Full Circle – Music from the Guildhall (2003-2004) CD

The compositions on this album were composed between 2001 & 2004 when I was a composition student aged between 24 & 27. ‘Quirk No.1′ was composed when I was an undergraduate at the TU Conservatory of Music & Drama in Dublin, but did not receive a performance until I went to London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama for my Masters’ Composition Degree between 2003-2004. The rest of the works were composed during my time at the Guildhall.

Whilst at the Guildhall I met two musicians who would become long time friends and collaborators, conductor Bjorn Bantock and flautist Aisling Agnew. They both feature in the recordings by The Dave Flynn Collective, an ensemble I formed at the Guildhall.  Aisling & Bjorn later joined me in founding The Irish Memory Orchestra.

Most of the music on this album can be loosely described as 21st Century post-minimalism, especially ‘Polymetric Cycles’ and ‘Manipulations’. As a student I was influenced by composers like Adams, Glass and Reich, so these works have only occasional hints of the traditional Irish music that became so influential on my composition style. The ‘Irish trad’ influence is subtly reflected in aspects of the Song Cycle ‘Full Circle’ which I set to my late mum’s poetry. The ‘trad’ influence is strongest in the string quartet piece ‘Slip’ which would later be elaborated into ‘The Cranning’, my 2nd String Quartet. ‘Slip’ was my breakthrough work because I won the 2004 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Composer’s Award with it.

I dedicate this album to my composition tutor at the Guildhall – Malcolm Singer

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