A collaboration between Estonian composer and electronic musician Sander Saarmets and the Galway ConTempo Quartet is the highlight of this year’s Autumn-Winter programme from the Galway Music Residency (GMR).

Sander has created music and soundscapes for film, contemporary dance and galleries, and his work has featured at New York Fashion Week. His 2022 composition, And the sky turned yellow, was selected as one of the recommended works at the 69th International Rostrum of Composers in Hague in 2023.

Sander will have a two-month residency here in November and December, working with ConTempo to create performances that blend classical and contemporary sound – this will involve blending his experimental electronic compositions with the traditional string quartet repertoire, explains GMR’s Executive Director, Maeve Bryan.

This residency – a keystone of GMR’s Autumn-Winter programme – is in partnership with Estonia’s Arvo Pärt Centre and the Estonian Centre of Contemporary Music,

It will involve performances, educational workshops and community outreach events, and it demonstrates GMR’s commitment to international artistic exchange, says Maeve.

“The inclusion of Sander in this year’s programme is a testament to our vision of making Galway a global hub for creative musical innovation. His residency will give the community a fresh perspective on how contemporary music can interact with our cherished classical traditions.”

GMR is offering trad musicians an opportunity to work with Sander, to explore the fusing of Irish and electronic music. Workshops will take place on November 30 and December 1, after which one artist or group will be selected to perform with him on December 14, for an episode of the series 3 Kinds of Music in Druid’s Mick Lally Theatre.

To apply, artists should email info@thegalwaymusicresidency.ie by next Friday, October 18, with a CV/biog and a one-page letter explaining why they want to take part and why they feel they are suitable for the initiative.

Applicants must be available on November 30 and December 1. Places are limited and will offered based on assessments by a selection panel.

This opportunity is presented in partnership with University of Galway’s Arts programme, Arts in Action.

The GMR Autumn-Winter programme also includes Story of a Day/Scéal Lae, a production for children in partnership with Branar Theatre and composer Tom Lane. This production uses music to breathe life into storytelling and is being staged at the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children.

The series 3 Kinds of Music, a regular fixture of the GMR programme, will return to the Mick Lally Theatre. Curated by Sander in conjunction with local composers and performers Aengus Hackett and Anna Mullarkey, it will involve the fusion of classical, electronic and jazz music.

GMR will also host a range of performances and workshops around the county, including in Portumna, Gort, Headford, Claregalway and Ballinasloe – and central to all its plans is Sander Saarmets. This international residency, which is supported by the Arts Council, emphasises GMR’s dedication to fostering new music experiences and cultural exchanges that transcend borders – and it sets the scene for 2025, according to Maeve Bryan.

For more details on the full programme and ticket information, visit www.thegalwaymusicresidency.ie.

Pictured: Estonian composer and electronic musician Sander Saarmets, pictured here with a Buchla of synthesiser, will have a two-month residency in Galway.