Irish Memory Orchestra, for whom he has co-conducted rehearsals since 2013.
He has been active in pop/rock and world music styles since graduating from Senior College Ballyfermot's famous 'Rock School' in 1997. His songwriting has been praised in publications including Hot Press, The Journal of Music and The Times.
As a curator Dr. Flynn has devised and programmed numerous tours and festivals including the Farmleigh Music & Arts Festival, Ceol Meabhair Festival of Memorised Music, the Burren Summer Festival, Composing a New Island and the 2012 Tune-Makers Tour. He instigated the foundation of the Irish Composers' Collective in 2003, helping develop dozens of composers in the process. He is the founder of Frisbee Records, for whom he has produced several albums of his own work and also worked with ten-time Grammy-award winning producer Judith Sherman.
Selected Awards, Honours and Grants
2020
- Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Musician-in-Residence (Working with the Guitar Training Centre, Dun Laoghaire)
- Galway Music Residency Commission Competition - Winner
- Arts Council of Ireland Young Ensembles Scheme Award for Irish Memory Orchestra Apprentice Orchestra & Choir Scheme
- Farmleigh House Composer-in-Residence, Dublin
- Classical Guitar Retreat, Scotland - Composer-in-Residence
- Arts Council of Ireland Invitation to Collaboration Strand 2 Award with Clare Arts Office for The Vision Symphony Project
- Chosen by RTÉ to represent Ireland at the International Rostrum of Composers
- Appointed Associate Artist in glór, Ennis (2017-2018)
- Eamon Ceannt Memorial Commission Competition – Winner
- Arts Council of Ireland Deis Award for new collaborative composition project
- Allianz Business to Arts Award - Winner with ESB/Electric Ireland - Best Portfolio
- Clare County Council Per Cent For Art commission for Opera Mná Brian Boru
- Clare County Council Per Cent For Art commission to compose The Clare Concerto
- Arts Council Touring and Dissemination Award for the Tune Maker’s Tour
- Consecutive Music Bursary Awards from the Arts Council of Ireland
- Deis Award for the Traditional Arts from Arts Council of Ireland
- ABBEST Scholarship to undertake research PhD at the DIT
- Music Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland
- Composer’s Award - Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
- Bursaries from the Guildhall Trust, Bliss Trust, Arts Council of Ireland and Michael Collins Memorial Foundation towards studies at the Guildhall School of Music
- IMRO Senior Composition Award - Feis Ceoil, Dublin
Selected Education and Outreach Work
2020
- Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Musician-in-Residence (Online residency working with students of the Guitar Training Centre, Dun Laoghaire)
- July: Composer-in-Residence at Classical Guitar Retreat, Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland. Lecturing and mentoring students.
- Irish Memory Orchestra/Clare Arts Office Vision Symphony project. Devising and implementing an outreach programme with blind/visually-impaired musicians.
- Jan-Nov: Irish Memory Orchestra Apprentice Scheme and Singer Scheme – Devised and implemented two concurrent schemes which trained musicians aged 10 and over in cross-genre, memorised orchestral/choral practices
- July/August: Specialist private tutor for Irish Music/Composition field research project of American student Sasha Avanov. Temple University, Philadelphia.
- Aug: Burren Summer Festival – Curated this festival to include Composing a New Island, a one day symposium on Irish composers at the Burren College of Art.
- July: Burren Summer School of Music, Ballyvaughan - Devised, curated and implemented cross-genre summer school and festival for Music Generation Clare.
- Jan-July: Devised and led the Irish Memory Orchestra Apprenticeship Scheme.
- Jan-Oct: Devised and led the Irish Memory Orchestra Apprenticeship and Singers’ Schemes.
- Jan-Nov: Devised and led the Irish Memory Orchestra Apprenticeship Scheme, leading to the World Premiere of The Clare Concerto.
- Guest lecturer in Composition at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama. (Sick leave cover for Dr. Jane O'Leary)
- Guest lectures at University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy, Estonia; Schoil Mhuire and Scoil Náisiúnta Olibhear Pluinceid, Donegal; and Galway Music Residency in Colaiste na Coiribe and Colaiste Iognaid..
