The annual Music Network/Centre Culturel Irlandais Music Performance Bursary was created to enable Irish musicians to further their performance careers through residencies at the Centre in Paris, which also provide a valuable opportunity to showcase their work on an international stage.
The month-long residency offers the recipient opportunities to tap into the resources of both CCI and Paris. Former recipients include Macdara Yeates (2020-21), Mairéad Hickey (2019-20), Aisling Kenny (2018-19), Sam Comerford (2017-18), Barry Donoghue (2016-17) and Rhob Cunningham (2015-16).
Cork born percussionist Caitríona Frost studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music where she completed her Masters degree in 2009, graduating with first class honours. Caitríona has performed with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and toured the world with all-female Irish musical ensemble Celtic Woman. She has also performed with the Ulster Orchestra, Irish Chamber Ensemble, Dublin City Jazz Orchestra, Dublin Brass, WASBE International Youth Wind Ensemble, Chamber Choir Ireland, Wexford Festival Orchestra and at the New Ross Piano Festival. During her residency, Caitríona will compose new work for percussion, placing the language of traditional music at its core in a way that captures the subtleties of the genre, with the aim of enhancing the repertoire available to percussionists globally.
Nora Hickey M’Sichili, Director of Centre Culturel Irlandais, today announced the recipients of all residencies and bursaries for the Centre’s 2020-2021 programme. 39 artists across the spectrum of artistic backgrounds will spend from one to three months in Paris developing their proposed projects, which range from a new presentation of Beckett’s The Unnamable for MoLI or mapping Joyce’s Paris, to documenting the work of artisans who embellish Haute Couture gowns, and from creating a ‘Slow Mo’ dance work as the choreographer journeys from Dublin to Cyprus, to making music to accompany Colum McCann’s latest book about two fathers in the Middle East.
Music Network’s mission is to make high quality live music available and accessible to people throughout Ireland, regardless of their location or circumstance. Central to Music Network’s mission is supporting the performance careers of professional musicians. This is achieved through provision of a range of programmes including touring and performance, commissioning, residencies, learning and participation initiatives and direct funding schemes, as well as complementary supports including information, training and advice services. More at musicnetwork.ie/musicians.
Located in the heart of the Latin quarter, in the old Irish College, the Centre Culturel Irlandais is Ireland’s flagship cultural centre in Europe. The Centre presents the work of contemporary Irish artists and musicians while fostering a vibrant and creative resident community. In addition to its diverse cultural programme, the Centre houses France’s primary multi-media library of resources on Ireland as well as significant historic archives, an Old Library and chapel. More at centreculturelirlandais.com.