We are very pleased to welcome pianist and composer Cormac McCarthy as our musician in residence this July thanks to the Improvised Music Company (IMC)’s Navigator jazz residency programme.
Cork-based composer, pianist and arranger Cormac McCarthy brings a background across traditional, jazz, and classical to his innovative music. Presenting an individualistic use of Irish traditional tunes in the jazz idiom along with sweepingly cinematic textures, McCarthy successfully marries these two strong genres, which both have improvisation and interplay as core elements.
Cormac said: “The opportunity to spend time dedicated to making music, developing ideas and exploring new concepts is something all musicians and composers desire, but seldom experience. To do this at such a stunning venue, and in a county with as rich a musical tradition as Donegal, is really exciting. We have some plans in place for the residency, but I’m keeping an open mind and hoping to let the people, the venue and the wider community guide me. I can’t wait to get started!”
“The opportunity to have a musician of Cormac’s calibre working in the theatre is of enormous benefit to the music community here in Donegal. Through his residency he will be exchanging ideas with other professional musicians, and engaging with our music students – generously sharing his skills and experience. We hope to offer him the chance to make new creative partnerships and enjoy our rich local musical landscape.” said Patricia McBride, Director at An Grianán
The ‘Navigator’ residency programme is an exciting new opportunity in line with IMC’s commitment to further developing the national scene for jazz and improvised music, improving artist touring mobility, developing audiences nationwide, and developing creative opportunities for musicians.
Performance
We will present a public sharing of Cormac’s work online on Fri 23 July as part of this year’s Earagail Arts Festival.
IMC’s Navigator Jazz Residency programme, in collaboration with arts centres around the country, offers artists professionally remunerated time and space to develop and perform work with a deep sense of space, informed by community involvement.
