Irish World Academy of Music and Dance SPRING University of Limerick EARRACH Dámh Chruinne Éireann Rince agus Ceol OF OUR TIMES Ollscoil Luimnigh 2017 COMHAIMSEARTHA 2 INTRODUCTION BY PROFESSOR DON BARRY, UL PRESIDENT 4 FACULTY AND STAFF Contents 6 EMERITUS FACULTY 9 LUNCHTIME PERFORMANCE SERIES 19 TOWER SEMINAR SERIES 27 LOGOS SEMINAR SERIES 31 SPECIAL EVENTS 37 AG FÉACHAINT SIAR / RECENT EVENTS 45 BEALACH / COMMUNITY CULTURAL PATHWAYS 49 CÓNAÍ / ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 53 TAIGHDE / RESEARCH 61 IRISH WORLD ACADEMY ENSEMBLES 63 SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARD RECIPIENTS 69 CLÁR / IRISH WORLD ACADEMY PROGRAMMES 72 OTHER PROGRAMMES AND ARTS OFFICES Credits General Editor: Dr Sandra Joyce Editor and Comhaimseartha Coordinator: Jennifer de Brún Text Editors: Fran Garry, Hannah Fahey Photography: Maurice Gunning Design: Joe Gervin Venue Coordinator: Melissa Carty Tuesday Lunchtime Performance Coordinator: Dr Sandra Joyce/Dr Niall Keegan Front cover: Máirtín O'Connor and Brendan McCarthy Wednesday Lunchtime Performance Coordinator: Jean Downey performing at the Irish World Academy Thursday Lunchtime Performance Coordinator: Lisa McLoughlin Photograph © Maurice Gunning Tower and Logos Coordinator: Dr Aileen Dillane Taighde/Research Editor: Professor Helen Phelan Students of the MA Contemporary Dance Performance Ag Féachaint Siar/Recent Events and Special Events Coordinator: Jennifer de Brún Photograph © Maurice Gunning IF WE SELECT THE LAWLESS EFFIGY AS OUR COVER CHOICE WE CAN HAVE A GOOD INNER COVER CAPTION TO 'EXPLAIN' IT HERE. IF WE SELECT THE LAWLESS EFFIGY AS OUR COVER CHOICE WE CAN HAVE GOOD INNER COVER CAPTION TO 'EXPLAIN' IT HERE. 1 IRISH WORLD ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE MUSIC AND DANCE OF ACADEMY WORLD IRISH INTRODUCTION UL continues to be the only third-level institution offering The research profile of the Academy is unparalleled dance on the island of Ireland and it is heartening to across the disciplines of music, dance and performing note that the Contemporary Dance stream of the arts. There are currently some 40 PhD students based new BA Performing Arts is the first programme in at the Academy, many of whom have been awarded IRC contemporary dance in the Republic, addressing a need and other scholarships. A number of research clusters outlined in a recent Arts Council of Ireland Dance and have blossomed in recent years in areas such as Arts Education report (2016). and Health, Song, Dance and Arts Practice research. Another innovation is the World Music Stream, which Many conferences have been hosted at the Academy will enable the Academy to accept musicians from any in recent years, with many more planned, most notably genre and to introduce them to a world of sound. This the ICTM World Conference in July 2017, which is is being led by the new Chair of Performing Arts, expected to draw up to 1,000 delegates. The recent PRESIDENT DON BARRY Professor Mel Mercier and I wish this venture well. philanthropic gift from The Atlantic Philanthropies has ensured that the Academy is at the cutting edge A new MA programme in songwriting will commence in A Chairde, of technical provision for performing arts teaching and September 2017 – another first on the island of Ireland. I am privileged to introduce this edition of Comhaimseartha research, including the Tommy Makem recording suite, This will draw on the unique contribution Ireland has and to celebrate this latest phase of the evolution of which will be launched in 2017. made to the world of popular music and songwriting in the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at the particular. This new programme has been inspired by University of Limerick. interaction with Professor Joseph O’Connor, Frank Mc- There are many new and exciting initiatives to be Court, Chair in Creative Writing, and the MA Creative considered in this publication as a roadmap along the Writing offered by AHSS. ground-breaking path being pioneered by the Academy. I welcome the Academy’s recently launched collaboration The new BA Performing Arts is starting in September with the Willie Clancy Summer School, the oldest and 2017, evolving from the BA Irish Music and Dance most internationally renowned Summer school of and BA Voice and Dance. With five new streams: Irish Irish Traditional Music and Dance, in partnership with Music; Irish Dance; Voice; Contemporary Dance; and our own Blas International Summer School of Irish World Music, it is sure to attract students from across Traditional Music and Dance. This innovative collaboration the globe just as its predecessors have done over the will offer an accredited programme hosted both at the years. University of Limerick and Miltown Malbay. Kathleen Turner and Dávid Szabó, performing at the Irish World Academy 2 Photograph © Maurice Gunning The development of public performances remains at Academy outreach and civic engagement activities I am mindful that this is likely to be last opportunity I will the heart of the Academy’s mission and, fittingly, these continue to grow as welcome and