RENOWNED English composer Trevor Wishart will present The Garden of Earthly Delights, his final major composition, at Dance Limerick this Tuesday April 22. The performance hosted by the Digital Media and Arts Research Centre (DMARC) begins at 7pm.
Inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights is an ambitious multichannel sound work described by Wishart as a “comic opera” exploring the complexities of modern life. Composed for eight speakers, the piece transforms the voices of actors, politicians and a choir into a sonic tapestry that is at once satirical and profound.
Wishart, a pioneer of electronic and vocal music, is best known for his innovations in sonic art and has been awarded the prestigious Golden NICA for computer music at Ars Electronica. He last performed in Limerick in 2008 with his work Imago.
The evening will also highlight Limerick’s growing role in electronic and electroacoustic music, with an opening set featuring performances by Paddy Mulcahy (Sony Music), Neil O’Connor (Ordnance Survey), Hugh Clery Ward, and Robin Parmar (Silent Records).
Paddy Mulcahy, a Limerick native, is a composer and producer known for his emotive electronic soundscapes. Signed to Sony’s XXIM Records since 2021, his recent EP Hard Core of Beauty blends rich harmonies with a sonic nod to Brutalist architecture. He has performed widely, including at Electric Picnic and Body & Soul.
Neil O’Connor, performing as Somadrone and Ordnance Survey, has been a key figure in Irish experimental and electronic music for over two decades. His work has featured at MOMA New York, IRCAM Paris, and the ICA London. The Quietus describes him as “at the vanguard of experimental and electronic music in Ireland.”
Hugh Clery Ward is a young percussionist and electronic musician from Limerick. His work explores found sound and FM synthesis using Max/MSP, with a focus on integrating Buchla-inspired sequencing with laptop performance. He is completing a BSc in Music, Media and Performance Technology at the University of Limerick.
Robin Parmar is a Limerick-based media artist whose practice spans electroacoustic music, installation, film, and improvisation. With thirteen albums to his name, his latest release Aletheia is due out on Silent Records (USA) in May.
Admission is €10 (€5 concession) and tickets are available via Eventbrite. The event is supported by Dance Limerick and DMARC, which is part of the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems at the University of Limerick.
