Review of "Grande Symphonie"

"A former chorister at St Fin Barre’s, Eoghan Desmond produced this suite of four preludes based on the Dutch carol “King Jesus Hath a Garden” in 2016. However, they do not so much elaborate on this theme as evoke the atmosphere of four of the Roman Catholic offices of the day (another nail in the coffin for the Protestant stalwarts of the 19th century Select Vestry). The first (“Matins”) maintains a persistent bell-chime figure while a solo line trills its way into the air - in the composer’s own words - like “the beginnings of bird song”. The second evokes the cock crowing at dawn (the time of “Lauds”) in a jaunty statement of the carol theme, and the final two ooze prayerfulness and contemplation, with “Compline” seeming to indicate through its lumpy statement of the theme, the chanting of monks befuddled by sleep. Leigh captures the scale and intimacy of all these miniatures in some endearingly affectionate performances."

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2018/Feb/Grande_symphonie_PRCD1190.htm

[VIDEO] The Falling Tear

On March 18th, at Choral Evensong, the gentlemen of St Patrick's Cathedral gave the world Première of my cantata, The Falling Tear, which I wrote for them and for my PhD. Video attached:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uqXGmD7Fg

Performance of "Mother Goose Melodies" by New Dublin Voices [VIDEO]

Check out this *cooool* video of New Dublin Voices performing my "Mother Goose Melodies" in the final of the International Harald Andersén Chamber Choir Competition in Helsinki. I love how they bring it to life with all their own special "New Dublin Voices" touches, from the tenors miming getting caught in the rain, to the dramatic and exciting splitting into two choirs for the last movement, right up to Sarah's embarrassing moment at the end. Bravo, New Dublin Voices!

Click here for the video.