- Composition workshops at the Juilliard School of Music and Drama, New York; Gheorghe Dima Academy of Music, Cluj, Romania and DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin.
Research Projects
Project title:
“The Vision Symphony”
Summary
Research project to discover methods to enable blind and vision-impaired musicians to perform with an orchestra, with the aim of enlisting dozens of blind/vision-impaired musicians to premiere a tailor-made symphony with the Irish Memory Orchestra.
Funding Agency
The Arts Council of Ireland/Clare County Council
Type of Project
Composition/Education and Outreach
Date from
September 2017
Date to
October 2019
Person Months
25
Project title:
Opera called “Mná Brian Ború”
Summary
Opera with Sean Nós soloists and orchestra mixing traditional and classical musicians.
Premiered by Dave Flynn & the Irish Memory Orchestra and vocal soloists selected from an education/outreach scheme. Conductor Bjorn Bantock. Glór Theatre, Ennis, Nov 2013.
Funding Agency
Clare County Council
Type of Project
Composition/Education and Outreach
Date from
January 2014
Date to
October 2014
Person Months
10
Project title:
Composition called "The Clare Concerto"
Summary
Concerto for Large Orchestra mixing Irish traditional, classical and jazz musicians.
Premiered by Dave Flynn & the Irish Memory Orchestra and 50 apprentices selected from an outreach apprenticeship scheme. Conductor Bjorn Bantock. Glór, Ennis, Nov 2013
Funding Agency
Clare County Council
Type of Project
Composition/Education and Outreach
Date from
January 2013
Date to
November 2013
Person Months
11
Project title:
Composition called "Aontacht"
Summary
Concerto for Irish fiddle and orchestra. Premiered by Martin Hayes and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, cond. David Brophy at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, 24th November 2010.
Funding Agency
RTÉ
Type of Project
Composition
Date from
January 2007
Date to
January 2008
Person Months
12
Project title:
Composition Project called "Ceol Nua"
Summary
Composition of five new works through collaborative research with Irish traditional musicians Harry Bradley, Mick O’Brien, SIobhán Peoples and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh
Funding Agency
Arts Council of Ireland Deis Award
Type of Project
Composition/Instrumental Research
Date from
March 2009
Date to
March 2011
Person Months
24
Major Commissions and Performances
2018
- Commissioned by Clare Arts Office to compose The Vision Symphony with funds from the Arts Council of Ireland's Invitation to Collaboration Scheme
- Irish Memory Orchestra's UK premiere performance in Cadogan Hall, London
- Solo tours of Japan and New Zealand, supported by Culture Ireland
- World premiere of Symphony No.1 'The Memory Symphony' in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin by the Irish Memory Orchestra, cond. Bjorn Bantock
- Composition Calmly Awaiting the End represents Ireland at the International Rostrum of Composers, Italy
- Conducting debut with the Irish Memory Orchestra in glór, Ennis
- World premiere of Calmly Awaiting the End at Town Hall Theatre, Galway by Mick O'Brien and the ConTempo Quartet. Commissioned by Galway County Council
- Irish Memory Orchestra headline Sori International Festival in South Korea with support from Culture Ireland
- World premiere of Sean-Nós Opera Mná Brian Boru in St. Flannan’s Cathedral, Killaloe, by the Irish Memory Orchestra, cond. Bjorn Bantock. Commissioned by Clare County Council under the Per Cent for Art Scheme
- Commissioned by RTÉ to curate a concert by the Irish Memory Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill at the National Concert Hall
- Commissioned by the ESB to curate, co-organise and perform in a concert by the Irish Memory Orchestra at ESB Power Station, Turlough Hill, Glendalough
- Irish tour with cross-genre ensemble D.F.F. supported by the Arts Council of Ireland
- Irish Memory Orchestra headline Moscow Christmas Festival, Russia
- Commissioned by the Crash Ensemble/Arts Council of Ireland to create Joy a 20 minute work for amplified ensemble. Premiered in Cork Opera House in Feb 2014.
- Founded, co-organised and curated the 1st Ceol Meabhair Festival of Memorised Music, Clare.
- Year-round solo guitar performances in Ireland, France, Germany and Japan.
- Performed electric guitar with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in the Irish Premiere of De Staat by Louis Andriessen. New Music Dublin Festival, National Concert Hall.
