Shining a stark spotlight on the Climate Crisis in a post-COVID world through the powerful combination of music and literature is the foundation stone for an exciting collaborative project featuring the collective talents of four leading music education institutions in autumn 2022.
Led by the distinguished pianist Iain Burnside, artists from the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM), Guildhall School of Music and & Drama (GSMD), Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) and the University Mozarteum Salzburg join forces for a presentation of ’Open Your Eyes And Tell Me What You See’ in Dublin, London, Paris and Salzburg.
Artistic work on this collaborative project began in 2022, when 12 exceptionally talented emerging artists - three singers and one pianist from each institution - met for a series of online workshops with Iain Burnside. In November, the musicians from the GSMD, CNSMDP and Mozarteum, journeying by train and ferry from Austria, France, and London, will join their musical peers at the RIAM in person for an intensive and immersive rehearsal week.
The 12-strong ensemble will present the première performance of ‘Open Your Eyes And Tell Me What You See’ in Dublin before travelling overland to London for a further performance at the Guildhall School, to Paris for a landmark event at the Irish Embassy, and onto Salzburg for the final performance at the Mozarteum.
The artistic response finds its outlet in a thought-provoking 60-minute performance project, featuring relevant poetry and song to capture public imagination. In devising the artistic programme, which focuses on this urgent global theme, Iain Burnside has consciously included works by underrepresented musicians and writers, and it is hoped that this diversity of musical and literary voice will be palpable on stage.
In addition to the artistic programme, the institutions have taken the very conscious decision in mounting this project to support low carbon solutions and environmentally friendly practice in project planning and delivery. All participating artists will travel by ferry and train between performances and document these journeys on film. Promotional and programme material for this performance project will primarily be digital and accommodation sourced has sustainable credentials and is walking distance from performance venues. Food consumed will be evaluated for its impact on the environment for instance sourced locally, and public transport will be prioritised over taxis.
Through the power of music and literature, the project aims to move beyond raising awareness of climate change, and to discuss, encourage, and facilitate such system, lifestyle and behaviour changes urgently needed to reverse the profound changes happening in our environment.
The tour is supported by Culture Ireland, Embassy of Ireland, France, and the John Jefferson Smurfit Monegasque Foundation.
Full details of #OpenYourEyesTour, including ticket booking, visit www.openyoureyestour.com
Additional Notes:
The Royal Irish Academy of Music is Ireland’s national conservatoire for music, an associate college of Trinity College Dublin. It trains musicians for careers in music performance, composition and pedagogy and will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2023.
Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. The Conservatoire offers instruction in music and dance, drawing on the traditions of the 'French School'.
The Guildhall School of Music & Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz along with drama and production arts.
Mozarteum University Salzburg (German: Universität Mozarteum Salzburg) specializes in music, the dramatic arts, and to a lesser degree graphic arts. It was established in honour of Salzburg-born musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Artistic Director, Iain Burnside is an adjunct professor of both the RIAM and GSMD. Internationally acclaimed as a leading collaborative pianist, Iain has worked with many of the world’s great singers. His discography features over fifty CDs, spanning a huge sweep of repertoire including the Gramophone Award winning NMC Songbook. An insightful programmer with an instinct for the telling juxtaposition, Burnside is also an award-winning broadcaster for BBC TV and radio.
Full Programme Details
Dublin – London – Paris – Salzburg
Sat 5 November 2022
Royal Irish Academy of Music
Dublin, Ireland
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Mon 7 November 2022
Milton Court Concert Hall
London, England
Free admission, no booking required
Wed 9 November 2022
Embassy of Ireland
Paris, France
By Invitation Only
Fri 11 November 2022
Schloss Leopoldskron
Salzburg, Austria
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