Cormac McCarthy & Nell Ní Chróinín - Quiet Lights

Quiet Lights presents the premiere of new work from Cork-based musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist Cormac McCarthy for Irish sean-nós singer Nell Ní Chróinín. This suite was commissioned by Islander in 2020 for voice, piano and string duo, and will be performed by Cormac McCarthy, Nell Ní Chróinín, Kate Ellis and Maria Ryan for the first time in the stunning surrounds of Triskel Christchurch.
 
Cormac McCarthy is a pianist, composer and arranger from Cork, Ireland. Noted for a diverse stylistic palette, and equally at home in a variety of genres, his music is said to “defy categorisation” (Lyric FM). In 2010, having completed his Masters degree in composition at the CIT Cork School of Music, Cormac received the prestigious Bill Whelan International Music Bursary, an award earmarked for young Irish composers studying abroad. He spent a number of years living in Chicago, where he completed a Masters in Jazz Studies at DePaul University.

Nell Ní Chróinín hails from the Irish speaking Múscraí Gaeltacht of West Cork. This area is historically linked with a strong heritage of song and music. Nell was exposed to these local traditions of the area from a very young age. She began singing at the age of 11 under a local singing scheme Aisling Gheal, whose aim is to preserve local songs by teaching them to the younger generation, thus ensuring their preservation. She has enjoyed success in her singing career to date. Her achievements include several underage singing medals and titles from various Irish festival competitions as prestigious as the Oireachas na Gaeilge and The Fleadh Ceoil.