FERGUS SHEIL,
Madam, - Everybody with an interest in contemporary music will be delighted that RTÉ has launched the new Living Music Festival, as described by Raymond Deane (An Irishman's Diary, October 19th). The scope and ambition of the festival, running this weekend at the Helix, is remarkable.
Contemporary music festivals must be like buses. You wait for years for one to come along, and then two come together. Crash Ensemble is shortly to announce details of an ambitious festival of Irish and Nordic contemporary music - entitled Up North! - which will be held in Dublin from December 5th to 8th. Works by nine Irish composers (including Raymond Deane) will be performed, and the highlights of the four-day event will be the premières of a staggering 14 new works.
In applauding RTÉ's initiative, Mr Deane takes a swipe at the Arts Council's "dismantling" of support for contemporary music. As principal funders of Up North! the Arts Council could easily seek to question his analysis. - Yours, etc.,
Up North Festival Director,
FERGUS SHEIL,
Crash Ensemble,
Capel Street,
Dublin 1.