We took some time out today from rehearsing for our upcoming Christmas concert to welcome back composer, harpist and Cuore alumna, Anne-Marie O’Farrell.
Anne-Marie came straight from today’s premiere of her Murmuration, to explore some sketches for a new choral work we’ve commissioned from her with the support of the Arts Council. She put us through our paces with some exciting cluster chord progressions, rhythmic syllables, and percussive vocalisations.
Anne-Marie’s new piece is the third and final one of our 10th anniversary commissions. We intend to hold a public workshop on this piece in February next year in advance of the world premiere at our Dublin concert in April 2026; watch this space!
Collaborative development of this piece has included advance discussions between Anne-Marie and our director, Amy, and today’s workshop. We relish these opportunities to explore a composer’s compositional practice and our own performance practice with innovative choral techniques.
Beyond Cuore, our conductor and many of our singers conduct other choirs and teach music in schools, conservatories and universities; they bring what they learn with Cuore into their practice with their own students and choirs elsewhere.
If you’re inspired by what we do and would like to support Cuore in staging future workshops or commissioning new music, we’d love to hear from you!