University of Ulster composer and music researcher Dr Frank Lyons will premiere two of his most recent works this week. The first piece entitled Crosstalk >– an original composition by Dr Lyons, who is based in the School of Creative Arts at Magee – will be performed by New York based guitarist Simon Jermyn and the internationally renowned Smith Quartet at the Sligo Music Festival this weekend.

A second composition by Dr Lyons, who is also Director of the Arts and Humanities Research Institute at Ulster, will be performed as part of the Lunchtime Concert Series at Magee on Thursday 20 April in the Great Hall.Stung – written for bass clarinet and live electronics – will be performed by Paul Roe, former Associate Principal Clarinet of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

This double composition success follows a global exhibition of a  3-D audio visual installation entitled Simultaneous Echoes created by Dr Lyons in collaboration with acclaimed media artist Masaki Fujihata.Simultaneous Echoes was exhibited in Ireland, Germany and Japan and scooped a prestigious New Media Prize from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs in March 2010.

Dr Lyons also composed an arrangement of classic tracks by legendary British rock band Queen, which was performed by the Ulster Orchestra, tribute band Flash Harry and the University of Ulster Choir, to an audience of over 7,000 people at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast earlier this year.“It has been an intense but enjoyable time collaborating with so many incredible artists over the past few months to create these new works,” said Dr Lyons.

“I am looking forward to further performances scheduled later this year in London, New York and Tokyo.  It is great that creative practice from the University of Ulster is achieving such an international reach.”
For further information on the Lunchtime Concert Series at Magee contact the Cultural Development Office on: 028 7137 5456 or email: culture@ulster.ac.uk.