Explore every episode of the podcast Open Ears

Open Ears Podcast – Season 4, Episode 4

In each episode of Open Ears, podcast host and producer Alain McFadden invites a guest to listen to a recording from Crash Ensemble’s catalogue. Together, they share first impressions, personal reflections, and explore the ideas, emotions, and stories the music inspires.

For the fourth episode of Season 4, Alain is joined by broadcaster, musician, and academic Doireann Ní Ghlacáin. Together, they listen to ‘Singing Sands’ by Lara Weaver.

About ‘Singing Sands’:

Singing Sands, written for the Crash Ensemble, is composed from Weaver’s field recordings of the singing sand dunes of the Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter) desert in the Arabian Peninsula. The piece attunes to these unusual sounds through composed materials derived from my recording of a dune singing in late afternoon. Just as the sound of the dunes has been most often described by likening it to different instrumental timbres, Weaver was curious: how might a stringed instrument ‘sing’ like sand, or a trombone ‘boom’ like a dune? How can a group of musicians tune in to the resonance of the desert? Specific instrumental effects and musical gestures prompt members of the ensemble to engage with the dune’s harmonic and timbral characteristics, illuminating latent aspects.

The broader expressive gestures of the piece are then inspired by the sentiments she observed towards the singing dunes: to those who live in the desert here, the sound is a curiosity, a warning or a sign of something ominous, something that inspires awe and spiritual significance, but also a sound that has come to mean a place to gather peacefully (for it is difficult to sneak up on someone when the sand booms from your footsteps).

In the vast quiet of the deep desert, the singing of the sands invites a slow listening, attuning to the sounds of the earth, holding space for what might emerge.

Presented by: Alain McFadden

Music featured: Singing Sands (2025, by Lara Weaver, performed by Crash Ensemble

Host: Alain McFadden

Guest: Doireann Ní Ghlacáin

‘Singing Sands’ was commissioned by Crash through our Crash Works programme. It premiered live at New Music Dublin. 

Crash Works is a commission and development hub for music creators at pivotal stages of their careers, offered in partnership with Crash Ensemble and New Music Dublin. These new works are the culmination of a two-year programme of support, mentoring and development, during which each creator has been given the opportunity to investigate and develop new works.

Find out more about:

Doireann Ní Ghlacáin ~ https://www.instagram.com/doireannnighlacain 

Lara Weaver ~ https://laraweaver41.wixsite.com/composer 

Crash Ensemble ~ www.crashensemble.com/about

Open Ears Podcast – Season 4, Episode 3

In each episode of Open Ears, podcast host and producer Alain McFadden invites a guest to listen to a recording from Crash Ensemble’s catalogue. Together, they share first impressions, personal reflections, and explore the ideas, emotions, and stories the music inspires.

For the third episode of Season 4, Alain is joined by acclaimed singer songwriter Anna Mieke. Together, they listen to ‘Grey Area’ by Sam Perkin (2019).

Blending the essence of street skateboarding with contemporary music, Grey Area is a hypnotic journey through the streets, leading us to secrets that we find only if we are open to them.

Grey Area is a skateboarding film with live original score, available to view on Crash Ensemble's Youtube channel. Shot and edited by skate photographer and videographers Niall O’Byrne and Sam Curtin.

Composed by Sam Perkin. Performed by Crash Ensemble. Grey Area was commissioned by Engage Arts Festival, Bandon to the Sea with funds from the Arts Council. This was the very first release on Crash Records, Crash Ensemble’s own label.

Find out more about:

