Dublin Guitar Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Dublin Guitar Quartet is an Irish music group that specialises in the performance of contemporary classical music, particularly music associated with minimalist composers such as Philip Glass
, Steve Reich
and Arvo Pärt
.
The group's core repertoire consists of transcriptions of works by these composers along with original compositions by Leo Brouwer
, Kevin Volans
and others. The group also regularly perform music specially written for them by Irish composers including Derek Ball
, Donnacha Dennehy
, Eric Sweeney
, group member Brian Bolger and former member David Flynn
.
The group formed in 2002 while founder members Brian Bolger, Patrick Brunnock, David Flynn
and Redmond O'Toole
were all studying at the Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama. All members were students of John Feeley
at this time.
The Dublin Guitar Quartet have received much acclaim for bringing contemporary classical music to new audiences, they are as in demand at classical music events as they are at rock music events and have developed their act to include electric guitars as well as classical guitars. They have appeared on Irish national television and radio and performed at international classical guitar festivals and rock music festivals.
The quartet released their acclaimed debut album Deleted Pieces in 2005 on Greyslate Records. They are currently recording two albums for release in the coming year.
The bulk of their debut album is Brian Bolger's arrangement of White Man Sleeps by Kevin Volans
. Volans had this to say about their work:
"I normally hate arrangements of my work," he says. "And they came along saying they'd already done it. I groaned. And then they came to play it for me.
It was terrific. Somebody had already arranged it at one point for three guitars, and Chester's [ Volans's publisher] more or less turned it down. But the new one was really good, so Chester's, at my insistence, okayed it." - Kevin Volans Interview with Michael Dervan - Irish Times 2008.
In 2008 the quartet performed with Philip Glass in Louth Contemporary Music Society concert. This included a rare solo performance by Philip Glass of his Etudes. This concert took place on 17 July 2008 at 8pm in St. Patrick's, Dundalk. The Dublin Guitar Quartet performed arrangements of Glass's string quartets Mishima (mvts. III, IV, V) and Company. They were given an introduction by the composer:
“This is a very special arrangement. Arranging for guitars is a very tricky business and you really have to know what you are doing, so i have never done it, but Dave Flynn and Brian Bolger [Dublin Guitar Quartet] have made these arrangements and they’re really quite beautiful.” Philip Glass -2008
The Quartet have worked with Ireland's leading compsers including, Kevin Volans, Donnacha Dennehy and Eric Sweeny. They have recently finished work on a Music Network funded recording of Irish compositions for guitar quartet. This includes works by Kevin Volans, Eric Sweeny and David Flynn.
On the 1st of May 2010 the Dublin Guitar Quartet performed Repentance by Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina. The piece included a solo cello part performed by Russian cellist Ivan Monighetti and a double bass part performed by Malachy Robinson. The concert was presented by LCMS at St. Peter's Church in Drogheda.
On Thursday the 5th of August 2010 the Dublin Guitar Quartet performed new works by the Spatial Music
Collective at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin's City Centre. They performed as an electric guitar quartet with guitar amplifiers positioned in the four corners of the venue. The concert included new works by Linda Buckley, Simon Cullen, Michael Flemming and Jonathan Nangle.
The DGQ are included on the latest LCMS release Path
. They perform their arrangement of Summa by Arvo Part. They received direction from the composer on the production of the arrangement and rehearsal process.
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
, Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
and Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-made compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from...
.
The group's core repertoire consists of transcriptions of works by these composers along with original compositions by Leo Brouwer
Leo Brouwer
Juan Leovigildo Brouwer Mezquida is a Cuban composer, conductor and guitarist. He is the grandson of Cuban composer Ernestina Lecuona Casado.-Biography:...
, Kevin Volans
Kevin Volans
Kevin Volans is a composer associated with the post-minimalist movement in contemporary composition. He was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on July 6, 1949, and even though he has spent most of his life outside his native country, is the best known South African composer active today.In...
and others. The group also regularly perform music specially written for them by Irish composers including Derek Ball
Derek Ball
Derek Ball is an American sound engineer. He won an Academy Award for Best Sound for the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. He worked on 40 films between 1968 and 1987.-External links:...
, Donnacha Dennehy
Donnacha Dennehy
,Donnacha Dennehy is a composer, born in Dublin in 1970. He gained his secondary education in Templeogue College, Dublin. He studied Music at Trinity College, Dublin and later pursued graduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign...
