SEASON 24/25

We are delighted to present Cityside Sessions, an exciting new residency at Cityside Retail & Leisure Park, supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts & Business NI, and Cityside. This initiative aims to bring contemporary music, visual art, and immersive experiences to a wider audience through an engaging and innovative program. Running from March to April, Cityside Sessions will feature a diverse range of activities, including live performances, workshops, talks, sound art, improvisation, and immersive VR experiences. We are also open to new creative ideas that align with the project’s vision of bringing contemporary art and music to a diverse audience. Location: Cityside Retail & Leisure Park, ground floor (between The Pod and B&M) HRSE is currently seeking musicians, performers, and creatives interested in: Performing – solo or in groups Leading workshops or talks Hosting open rehearsals This residency offers a unique platform for artistic collaboration and cultural engagement. If you are interested in taking part, we would love to hear from you. ______ UPCOMING EVENTS 'City Sounds' Workshop Saturday 10th May, 4-6pm Free entry (register above) Join composer Robert Coleman for this special session to create a brand new work inspired by Cityside / York Street. No prior experience or equipment is necessary, just come along and discover some of the creative methods behind producing new music by exploring the sounds of the city. Robert will demonstrate the process behind this and all participants will take part in recording, creating content and structuring the new piece. Suitable for ages 9 and above.

Belfast to Beijing seeks to find common ground between two distinct musical cultures, through music inspired by folk history, culture and heritage. 'Gortnagarn II' is a personal reflection on our connection with place, and landscape; a meditation on belonging to a very specific patch of earth and 'Macalla Mhacha', based on Celtic mythology, tells the dramatic story of Macha, ending with her famous curse against all of the men of Ulster. 'These are the Clouds About the Fallen Sun' is an elegy which reflects a very personal interpretation of the Yeats poem, an expression of loss, while 'Iron Horses' tells a story of a young national hero in Chinese history, Huo Qubing, who was a distinguished military general of the Western Han dynasty. The style is based on folk songs, and is imitative of traditional Chinese instruments. Beijing Modern Music Festival is one of the most prestigious contemporary music festivals in Asia. Hard Rain will be in residence from 17th-20th May, featuring this unique programme of Irish & Chinese music, while engaging with students at the Central Conservatory of Music through workshops and talks. PROGRAMME These are the Clouds about the Fallen Sun (2013) Greg Caffrey (1963) flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano Iron Horses (2020) Yue Song (1991) flute (piccolo), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin, cello and piano Macalla Mhacha (2023)* Anita Mawhinney (1974) flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano Gortnagarn ll (2016)** Ryan Molloy (1983) alto flute, bass clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano * Commissioned with funds from ACNI ** Commissioned by HRSE, with funds from ACNI

In Association with Ulster Touring Opera. This Irish/French programme presents four pieces, each remarkably haunting in its own individual way. Greg Caffrey’s new song-cycle is based on Michael Longley’s 2022 collection of poems whilst Dominique Lemaitre in this dedicated piece for Hard Rain Ensemble asks ‘Is it a time lost or a time found? Or simply a suspended time?’ Gareth Williams joins the ensemble for his first Irish Songs from the Last Page, an exploration of where the stories and books that we read take us, and how those stories stay with us and shape us and intertwine with our memories. And with particular poignancy we present the Irish premiere of Sylvain Quoirin’s beautiful six-movement suite of songs based on Meabh Quoirin’s poetry about the loss of her beloved daughter Nóra. PROGRAMME Greg Caffrey: The Slain Birds (2023) world premiere Dominique Lemaitre - Les Plis du Temps (2024) world premiere Gareth Williams - Songs from the Last Page of Guests of the Nation (2024) world premiere Sylvain Quoirin - Nóra (2023) Irish premiere Soprano - Rebecca Murphy Soprano - Rebekah Coffey Baritone - Malachy Frame Violin - Samuel Kane Violin - Orla McGarity Viola - Aoife Magee Cello - David McCann Double Bass - Caimin Gilmore Flute - Aisling Agnew Clarinet - Sarah Watts Piano - Daniel Browell Harp - Richard Allen

Italian Virtuosity presents two of Italy’s great composers connected by this 2025 anniversary year (born 240 years apart) and also by their unrivalled commitment to redefining instrumental virtuosity. The programme showcases works that span each composer’s lifetime, highlighting their own personal development alongside the impressive and sustained quality of their musical output. This concert is also conceived as a visual expression of virtuosity; by collaborating with Maiden Voyage Dance we will explore the unique movement within each Sequenza & Sonata. Established in Belfast by Artistic Director Nicola Curry in 2001, Maiden Voyage is principally funded annually by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, supported by Belfast City Council and by individual Trusts and Foundations and recently through co-commission awards from the new all-island dance company Luail. PROGRAMME Luciano Berio (1925-2003) - Sequenza l for Flute (1958) Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1727) - Harpsichord sonata in D minor kk. 9 Luciano Berio - Sequenza Vlll for Violin (1976) Domenico Scarlatti - Harpsichord sonata in A major kk.113 Luciano Berio - Sequenza lXc for Bass Clarinet (1980) Domenico Scarlatti - Harpsichord sonata in G major kk.427 Luciano Berio - Sequenza XlV (2002)

Hashtag Ensemble Collaboration. The second part of our collaboration with Hashtag Ensemble, this concert at AżTak festival is a British Council funded project ‘Against Adversity’ presented as part of the 2025 UK/Poland partnership. This aspect of the programme sees these two cutting-edge ensembles, both formed in 2013, join forces for performances in Belfast and Warsaw. Highlighting the festival’s theme for 2025 of Contemplation, we perform works by some of our closest collaborators: Greg Caffrey, Amy Rooney and Ryan Molloy, all of which bring a distinctly reflective and personal process to the music. PROGRAMME Greg Caffrey (1963)- These are the Clouds About the Fallen Sun Amy Rooney - Flow State Ryan Molloy - Gortnagarn ll