This Irish/French programme presents four pieces, each remarkably haunting in its own individual way. Greg Caffrey’s new song-cycle is based on Michael Longley’s 2022 collection of poems whilst Dominique Lemaître, in this dedicated piece for Hard Rain Ensemble, asks ‘Is it a time lost or a time found? Or simply a suspended time?’ Gareth Williams joins the ensemble for his first Irish Songs from the Last Page, an exploration of where the stories and books that we read take us, and how those stories stay with us and shape us and intertwine with our memories. And with particular poignancy we present the Irish premiere of Sylvain Quoirin’s beautiful six-movement suite of songs based on Meabh Quoirin’s poetry about the loss of her beloved daughter Nóra.

The Slain Birds (2023) World premiere: Greg Caffrey (1963) piano, baritone

Les Plis du Temps (2024) World premiere: Dominique Lemaître (1953) alto flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano

Song from the Last Page of Guests of the Nation (2024) World premiere: Gareth Williams (1977) flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano, voice

Nóra (2023) Irish premiere: Sylvain Quoirin (1952) flute, harp, violin 1 & 2, viola, violoncello, double bass, sopranos 1 & 2