, Eric Sweeney
Eric Sweeney
Eric Edwin Sweeney was an English footballer. His regular position was as a forward. He was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside. He played for Charlton Athletic and Manchester United.-External links:*...
, group member Brian Bolger and former member David Flynn
David Flynn
David Flynn is an Irish composer and musician with a number of major awards and commissions to his name. His recent music is noteworthy for merging the influence of traditional Irish music with contemporary classical music and jazz...
.
The group formed in 2002 while founder members Brian Bolger, Patrick Brunnock, David Flynn
David Flynn
David Flynn is an Irish composer and musician with a number of major awards and commissions to his name. His recent music is noteworthy for merging the influence of traditional Irish music with contemporary classical music and jazz...
and Redmond O'Toole
Redmond O'Toole
Redmond O'Toole is an Irish classical guitarist. He is amongst a handful of musicians performing on a Brahms guitar. His former teachers include Oscar Ghiglia, Paul Galbraith, Graham Devine and John Feeley...
were all studying at the Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama. All members were students of John Feeley
John Feeley
John Feeley is a classical guitarist and teacher from Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. He has been described by the Washington Post as 'Ireland's leading classical guitarist' and by Michael Dervan in the Irish Times as 'a trailblazer...when it comes to the guitar and guitar-playing in...
at this time.
The Dublin Guitar Quartet have received much acclaim for bringing contemporary classical music to new audiences, they are as in demand at classical music events as they are at rock music events and have developed their act to include electric guitars as well as classical guitars. They have appeared on Irish national television and radio and performed at international classical guitar festivals and rock music festivals.
The quartet released their acclaimed debut album Deleted Pieces in 2005 on Greyslate Records. They are currently recording two albums for release in the coming year.
The bulk of their debut album is Brian Bolger's arrangement of White Man Sleeps by Kevin Volans
Kevin Volans
Kevin Volans is a composer associated with the post-minimalist movement in contemporary composition. He was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on July 6, 1949, and even though he has spent most of his life outside his native country, is the best known South African composer active today.In...
. Volans had this to say about their work:
"I normally hate arrangements of my work," he says. "And they came along saying they'd already done it. I groaned. And then they came to play it for me.
It was terrific. Somebody had already arranged it at one point for three guitars, and Chester's [ Volans's publisher] more or less turned it down. But the new one was really good, so Chester's, at my insistence, okayed it." - Kevin Volans Interview with Michael Dervan - Irish Times 2008.
In 2008 the quartet performed with Philip Glass in Louth Contemporary Music Society concert. This included a rare solo performance by Philip Glass of his Etudes. This concert took place on 17 July 2008 at 8pm in St. Patrick's, Dundalk. The Dublin Guitar Quartet performed arrangements of Glass's string quartets Mishima (mvts. III, IV, V) and Company. They were given an introduction by the composer:
“This is a very special arrangement. Arranging for guitars is a very tricky business and you really have to know what you are doing, so i have never done it, but Dave Flynn and Brian Bolger [Dublin Guitar Quartet] have made these arrangements and they’re really quite beautiful.” Philip Glass -2008
The Quartet have worked with Ireland's leading compsers including, Kevin Volans, Donnacha Dennehy and Eric Sweeny. They have recently finished work on a Music Network funded recording of Irish compositions for guitar quartet. This includes works by Kevin Volans, Eric Sweeny and David Flynn.
On the 1st of May 2010 the Dublin Guitar Quartet performed Repentance by Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina. The piece included a solo cello part performed by Russian cellist Ivan Monighetti and a double bass part performed by Malachy Robinson. The concert was presented by LCMS at St. Peter's Church in Drogheda.
On Thursday the 5th of August 2010 the Dublin Guitar Quartet performed new works by the Spatial Music
Spatial music
Spatial music, music in space, or space music uses the localization of sounds in physical space as a compositional element in music, in sound art, and in sound editing for audio recordings, film, and video...
Collective at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin's City Centre. They performed as an electric guitar quartet with guitar amplifiers positioned in the four corners of the venue. The concert included new works by Linda Buckley, Simon Cullen, Michael Flemming and Jonathan Nangle.
The DGQ are included on the latest LCMS release Path
. They perform their arrangement of Summa by Arvo Part. They received direction from the composer on the production of the arrangement and rehearsal process.