This residency is one of six opportunities as part of RESONATE 2023, Music Network’s artist residency programme in partnership with glór (Ennis), Ionad Cultúrtha (Baile Mhúirne), The National Opera House (Wexford), Triskel Arts Centre (Cork City), The Dock (Carrick-On-Shannon) and Regional Cultural Centre (Letterkenny). This programme brings some of Ireland’s most established professional musicians to work in these cultural spaces across Ireland between July and December.
Now in its 3rd year, RESONATE provides support for professional musicians with a strong track record in music performance to develop new work and/or collaborations. Each residency provides a grant of €6,000 to enable the selected musicians to devote time to the creation of new work, in addition to a range of in-kind supports from both Music Network and each venue partner along with opportunities to showcase the work through live performances and digital updates.
Commenting on the announcement, Music Network’s CEO Sharon Rollston said: “We’re very pleased to be offering RESONATE together with our partners The National Opera House for a third consecutive year. It’s the most extensive of our musician residency programmes and offers lots of scope for musicians to develop imaginative new work, including cross-artform ideas where music is central. We’re excited to see what Ali will develop during her residency and look forward to sharing it with audiences at a live performance at The National Opera House later in the year. ‘’
During her residency Ali will develop a project titled Just This Once... Members of the public will be invited to submit stories about themselves or for other people in their lives who they think deserve a song to represent what they have been through. Inspired by the lives of the local community, Ali will share their stories through the medium of song.
Ali will perform all of the songs at a public concert at The National Opera House. The people who inspired the songs will be invited to the concert where their story will be told, just this once.
Commenting on the award Ali Comerford said “Just This Once... has been a dream of mine for so long. I can't express the gratitude and excitement I'm feeling to be selected for the Resonate Residency at the National Opera House, I just can't wait to get started.”
Last year’s RESONATE artist-in-residence at The National Opera House was concertina player Niall Vallely who collaborated with cellist Kate Ellis and Kenneth Edge on soprano saxophone to compose and perform a new series of pieces entitled Bearna which translates as a gap or space.
RESONATE is a Music Network artist residency programme in partnership with glór, Ionad Cultúrtha, The National Opera House, Triskel Arts Centre, The Dock and Regional Cultural Centre. The other five RESONATE artists in residence for 2023 are Niamh O’Brien at Ionad Cultúrtha, Phil Robson at Regional Cultural Centre, Zoé Basha at glór, Ultan O’Brien at The Dock and Vicky Langan at Triskel Arts Centre.