Linda Buckley is an Irish composer who has written extensively for orchestra (BBC Symphony Orchestra, Dresdner Sinfoniker, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra), and has a particular interest in merging her classical training with the worlds of post punk, folk and ambient electronica. She is 'one of the leading figures in the thriving Irish new music scene' (Christopher Fox, Tempo) with her work being described as 'strange and beautiful' (Richard Dyer, Boston Globe), 'fantastically brutal, reminiscent of the glitch music of acts such as Autechre' (Liam Cagney, Composing the Island) and 'engaging with an area of experience that new music is generally shy of, which, simplified and reduced to a single word, I'd call ecstasy' (Bob Gilmore, Journal of Music).
In 2016 I commissioned Linda to write for my new ‘Pioneers of Percussion’ programme. Combining medieval harmony, ambient electronics and the hypnotic atmosphere of Javanese Gamelan Ekstasis refers to the Greek term for ‘trance, to stand outside oneself, rapture’. Composed for vibraphone, Thai gongs and electronics, I premiered Ekstasis in February 2016 using funds from Arts Council England. My recording is featured on ‘Pioneers of Percussion Vol. 1’ on Signum.
In 2018 the Barbican Centre, London commissioned Linda to write for my ‘Canna Sonora’ - a 9 foot tall aluminium harp. First produced in Capone-era Chicago this friction harp was recently refined by American inventor David Cloud.
‘Discordia was conceived as the “dark cousin” too Ekstasis. The genesis for this piece began during travels to Iceland and later to New York – from the unspoiled power of nature, ice and glaciers to witnessing the sense of foreboding and doom which fell over Manhattan on the morning of the 2016 presidential election. There is such a purity to the sonority of the Canna Sonora that I wished to pit this against something of its opposite, inspired by my time in residence at the Moog Sound Lab. This resonates with my interest in the dichotomy of purity versus noise, chaos versus stasis – remaining steadfast in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty over the future of our world.’ Linda Buckley
My recording of Discordia is featured on Linda Buckley’s debut disc for NMC ‘From Ocean’s Floor’. Released on 25 September 2020 this album includes a plethora of international talent including Iarla Ó'Lionáird (voice), Darragh Morgan (violin), Isabelle O'Connell (piano), ConTempo Quartet, Crash Ensemble and has received much critical acclaim.
'...a soundtrack for filmic depictions of moodily dark, implacable landscapes.' The Irish Times
‘Here is somebody really, really special.’ Iggy Pop, BBC Radio 6
'The Irish composer combines traditional séan-nos singing with an electronic soundscape, connecting past and future ... It’s clear how much Buckley deeply connects her past to her present, opening up possibilities for our mutual musical futures.' Guardian - Folk Album of the Month
'Intelligent, atmospheric and strangely beautiful.' Songlines
'An excellent portrait of one of Ireland's most interesting composers' Journal of Music
'Buckley's music traverses a fault line between discomfort and great beauty. The works on this album are captivating; I couldn't tear myself away.' BBC Music Magazine