Composer insights with Fergus Johnston

Composer insights with Fergus Johnston

Head shot Fergus Johnston 2
Join Fergus Johnston as part of our concerts at Freemason Hall on Wednesday 12th March & Sunday 16th March at Thomastown Concert Hall. Fergus will offer insight into his compositional process and share the inspiration behind his new commission written especially for our March tour.

Our November tour will feature classical music star pianist Yukine Kuroki, on her first national tour of Ireland. She has conquered the hearts of many in recent years, winning both the Liszt Utrecht Competition and Dublin International Piano Competition in 2022, as well as being awarded third prize at the prestigious Rubinstein Competition in 2023.

About the composer

Dr. Fergus Johnston (1959-) is an Irish-born composer. He graduated from Trinity College Dublin with an Honours degree in Music in 1982. In 1999 he completed a Master's Degree in Music and Media Technology at TCD (1999), and in 2011 he received a PhD in composition from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. He was elected to membership of Aosdána, Ireland's state-supported artistic academy, in 1992.

He has been active as a composer since 1981, and his works have been widely performed both in Ireland and abroad. He has written for a wide variety of genres, including dance, and has collaborated on a number of successful projects involving electronic installations.

His works include "Binn an tSíorsholais" (The Peak of Eternal Light) (2004) and “Samsara” (1991) for orchestra, commissioned by RTÉ for the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, “Kaleidophone” (1992) for string quartet, harp and percussion, commissioned by Young European Strings, Cusp (1992) for violin and piano, commissioned by Rubato Dance, "Je goute le jeu..." (1997) for strings, commissioned by the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and a flute concerto (1996) commissioned by RTÉ for the NSOI. He has also written two operas, “Bitter Fruit” (1992), in one act, commissioned by Opera Theatre Company, and “The Earl of Kildare” (2009) in 3 acts.

“Sinfonia,” for string octet (2018) was performed in the New Music Dublin Festival 2020 by ConTempo String Quartet and Friends. Recent completed works are “Out of Time” (2024) for 3-6 celli (individually located around the audience), and “Samhlaíocht ar “Port na bPucaí” (Fantasy on “Pooka’s Air”), for solo piano (2024) Commissioned by Music Network.

About the piece

Is port ón Inis Mhic Aoibhleáin, ceann de na mBlascaodaí amach ón chósta thiar-theas na hÉireann, é Port na bPúcaí. Deirtear gur chuala duine de na h-oileánaigh, fidléir, an fonn oíche amháin agus é ina luí ina dhúiseacht sa dorchadas, agus chuimhnigh sé air. Insíonn scéal eile faoi púca, nó bhean sídh, ar tháinig chuige i lár na h-oíche, agus í ag canadh mar a bhí sí gafa ag an dream draoíchta, gan féidir léi fánaíocht ach amháin os cionn talún i rith na h-oíche. Tá an samhlaíocht seo cumaithe ag baint usáide as an bhfonn mar fhoinse colláis de smaointe éagsúla a chruthú a eascraíonn as an tsamhlaíocht.

Tá an píosa tiomnaithe do Yukine Kuroki, ar coimisiúnaíodh é dí.

Port na bPúcaí (The Ghost's Air, or The Fairy's Tune) is a traditional Irish tune from Inisvickillane, one of the Blasket Islands off the south-west coast of Ireland. One story goes that one of the islanders, a fiddle player, heard the tune one night while lying awake in the darkness, and remembered it. Another tells of an other-worldy woman calling to his door in the middle of the night, singing of how she was captured by entities from beyond and can only wander above ground at night time. This "fantasia" is composed using the tune as the source to create a collage of different ideas springing from the imagination.

The piece is dedicated to Yukine Kuroki, for whom it was commissioned

Music Network Commissions

We are committed to providing opportunities for Irish composers through our programmes. Commissioning is a vital part of the work we do to nurture music and musicians in Ireland.

Every year we commission a number of new works by Irish composers which are performed by renowned Irish and international performers for audiences across the county as part of our national touring programme.