BRIAN IRVINE

Born in Belfast Brian Irvine's huge body of work includes orchestral works, chamber music, operas, film scores as well as solo and ensemble pieces. His work has involved commissions and collaborations with many international artists ranging from opera companies and orchestras to DJs and Japanese rock guitar virtuosos. These have included: Ulster Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Opera Theatre Company, Wexford Festival Opera, RTE Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, The British Council, BBC television, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, animators: Joel Simon, John McCluskey, filmmakers: John Mcilduff, Jari Neiminen, Phil Crothers, Brian Drysdale, as well as musicians: Billy Jenkins, Joanna Macgregor, Alexander Sitovesky, Keiji Haino, Paul Dunmall, Keith Tippet, Matt Bourne, Paul Rogers and David Holmes to name but a few.

He is currently the Associate Composer with the Ulster Orchestra and together with his own 12-piece, genre busting ensemble, he has conducted and performed all over the world and appeared at many international festivals throughout Europe, Russia and America to widespread critical acclaim.

His music is a wild untamed concoction of all things.

He has won a number of awards for his music including a British Composers Award for his youth opera THE TAILORS DAUGHTER which was commissioned by Welsh National Opera and a BBC Radio 3 Jazz Award for his "hommage" to Ivor Cutler entitled: INTERRUPTING CUTLER .

His orchestral works and his ensemble performances have been recorded and broadcast many times by BBC Radio3 and have included the commissioning and broadcast of the 40 minute epic: MONTANA STRANGE for orchestra, ensemble, two conductors and the free improvising saxophonist: Paul Dunmall. Last year his orchestral work: SECRET CINEMA was short listed for the BBC Radio 3 Listeners Award and his large scale work: PIED PIPER for orchestra, narrator and large children's chorus, (commissioned by the Ulster Orchetsra) was awarded an Olympic Inspire Mark by the Cultural Olympiad. Other awards have included the Bass Ireland Award, and the Major Individual Artist Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

This year BIG DADDY MOTORHEAD for orchestra was premiered by the Ulster Orchestra and recorded by BBC Radio 3 to mark the re-opening of the iconic Ulster Hall in Belfast after several years of refurbishment.

In 2008 together with filmaker/director John Mcilduff he set up DUMBWORLD a multi genre artist led production company with the aim of producing dynamic, new and innovative music and visual productions including opera, live performances and film projects. This collaboration has resulted in several film/music projects including a full scale opera: DUMBWORLD scored for ensemble and 12 singers (due to receive its world premiere as part of the Belfast Festival at Queens 2010) as well as the book of short films: THE MYSTERIOUS ART OF DANCING and several site specific performance pieces. Recently Brian and John's huge multi-media installation/performance piece entitled:THE NEST was shortlisted for one of the 2012 Olympics: Artists Take The lead public art commissions.

Brian is currently completing several large scale orchestral commissions as well as a 13 movement multi media piece for ensemble, film and soloist entitled 13 VICES based on a sculpture by Russian artist: .

Brian is a passionate believer in the wider values involved in the creation of new music and has conducted over 500 hands on composition and improvisation music workshops with nursery, primary, secondary, and third level students, amateurs, professionals, orchestras, disability groups, blind, unemployed, music teachers, choirs, improvisers, alzheimer groups, teenager offenders, rock bands, young, retired, musical..the not so musical.

what the papers say..

"Brians musical mind is a microcosm of huge energy and chaos, intricately engineered to blow your head off!"