Crash Ensemble

Crash Ensemble was founded in 1997 by composer Donnacha Dennehy, conductor and pianist Andrew Synott, and clarinetist Michael Seaver. Since its first sold-out concert in Dublin in the autumn of 1997, the group has attracted enthusiastic audiences for its particular blend of music, video, and electronics. The group is interdisciplinary in outlook and considers its sound engineers, technicians, and video makers as much a part of the enterprise as the musicians. Crash has commissioned and premiered a large amount of works by many composers incuding Peter Adriaansz, Gerald Barry, Gavin Bryars, Raymond Deane, Donnacha Dennehy, Arnold Dreyblatt, Stephen Gardner, Michael Gordon, John Godfrey, Andrew Hamilton, David Lang, Terry Riley, Jurgen Simpson, Gerhard Stabler, Jennifer Walshe, Ian Wilson ,and Kevin Volans. It has collaborated with all of the above, as well as with Louis Andreissen, Gloria Coates, Roger Doyle, Michael Maierhof, and Steve Reich.

Crash Ensemble was founded in 1997 by composer Donnacha Dennehy, conductor and pianist Andrew Synott, and clarinetist Michael Seaver. Since its first sold-out concert in Dublin in the autumn of 1997, the group has attracted enthusiastic audiences for its particular blend of music, video, and electronics. The group is interdisciplinary in outlook and considers its sound engineers, technicians, and video makers as much a part of the enterprise as the musicians.

Crash has commissioned and premiered a large amount of works by many composers incuding Peter Adriaansz, Gerald Barry, Gavin Bryars, Raymond Deane, Donnacha Dennehy, Arnold Dreyblatt, Stephen Gardner, Michael Gordon, John Godfrey, Andrew Hamilton, David Lang, Terry Riley, Jurgen Simpson, Gerhard Stabler, Jennifer Walshe, Ian Wilson ,and Kevin Volans. It has collaborated with all of the above, as well as with Louis Andreissen, Gloria Coates, Roger Doyle, Michael Maierhof, and Steve Reich. A highlight of 2010 will be the world premiere of a new work by Donnacha Dennehy commissioned and performed by Grammy Award winning soprano, Dawn Upshaw.

Since 2002, Crash has hosted three contemporary music festivals, attracting international composers and performers to Dublin to collaborate with Irish colleagues. In 2006, Crash performed three concerts in the RTÉ Living Music Festival’s first all-day ‘marathon’ event in the presence of featured composer Steve Reich. In 2007 Crash celebrated its 10th birthday with a massive marathon weekend ‘Shindig’, followed by a National tour that culminated in a sell out show in the Ionad Culturtha, Baile Mhuirne.

As well as performing regularly throughout Ireland, Crash has appeared in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, the UK, Australia, the U.S., and Canada and has been broadcast on radio in all these countries. ABC Radio broadcast their Australian debut in March 2009. WNYC broadcast their New York City debut in March 2007. The BBC recorded their London debut in December 2005. In May 2008 Crash featured in the Canberra International Chamber Festival and the Bang on a Can Marathon NYC (with the support of Culture Ireland) and in September 2008 performed at the 14th Musica Viva festival in Lisbon (with the support of the Association of Irish Composers and Culture Ireland). In 2010 Crash will be performing in a series of dates on the East Coast of the U.S. as well as in London’s Kings Place. Crash will also premiere the new work by Dennehy for Dawn Upshaw in the Irish Museum of Modern Art. This work will be recorded for an album with Nonesuch Records.

Crash has made an indelible mark on the Irish music scene and beyond. They believe in a joyous yet absolutely rigorous engagement with the most adventurous music of today and the (extremely) recent past. Crash feature in recordings by labels such as NMC (London – released June 07) and Cantaloupe (New York – released August 08).

Crash Ensemble is supported by the Arts Council.

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5/6/10: Crash Ensemble

The eclectic ensemble founded by composer Donnacha Dennehy; pianist Andrew Synott; and clarinetist Michael Seaver is known for its finely crafted blend of contemporary classical music, video, and electronics.

Crash Ensemble

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Crash Ensemble

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