- Russian Premiere of String Quartet No.2 – The Cranning by Vanbrugh Quartet at the Irish-Russian Chamber Music Festival, The Kremlin, Moscow
- Organised, curated and performed in The Tune Makers Irish Tour with Tommy Peoples, Mairtín O’Connor, Liz Carroll, Peadar Ó Ríada and Charlie Lennon
- Dublin Premiere of String Quartet No.2 – The Cranning by the Vanbrugh Quartet at New Sound Worlds Event, National Concert Hall, Dublin
- Irish tour by The Irish Chamber Orchestra with Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill featuring newly commissioned work An Irish Farrago – from O’Carolan to Ó Ríada and Music for the Departed
- Composer-in-Residence at Masters of Tradition Festival, Bantry
- Performances at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland
- Composer-in-Residence with Galway Music Residency including portrait concert
- World Premiere of Aontacht commissioned by RTÉ and performed by Martin Hayes and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at the National Concert Hall, Dublin
- US Premiere of Music for the Departed at the Irish Arts Center, New York
- US Premiere of String Quartet No.2 The Cranning by New Juilliard Ensemble at Summergarden Festival, Museum of Modern Art, New York.
- World Premiere of Echoes of Bamako by the Prague Chamber Orchestra at Prague Premiers Festival, Dvorak Hall, Prague, Czech Republic
- Music for Galway and Contemporary Music Centre commissions 'String Quartet No.3', premiered by ConTempo Quartet in Dublin and Galway
- RTÉ Lyric FM commissions Taibhreamh Ó’Ríada, premiered by Líadan at the 2007 EBU Folk Festival, Cork
- West Cork Music commissions Music for the Departed, premiered by Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Ioana Petcu-Colan at the Masters of Tradition Festival, Bantry
- Mel Bay Publications commissions Four Etudes for Five Fingers for publication in Contemporary Anthology of Solo Guitar Music for Five Fingers of the Right Hand
- Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival commissions String Quartet No.2 - The Cranning, premiered by The Smith Quartet at the 2005 festival.
Publications [Peer Reviewed]
Complete Works for Solo Guitar [Sheet music] Mel Bay Publications, Pacific MO, USA, 2019.
Aosdána and the bureaucrats [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. May 5th 2017.
Cry me a river well-funded operas [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. October 27th 2016.
Why are we forgetting the Tune Composers? [Article]. The Journal of Music. April 2015.
Opera House row shows arts is Dublin-centric [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. November 27th 2014.
An Irish note for Thatcher's funeral? [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. April 16 2013.
The Clare Concerto Tunebook. [Sheet music] Frisbee Publications, Ballyvaughan, 2013. FP004.
Who would want to be a critic? [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. December 27th 2012.
The Uilleann Pipes in Contemporary Concert Music. [Article] Serialised in five parts in An Piobaire Vol. 8. Na Píobairí Uilleann Teoranta, Dublin, 2012.
Earnings in Higher Education [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. December 8th 2011.
Music for the Departed [Sheet music]. Frisbee Publications, Spiddal, 2011. FP003.
Aontacht – A Concerto for a Traditional Irish Musician and Orchestra [Sheet Music]. Frisbee Publications, Spiddal, 2011, FP002.
Complete Works for Solo Guitar Vol. 1. [Sheet music]. Frisbee Publications, Spiddal, 2011. FP001.
Traditional Irish Music: A Path To New Music. [Ph.D Dissertation]. Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland, December 2010.
Toccata for Obama – Quirk No 6(b) [Sheet music]. Reed Music, Fitzroy, Australia, 2010. Catalogue RM758.
Artists' tax exemption [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. September 2nd 2009.
Four Études for Five Fingers in Postlewate, Charles (ed.) A Contemporary Anthology of Solo Guitar Music. [Sheet Music] Mel Bay Publications, Pacific MO, USA, 2009. Catalogue No. 21290.
Letters: John Adams and Accessible Music [Letter to the Editor]. The Journal of Music in Ireland. July 1st 2007.
Aosdána motion on Israel [Letter to the Editor]. The Irish Times. April 24th 2007.
Letters: Looking for the Irish Bartók [Letter to the Editor]. The Journal of Music in Ireland. November 1st 2005.
