Image: Filippo De Dionigi
During the course of her Residency, pianist, vocalist, producer and composer Ruth O’Mahony Brady will work in collaboration with musician Mary Barnecutt, fusing their varied musical fields – cello (both electric and acoustic), piano, synthesizers/electronics and vocal harmonies. The duo will compose music inspired by the unique field recordings and found sounds captured from various areas within the greater Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown landscape. The music created will be semi-scored with elements of live improvisation, and will draw from an eclectic blend of chamber, folk and electronic influences. The final performance will be recorded and later released as a 6-track EP, marking the culmination of Ruth’s Residency and the debut release from this new project.
Over the course of the Residency, audiences will be offered insights into the creative process through regular online updates from Ruth on dlr’s and Music Network’s social media channels. The Residency will culminate in a public performance to showcase the material developed during the period. It is envisaged that this will be a live event in late autumn or early winter, subject to public health restrictions.
"Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is delighted to present the second Residency for 2021 and we look forward to hearing the exciting new work created by Ruth O’Mahony Brady, in collaboration with Mary Barnecutt.”" An Cathaoirleach Cllr. Lettie McCarthy
"We are thrilled to welcome Ruth on board as this year’s second dlr Musician in Residence. This residency programme provides musicians with valuable time and resources to develop their creative practice and we’re particularly looking forward to following Ruth and Mary’s progress online as the residency unfolds." CEO of Music Network Sharon Rollston
Ruth O’Mahony Brady is a pianist, vocalist, producer and composer. Having worked as a professional musician since 2012, Ruth has earned a great deal of experience through working with a range of artists both at home and internationally. Touring highlights have included performances at the Sydney Opera House, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Carnegie Hall, New York, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles (with the LA Philharmonic), and a variety of festivals such as Rock Werchter, Ohana Festival and Firenze Rocks (with Eddie Vedder). Ruth balances her classical piano training with a more contemporary approach to writing and playing music. She has an interest in a variety of keyboard instruments – organs, electric pianos, vintage synthesisers etc., and is partial to the fusion of electronic and acoustic elements in the music she creates. Much in demand as a composer of beautiful string arrangements, Ruth has also worked as a session musician and backing vocalist with many established artists including Sam Smith, Lisa O’Neill, Glen Hansard, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Rufus Wainwright and Paloma Faith.
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Musicians in Residence Scheme provides opportunities for performers and composers to develop and showcase new work and cultivate new artistic collaborations. The Residencies also serve to enrich the cultural environment of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and beyond.
The dlr Musicians in Residence Scheme was established in 2015. Previous Musicians-in-Residence have included composer and guitarist Dave Flynn, the Tommy Halferty Trio, chamber group Ikigai, percussionist and composer Éamonn Cagney, improvising pianist and composer Izumi Kimura, composer, sound designer and multi-instrumentalist Lara Gallagher, vocalist and songwriter Susan McKeown, pianist and composer Conor Linehan, sound artist and composer Craig Cox, musician and composer Sebastian Adams, The Eidola Trio, soprano Elizabeth Hilliard with composer Gráinne Mulvey, jazz drummer Matthew Jacobson and Metier, a jazz quintet led by Ronan Guilfoyle.
Image: Filippo De Dionigi