valued contributions have to acknowledge the work of theAcademy formally in performances happen in local, national and interna- to the University’s mission. Recent examples include the my capacity as President and I want to say how much I have tional contexts. These include: the recent acquisition Sonas is Sláinte series with the Graduate Entry Medical appreciated its contribution to the life of UL over the past of a Gamelan orchestra and the planned development School, taking place in University Hospital, Limerick; ten years. In this brief review of the many endeavours that of the Academy as an important centre for Gamelan the Irish World Music Cafe, in association with Doras earn the Academy its reputation as a crucible of creativity, performance; the annual Academy showcase in University Luimní, taking place on O’Connell Street; and ongoing it can be seen that it is thriving and finding new paths to Concert Hall; a range of collaborative performances interaction with Music Generation, Limerick City. explore so that we may examine, consider and know more in Dance Limerick; the continued development of the And as we bid farewell to respected Academy colleagues of ourselves and our cultures, across Ireland and around ACADEMOS project between the MA Classical Strings such as Dr Mary Nunan and others who have illuminated the world. programme and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, in association our campus over many years, it is also fitting to mark Ar aghaidh libh! with other third level institutions and international the retirement of Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, performances by students and faculty in locations such Founding Director of the Academy. Mícheál’s remarkable as Switzerland, the US, the UK and Mexico. contribution to the Irish World Academy, and to the The Artist-in-Residence programme continues to be an University, leaves us a legacy that enriches Irish and Don Barry important part of the Academy, bringing new creative world cultures. President December 2016 energies from across the cultural landscape and including particularly active residencies by leaders in their fields, such as Martin Hayes, the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Company. 3 IRISH WORLD ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE MUSIC AND DANCE OF ACADEMY WORLD IRISH FACULTY IRISH WORLD ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE, & STAFF UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK Melissa Carty Barbara Christie Pamela Cotter Jennifer de Brún Dr Aileen Dillane Dr Alan Dormer Jean Downey Administrator Senior Administrator Director, BLAS International Performing Arts Coordinator Lecturer, Academy Technical Officer Course Director, [email protected] [email protected] Summer School of Irish [email protected] BA Irish Music and Dance [email protected] MEd (Music), +353 61 202590 +353 61 202030 Traditional Music and Dance +353 61 202917 [email protected] +353 61 202726 Professional MEd (Music) [email protected] +353 61 202159 [email protected] +353 61 202653 +353 61 213160 Paula Dundon Dr Catherine Foley Eleanor Giraud Dr Sandra Joyce Dr Niall Keegan Dr Yonit Kosovske Dr Óscar Mascareñas Academy Administrator Course Director, Course Director, Academy Director Academy Associate Director Lecturer, Lecturer, [email protected] MA Ethnochoreology MA Ritual Chant and Song MA Classical String BA Voice and Dance Course Director, Director of +353 61 202149 [email protected] [email protected] Performance [email protected] MA Irish Traditional Music Undergraduate Studies +353 61 202922 + 353 61 234743 [email protected] +353 61 202990 Performance [email protected] +353 61 234922 [email protected] + 353 61 202465 +353 61 202065 4 Dr Triona McCaffrey Lisa McLoughlin Dr Mats Melin Professor Mel Mercier Dr Hilary Moss Dr Orfhlaith Ní Bhriain Lecturer, Lecturer, Course Director, Chair of Performing Arts Course Director, Course Director, MA Music Therapy BA Voice and Dance MA Irish Dance Studies [email protected] MA Music Therapy MA Irish Traditional Dance [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] + 353 61 202918 [email protected] Performance +353 61 234358 +353 61 234967 +353 61 202542 +353 61 213122 [email protected] +353 61 202470 Professor Helen Phelan Dr Niamh NicGhabhann Dr Colin Quigley Kathleen Turner Mary Wycherley Programme Director, Course Director, Course Director, Course Director, Course Director, PhD Arts Practice MA Festive Arts MA Ethnomusicology MA Community Music MA Contemporary Dance [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Performance + 353 61 202575 +353 61 202798 +353 61 202966 + 353 61 213762 [email protected] +353 61 213464 Naomi Harris, MA Irish Traditional Dance student Photograph © Maurice Gunning 5 IRISH WORLD ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE MUSIC AND DANCE OF ACADEMY WORLD IRISH EMERITUS FACULTY JANE EDWARDS MARY NUNAN MÍCHEÁL Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN FERENC SZŰCS Professor Jane Edwards Emeritus Associate Professor Jane joined the Academy in 1999 as course director for the new MA Music Therapy.