New Music Week, an annual festival presented by WIT’s Department of Creative & Performing Arts and Garter Lane Arts Centre, received good news of funding from the Arts Council this week. The 2013 festival, which happens from Monday 4th February to Sunday 10th February, will receive a grant from the Arts Council towards its programming costs. Awarding of funding is more competitive than ever and this endorsement from the Arts Council reflects the standard of work that New Music Week has presented since its inception in 1999.
The festival is the only one of its kind in the south east, and is an invaluable resource to composers, musicians and audiences. During New Music Week 2012, 165 performers were involved in performing over 50 original compositions. The festival provides a unique opportunity to composers to have their work performed, musicians of all ages to play new music, and music audiences to see original work performed and discussed. The festival includes projects with school children and in 2012 an Active Aging choir was established in the Central Library.
New Music Week is presented annually by festival partners WIT and Garter Lane Arts Centre, with support from the Arts Council, Waterford City Council, the Contemporary Music Centre, Christ Church Cathedral Waterford, RTÉ Lyricfm, WIT Music School and Waterford City Library Service.
Plans for 2013 include a ‘Singing Day’ in WIT involving local schools, a Dublin Film festival screening with live music, a Contemporary Music Centre ‘Salon Series’ performance and talk, workshops by RTÉ Lyricfm’s composer in residence Linda Buckley, a concert of contemporary music by the Vanbrugh Quartet, and a celebration of Mass with original music in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Barronstrand Street.
For festival updates, go to www.wit.ie, or like the festival on facebook.
New Music Week, Monday 4th to Sunday 10th February 2013.
SETU Waterford, Cork Road, Waterford City, 
