Barry O'Halpin

Barry O’Halpin is a Dublin-based composer and guitarist. First working with Crash when his piece Lethargarian was programmed on their 2014 Free State concert, Barry was a featured composer in their 2015-16 Born in the 80s Irish tour. After festival appearances nationwide, his trio Lipids was performed at New Music Dublin 2016 with Barry as guitarist. Since then he has become a member of Crash, with highlights including premieres of works by Tansy Davies and Ann Cleare, festivals such as Gaida (Lithuania), Sounds from a Safe Harbour (Cork) & Kilkenny Arts, and recordings of works by Donnacha Dennehy & Christopher Mayo. His upcoming composer residency with Crash Ensemble consists of a multi-section composition for ensemble, drawing abstract and direct inspiration from evolutionary processes and soundscape ecology, and exposing contrasts and uncanny commonalities between ‘wild’ sounds in nature and human-made music and machinery. His exploratory approach to the guitar provides a connective tissue for this sprawling work which unites Crash's affinity for vivid sonic colours with their powerful rhythmic drive.