Anna Mieke ~ www.islandermusic.net/anna-mieke

Sam Perkin ~ www.samperkincomposer.com/

Crash Ensemble ~ www.crashensemble.com/about

Presented by: Alain McFadden

Music featured: Grey Area (2019, by Sam Perkin, performed by Crash Ensemble

Host: Alain McFadden

Guest: Anna Mieke

Open Ears Podcast – Season 4, Episode 2In each episode of Open Ears, podcast host and producer Alain McFadden invites a guest to listen to a recording from Crash Ensemble’s catalogue. Together, they share first impressions, personal reflections, and explore the ideas, emotions, and stories the music inspires.For the second episode of Season 4, Alain is joined by acclaimed musician and composer Peter Broderick. Together, they listen to ‘Invitation to a Journey’ by Deirdre Gribbin. The piece was a co-production by Crash Ensemble, CoisCéim Dance Company, and Fishamble: The New Play Company, for their theatre piece of the same name, which showcased the life and work of Eileen Gray. Gray is one of Ireland's most important artists as an architect and furniture designer and a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture. The piece was performed at the Galway International Arts Festival and released August 11, 2021.Deirdre is an award-winning composer who was born in Belfast. She is a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast and Guildhall School of Music, London. She received her doctorate from the University of London. She subsequently was a Visiting Arts Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge and in 2013 was awarded a Sir Winston Churchill Fellowship for research on arts and disability programmes in the USA and Canada. She is a Fulbright Fellow and studied at Princeton University (USA).Deirdre has always been interested in the juxtaposition of drama and concert music. Find out more about:Peter Broderick ~ www.peterbroderick.net Deirdre Gribbin ~ www.deirdregribbin.com Crash Ensemble ~ https://www.crashensemble.com/aboutPresented by: Alain McFaddenMusic featured: Invitation to a Journey (2021), by Deirdre Gribbin, performed by Crash EnsembleHost: Alain McFaddenGuest: Peter Broderick

In each episode of Open Ears, podcast host and producer Alain McFadden invites a guest to listen to a recording from Crash Ensemble’s catalogue. Together, they share first impressions, personal reflections, and explore the ideas, emotions, and stories the music inspires.For the first episode of Season 4, Alain is joined by acclaimed musician and songwriter Sam Amidon. Together, they listen to Drones, Variations, Ornaments by Nico Muhly, taken from Crash Ensemble’s album Ghosts (2017), released on Bedroom Community.Drones, Variations, Ornaments unfolds gradually, accumulating restless energy until it sails along on the kinetic rhythms of American postminimalism. A striking coda reveals the chamber orchestra lurking beneath the brash new music ensemble.Nico Muhly is an American composer whose wide-ranging output includes orchestral works, chamber music, sacred music, and music for the stage.Find out more about:Sam Amidon ~ https://www.samamidonmusic.com/Nico Muhly ~ https://nicomuhly.com/biography/Crash Ensemble ~ https://www.crashensemble.com/aboutPresented by: Alain McFaddenMusic featured: Drones, Variations, Ornaments from Ghosts (2017) by Nico Muhly, performed by Crash EnsembleHost: Alain McFaddenGuest: Sam AmidonWith thanks the Bedroom Community

On this episode of Open Ears, the sixth and final episode of Season 3, Alain chats with Kate Stables of This Is The Kit. Together, they listened to Aleksandr Nisse's Pleonexia. 

Aleksandr Nisse, Titular Organist of St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, is a composer of Russian and French descent based in Ireland.  He has written for Hochschule der Künste Bern and Crash Ensemble, with notable works including áiséirí (2019) and NOTINTUNE, which explores the impact of digital distractions on society. His compositions, The Eve of St Agnes and Francis Bacon’s Studio premiered in Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery in 2022.

Pleonexia was one of five works, written for 10 performers and organ in collaboration with Crash Ensemble in 2025 as part the Crash Works programme. Pleonexia features on Crash Works II which was released on Crash records in September 2025.

Find out more about Kate Stables/This Is The Kit at: thisisthekit.co.uk

This episode is presented by Alain McFadden

Music: 'Pleonexia’ from Crash Works II by Aleksandr Nisse

Host: Alain McFadden

Guest: Kate Stables

In this fifth episode of Open Ears, Alain McFadden talks to Dani Larkin. Together they listened to Chrysalism by Linda Buckley.
Linda Buckley is an award winning Irish Composer who creates electronic and acoustic music, and has a particular interest in working across many disciplines, most notably film and in the realm of drone and dark ambient music. Chrysalism features on the album Crashlands alongside works from Irish and international composers that premiered in rural locations across Ireland during 2017.
Find out more from Linda Buckley here: https://www.lindabuckley.org/about/
And Dani Larkin at: https://www.danilarkin.com
This episode is presented by Alain McFadden
Music: 'Chrysalism’ from Crashlands by Linda Buckley
Host: Alain McFadden
Guest: Dani Larkin

In this fourth episode of Open Ears, Alain McFadden talks to Tolü Makay. Together they listened to Disequilibrium by Amy Rooney.

Amy Rooney is a composer from Co. Down. She read music at Queen’s University Belfast, where she completed a PhD in Composition. Her preference is for music which involves some degree of co-creativity; this can present itself through an interactive score, where various decisions assigned to the player produce music that is nuanced, natural and flexible. Disequilibrium was one of the five works, written for 10 performers in collaboration with Crash Ensemble in 2023.

