The always innovative Crash Ensemble recently released Friendly Piece, a collaboration with noted Dublin-born composer Andrew Hamilton, a highly regarded figure in the contemporary classical scene who has collaborated with ensembles the world over.
Commissioned in 2019 and written during Hamilton’s tenure as composer-in-residence with Crash Ensemble, Friendly Piece, recorded live at Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2023, explores “friendliness and loving kindness”.
Hamilton says: “The sound of a bird’s wings flapping in Monaghan, a sacred text that helped so much to get through dark times, memories of a childhood obsession with The Sound of Music and much more are cut up and thrown into a grid to allow all these elements to intermingle – simplistic answers to be destroyed.
Can music be kind? I set that as an impossible question at the beginning of the process, it is good to have no idea what you are doing sometimes. It allows room for freedom and the expanded heart to seep in when your back is turned.”
Kate Ellis, Artistic Director of Crash Ensemble, says: “Friendly Piece is one of the happiest soul nourishing pieces we have played. It’s been a pleasure watching Andrew’s ideas unfold through work-shopping in the early stages of the piece and then coming to life in front of audiences at New Music Dublin & Kilkenny Arts Festival. Friendly Piece is the result of Andrew’s fruitful residency with Crash. He is a brilliant human and it has been a joy to work with him during his residency.”
Andrew Hamilton performs as part of the lineup for Kaleidoscope Night on Wednesday 4th December 2024 at Bello Bar
Doors 8pm, Music 8.30pm Tickets €15, Early Bird €12
Student Rate €5 from Kaleidoscopenight.ie
