“The Irish Composers’ Collective, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, has been a force for good in the indigenous compositional community for a decade, fostering creation, collaboration and visibility for several generations of makers of new work. ”

“ICC10 will act as a springboard, catapulting the ICC into its second decade in stronger shape than ever before. What we want from the festival, even more than the eight brilliant concerts we are certain to get, is to transform our often insular activities into a coming together of the entire Irish new music community.”

“Student performances and workshops are important, of course, but young composers must also hear their music performed by professionals in front of a paying audience – only then do you get a sense of whether the work succeeds or not. Through collective action, the ICC provided a way for this to happen regularly.”

“For the ICC10 concert, there is eight different new pieces. Usually in a concert with three or four new pieces, there are at least two in a similar style, but these eight pieces are all completely different, I think it’s great for the audience especially.”

“For ten years the Irish Composers Collective has been working to not only ensure that new Irish music has an outlet, but that its members and affiliates have a sustainable support system and a thriving community of like-minded enthusiasts.”

“This was an effortless performance that handled the challenges of reading from audience-held scores well, and included a collaborative piece from the four composers involved called Synergy – Colour-Sound-Space, with music by Aran O’Grady, Richard Gill, Anna Clifford, Robert Coleman and the quartet.”

“Such concerts as this are a testament to not only the wonderful performers currently working in Ireland, but also of the young composers paving their way in the country.”

“Engagement and the breaking-down of conventional barriers is clearly high on their [ConTempo] agenda.”

“The very lacunae that technology both creates and enhances are invested with a poeticism and profundity, creating a psychic link between viewer and performer, passivity and activity, anomie and intimacy, the febrility of the imagination technology can augment, and the fantastical.”

“The music chosen for the programme ranged from exploring the inside and outside of the piano, to emotional highs and lows, all of which seemed pianistic ... As the festival booklet stated “anyone who wishes to compose should be given the opportunity to have their works performed by excellent musicians”. With a performer as committed and accomplished as Máire Carroll, this concert was a successful fulfilment of this aim.”

“An immersive, concentrated atmosphere is created, best reflected at the very last in the gentle, prolonged silence held after the final note of the concert decays. The applause, when it finally comes, is prolonged and deserved.”

“The programme was beautifully structured. It began and ended with solo piano pieces. Every second piece was a rearrangement/interpretation of the piano piece for ensemble and these were interspersed with three vocal and ensemble pieces inspired by the original.”

“The Dublin Laptop Orchestra use physical controllers that help to further engage the listener. With the use of sensors and tethers they are not locked to their screens but can move, with a dance-like quality. ”