Find out more about Amy Rooney at: https://www.cmc.ie/composers/amy-rooney and more about Tolü Makay: https://tolumakayofficial.com/
This episode is presented by Alain McFadden
Music: 'Disequilibrium' from Crash Works by Amy Rooney.
Host: Alain McFadden
Guest: Tolü Makay

In this third episode of Open Ears, Alain McFadden talks to Conor O’Reilly and Jonny Pickett of Americana-Folk duo DUG. Together they listened to Senses IV by Yue Song.
Yue Song is a composer and pianist based in Dublin, merging various genres, including works for opera, orchestra, Chinese orchestra, various chamber music ensembles, solo pieces, and electronic music. Senses IV was one of the five works, written for 10 performers with electronics in collaboration with Crash Ensemble in 2023.
Find Out more about Yue Song at: https://www.yuesongmusic.com/ and more about DUG at: https://www.dugworld.com/
This episode is presented by Alain McFadden
Music: 'Sensers IV' from Crash Works by Yue Song.
Host: Alain McFadden
Guests: DUG (Conor O’Reilly - Jonny Pickett)

In this second episode of Open Ears, Alain McFadden talks to Laura Quirke - Musician, songwriter and one half of folk duo Lemoncello.

Together they listened to two movements of Lipids by Barry O'Halpin.

Barry O'Halpin is a composer and performer based in Dublin, merging approaches and formative influences from contemporary classical, experimental rock, electronic music and jazz contexts. Lipids charts the evolution of Barry O' Halpins inventive and exploratory writing for both chamber ensemble and solo electric guitar, as composer in residence and guitarist with Crash Ensemble.

Find Out more about Barry O'Halpin at https://barryohalpin.com/, and more about Laura Quirke at https://www.lemoncelloireland.com/

This episode is presented by Alain McFadden

Music: 'Lipids' and 'Lethargarian' from Lipids by Barry O'Halpin.

Host: Alain McFadden

Guest: Laura Quirke

In this first episode of our third season, Alain McFadden speaks to Brían MacGloinn - songwriter, radio host and one of the brothers that make up Irish folk-darlings Ye Vagabonds. Together, they listen to extracts from Jonathan Nangle's Blue Haze of Deep Time.

Jonathan Nangle draws inspiration from his field recordings of the sea, made during walks near his home. These sounds form the foundation of the piece, marking the start of a musical journey. Blue Haze of Deep Time was commissioned by Crash and premiered at New Music Dublin Festival in 2025.

Find out more about Jonathan Nangle at https://jonathannangle.com, and more about Brían MacGloinn and his music at https://yevagabonds.com.

This episode is presented by Alain McFadden, the new host of Open Ears.

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Music

‘Inbhear Glás’ and ‘Where Grey Waves Rise and Fall Unseen’ from Blue Haze of Deep Time by Jonathan Nangle

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Host: Alain McFadden

Guest: Brían MacGloinn

Composer Andrew Hamilton meets singer, songwriter and dance artist, Aoife McAtamney, to discuss Andrew's composition, 'Friendly Piece', composed in 2023 for Crash Ensemble.

Friendly Piece was recently part of an installation at the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray, co. Wicklow.

Find out more about Aoife McAtamney at www.daughterofadrum.com

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Music

Andrew Hamilton - Friendly Piece (available on Bandcamp)

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Host: Andrew Hamilton

Guest: Aoife McAtamney

As part of Kilkenny Arts Festival 2024, Crash Ensemble spent a day in Shee Alms House recording and performing seven Postcard pieces that had been commissioned by Crash Ensemble. Olga Barry, the Director of Kilkenny Arts Festival, hosted one of the performances for this live podcast episode, featuring live performances and conversations with some of the composers and audience members.

With thanks to Kilkenny Arts Festival and The Arts Council.

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Music:

Paul Scully - Escape Velocity

Emmelle Wadding - Junk

Jenn Kirby - Waves

Maeve Kelly - X-change of Flames

Dani Larkin - Lighthouse

Michael Sullivan - Through Worlds of Fog

Neil O’Connor - The Last Broadcast

Title Music: Ed Bennett - Accel

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Host: Olga Barry

As part of Musictown 2024, Crash Ensemble collaborated with four different artists for four unique performances: Elaine Howley, Mohammad Syfkhan, Rachael Lavelle and E the Artist. On this special episode, we hear from the artists themselves about working with Crash. We also hear from attendees of our listening groups, who attended sessions with Elaine Howley and E the Artist.

