Author Archives: James May | UC Cork

Listening

Posted on June 1, 2019 by James May | UC Cork

Echoing reverberations from the choir bounced around St. Finbarre’s Cathedral, around me standing in the center aisle listening for problems. After a few seconds the director turned, smiled, and asked, “was that okay?” “Are you kidding?” was my unspoken response. … Continue reading →

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Presence

Posted on April 3, 2019 by James May | UC Cork

A few weeks ago, I found myself across the island for New Music Dublin. As I sat waiting for the next performance with my professors— composers John Godfrey and Karen Power, also up for the festival—another Cork–based composer walked in … Continue reading →

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Gestalt

Posted on January 23, 2019 by James May | UC Cork

There’s a compositional idea in some 20th– and 21st-century music known as gestalt, referring to the perception of a larger structure created by many unique components. In composition, it basically means the juxtaposition or superimposition of different ideas without connective … Continue reading →

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The City & The City

Posted on November 12, 2018 by James May | UC Cork

As fate would have it, I’m actually not writing this blog post from the confines of my Cork apartment, or even from a nearby coffee shop or distant Irish city. I’m writing from Louisville, KY, where I did my first … Continue reading →

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