Looking for the Irish Bartók [Article]. The Journal of Music in Ireland, July/August 2005 edition.
Young Composer’s Collective [Article]. The Journal of Music in Ireland, March/April 2004 edition.
Recordings [Peer Reviewed]
Dave Flynn – Stories from the Old World. Frisbee Records, Clifden, Ireland, 2018. Catalogue FRCD010. Produced by Grammy-award winner Judith Sherman.
Irina Muresanu – Four Strings Around the World. Sono Luminos Recordings, 2018 Features Dave Flynn composition Tar Eis an Caoineadh.
Dublin Guitar Quartet - Contemporary Irish. Own Label, 2018.
Features Dave Flynn composition Chimurenga. Funded by Music Network/Arts Council.
Dave Flynn – Genre-Jumping the Best of Dave Flynn Vol. 1-3. Frisbee Records, Ballyvaughan, Ireland, 2017. Catalogue FRCD 007, FRCD 008, FRCD 009.
Dave Flynn – Shadowplay; New Irish Music for Flute and Guitar. Frisbee Records, Ballyvaughan, Ireland, 2016. Catalogue FRCD 006
Dave Flynn – Winter Variations. Frisbee Records, Ballyvaughan, Ireland, 2014. FRCD 005
D.F.F. – Pouric Songs. Frisbee Records, Ballyvaughan, Ireland, 2014. Catalogue FRCD 004. Song cycle composed for cross-genre chamber ensemble with lyrics by Pádraic Ó Beirn.
Various Artists - New Music: New Ireland 1. Contemporary Music Centre, 2009. Features The Forest of Ornaments performed by Harry Bradley.
Dave Flynn - Contemporary Traditional Irish Guitar. Frisbee Records, Spiddal, Ireland, 2009. Catalogue FR CD 002.
Various Artists - Contemporary Music from Ireland Vol. 7. Contemporary Music Centre, CMC CD07, 2008. Features String Quartet No.2 ‘The Cranning’ Mov. I Slip. Performed by ConTempo Quartet.
Dave Flynn - Draíocht. Frisbee Records, Spiddal, Ireland, 2006. Catalogue FR CD 001.
Selected Compositions
Peer Reviewed in Live Performance:
Symphony No.1 'The Memory Symphony' (2017) for large memory orchestra and choir. Premiered by Dave Flynn's Irish Memory Orchestra, conductor Bjorn Bantock. Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, November 2017.
Calmly Awaiting the End (2016) for uilleann pipes and string quartet.
Commissioned by Galway City Council for the Éamon Ceannt Memorial Festival. Premiered by Mick O'Brien and ConTempo Quartet, Town Hall Theatre, June 2016.
Mná Brian Ború (2014) Sean-Nós Opera for vocalists and memory orchestra.
Commissioned by Clare County Council and premiered by Dave Flynn and the Irish Memory Orchestra, conductor Bjorn Bantock, glór theatre, Ennis, Co. Clare. Oct 2014.
Joy (2014) for amplified ensemble.
Commissioned by the Crash Ensemble with funds from the Arts Council of Ireland. Premiered by The Crash Ensemble, cond. Alan Pierson, Cork Opera House. Feb 2014.
The Clare Concerto (2013) for large memory orchestra
Commissioned by Clare County Council and premiered by Dave Flynn and the Irish Memory Orchestra, conductor Bjorn Bantock, glór theatre, Ennis, Co. Clare. Nov 2013.
Le Cheile is in Aonar (2010) for traditional ensemble. Premiered by Harry Bradley, Aoife O'Brien, Mick O'Brien and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh at the Masters of Tradition Festival.
The Man from Maghera Rambles Through Africa (2010) for symphony orchestra.
Premiered by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra cond. David Brophy. November 2010, National Concert Hall, Dublin. Commissioned by RTÉ.
String Quartet No.3 - The Keening (2007)
Premiered by Con Tempo Quartet. December 2007. Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin. Commissioned by the Galway Music Residency.
String Quartet No.2 – The Cranning (2004/2005) Premiered by The Smith Quartet. November 2005, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, UK. Awarded 1st Prize in 2004 HCMF Composers Competition.