Music Residency at Scoil Mhuire Carrick-on-Shannon

George Higgs

01 January — 30 June 2021

About the Artist(s)

George Higgs is a composer whose work comprises opera, film music, songs, chamber work, experimental electronics and music for instruments of his own making. 'Higgstruments' include The Lost and Found Sound Assembly (a large instrument for deaf musicians), The Machine of Song (also for deaf musicians) The Jimmy Rig Slip Jig (where the performers assemble an instrument in the act of playing it), The Joculator (a human-powered electro-acoustic vehicle which George pedals around while recording and composing music) and DOOR (a musical door which two musicians trundle through a city). The invention he is most proud of, however, is his Kahoogaphone, a musical machine ingeniously engineered not to work. He holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin on an approach to music composition for deaf and hearing alike (funded by the Irish Research Council) and is represented by the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland.

Anna Spearman is a visual artist based in Sligo. Alongside her studio practice, she continues to develop a diverse socially engaged and collaborative practice which draws on her background in community development. Anna also works as a facilitator and educator. She first developed her connections with Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-on-Shannon as part of her work with The Arts Councils creative Schools programme.

About the residency

The students of Scoil Mhuire, Carrick-on-Shannon are regular visitors to The Dock and we are always delighted to welcome them. We are excited to announce a new venture with Scoil Mhuire in establishing a Music Residency with them in 2021, working with composer George Higgs and co-ordinated by artist Anna Spearman. Our aim is to provide a space where children can be curious, question what they see and learn creatively.