With thanks to Dublin City Council Culture Company and the Blow the Dust Orchestra.

Artists:

Elaine Howley

Mohammad Syfkhan

Rachael Lavelle

E the Artist

Recorded live at National Concert Hall, Dublin.

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Music

Title Music: Accel. - Ed Bennett

Outro Music: this is the space between your hand and mine - Rachael Lavelle

Available on Bandcamp.

Flautist Lina Andonovska meets with author Ciara Geraghty for the first time, and together they listen to excerpts from The Last Hotel, which Lina joined Crash for in 2015.

Lina performs alongside Crash Ensemble on Sunday 30th June 2024 for a performance at Sundays at Noon in the Hugh Lane Gallery.

Find out more about Ciara Geraghty at ciarageraghty.com.

With thanks to the Offbeat Ensemble and Cantaloupe Music.

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Music

Ed Bennett: - Accel

Donnacha Dennehy - The Last Hotel (Available on Cantaloupe Music)

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Host: Lina Andonovska

Guest: Ciara Geraghty

Composer Bekah Simms recently marked the end of her two years as composer-in-residence with Crash with a world premiere at New Music Dublin 2024. While in Dublin, Bekah met for the first time with dancer, choreographer and geologist Silver Kezir, and listened to Crash's most recent release metamold.

With thanks to Dublin City Council Culture Company.

metamold was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University.

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Music

Bekah Simms - metamold
Ed Bennett - Accel
Released on Crash Records. Available on Bandcamp.

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Host: Bekah Simms

Guest: Sylvester Kezir

Produced by Matt Rafter

The first instalment of Season 2 of Open Ears is a special episode, featuring Crash Ensemble's cellist and Artistic Director Kate Ellis chatting with Principal Conductor Ryan McAdams, and listening to the Free State recording of Amanda Feery's It's in the trees, it's coming.

Crash Ensemble return to Ireland's foremost new music festival, New Music Dublin, with 3 not-to-be-missed concerts and an installation, from 26–28 April 2024. Visit newmusicdublin.ie for tickets and more information.

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Music

Amanda Feery - It's in the trees, it's coming

Ed Bennett - Accel

Released on Crash Records. Available on Bandcamp.

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Host: Kate Ellis

Guest: Ryan McAdams

Produced by Matt Rafter

Crash Ensemble pianist Eliza McCarthy chats to her friend Amy and listens to Crash's most recent release, Children In The Universe by Sam Perkin.

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Music

Sam Perkin - Children In The Universe

Ed Bennett - Accel

Released on Crash Records. Available on ⁠Bandcamp⁠.

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Crash Musician: Eliza McCarthy

Guest: Amy Houldey

Producer: Matt Rafter

Crash Ensemble guitarist Barry O'Halpin sits down with his neighbour David Ball, and listens to Crash's recording of Barry's piece Wingform.

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Music

Barry O'Halpin - Wingform

Ed Bennett - Accel

Released on Crash Records. Available on Bandcamp.

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Transcript

Available here.

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Crash Musician: Barry O'Halpin

Guest: David Ball

Producer: Matt Rafter

Crash Artist-in-Residence Diamanda La Berge Dramm sits down with her cousin Max LaBerge, and listens to the Crashlands recording of Ann Cleare's Fiáin.

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Music

Ann Cleare - Fiáin

Ed Bennett - Accel

Released on Crash Records. Available on Bandcamp.

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Transcript Available here

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Crash Musician: Diamanda La Berge Dramm

Guest: Max LaBerge

Producer: Matt Rafter

Crash Bass Player Malachy Robinson chats to writer and actor Mark Doherty about music for donkeys who like music, written for Crash by Andrew Hamilton and featured on our CrashLands album.

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Music

Andrew Hamilton - music for donkeys who like music

Ed Bennett - Accel

Released on Crash Records. Available on Bandcamp.

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Transcript

Available here

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Crash Musician: Malachy Robinson

Guest: Mark Doherty

Producer: Matt Rafter

Crash Violist Lisa Dowdall chats to her brother-in-law Brian about one of her favourite Crash recordings, A Wild Furze by American composer Julia Wolfe.

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Music

Julia Wolfe - A Wild Furze

Ed Bennett - Accel

Released on Crash Records. Available on Bandcamp.

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Transcript

Available here

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Crash Musician: Lisa Dowdall

Guest: Brian Guilfoyle

Producer: Matt Rafter