Young Cork composer pays tribute to two educators through music
SAM PERKIN, a graduate of CIT Cork School of Music, will have two of his compositions performed at the annual celebration of youth orchestras at the National Concert Hall (NHC) next Saturday.
This is the 20th Irish Association of Youth Orchestras’ (IAYO) festival which sees eight youth orchestras taking to the stage of the NCH, an honour for the musicians.
Perkin, 29, is currently studying at the prestigious Music Conservatoire in Lyon, France, and his composition, ‘Inspirit’, is one of the pieces that will be performed at the NCH. It was commissioned in memory of the founding chairman of the IAYO, Hugh Maguire and his wife, Tricia.
The deceased couple, renowned musicians and educators, founded the ConCorda String Orchestra, which will perform ‘Inspirit’. It has been described as a “joyful, emotive piece and very reflective of Hugh and Tricia’s memory”.
Perkin has previously received commissions from the likes of the Vanbrugh Quartet and the Cork Orchestral Society. His compositions have also been performed by Crash Ensemble and Chamber Choir Ireland.
‘Inspirit’ involves the musicians stamping on the floor and making popping sounds from their mouths as well as whispering and humming.
“In composing ‘Inspirit’, the challenge was to make it fun while remembering Hugh and Tricia Maguire,” says Perkin.
“There’s a really emotional middle section where there’s a heartbeat in the harmonies. I really tried to convey a sense of loss but I also celebrate the Maguires’ lives. In the piece, I codify the name Maguire, making a musical motif out of it. It infuses the work in different ways.”
Perkin’s new ‘Dreaming in Sign Language’ will also be performed at the NCH.
“It’s for orchestra without instruments. There is a multitude of different vocal sounds that the human voice can make. There’s body percussion in the piece and there’s a soloist leading the orchestra who is the only person using an instrument. There might be a surprise too.”
The piece includes sign language and was inspired by Perkin’s wish that hearing-impaired people could enjoy his composition.
“Some of the music is conveyed through different signs. It’s quite abstract in a way. The idea is to share something which most people enjoy every day. It’s theatrical with 90 people clapping above their heads at one point. It’s for 12 to 16 year-olds. The challenge was to make it fun and easy to learn.”
ConCorda will be playing Inspirit by Sam Perkin in the 8pm concert https://t.co/ruFzu9ksNl buy tickets here https://t.co/rBv2NgUmXp
— IAYO (@IAYOmusic) January 26, 2015
Perkin says he has always thought in musical terms, “automatically working out the harmony and the structure of pieces of music”.
He started playing the piano at just five years of age with a private teacher, and begun studying music theory at the age of 12 with George Dunne, formerly of the CIT Cork School of Music.
“He inspired in me the love of how music works. I was interested in the theory of music before being taught by George but he was pivotal in my education. I’ve had many great teachers since, including Seamus de Barra and Stephen Parker.”
When Perkin was awarded his masters degree at the CIT Cork School of Music in 2013, he was deemed the student of the year. He has been in Lyon for 18 months, doing an artist’s diploma which is similar to a doctorate.
“I went to Lyon because I wanted to further my compositional development. It’s a great conservatoire. It’s also a change of scenery and it’s a way of keeping going and making connections with different people.”
Perkin’s latest commission is for the Irish Chamber Orchestra. “It’s called ‘Nimbus’ and it’s my biggest commission yet and it’s probably my best work to date. It’s for 18 string parts. It’s about a splendid aura or light that surrounds a person or thing.”
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