Crash Ensemble to perform at National Concert Hall’s Imagining Ireland livestream series

The National Concert. Hall's Imagining Ireland livestream series is set to continue on November 10th with a highly-anticipated performance of Julius Eastman's Femenine, featuring MASI activist Bulelani Mfaco.

Since originating in 1997, world-class musicians Crash Ensemble have become renowned for their adventurous, experimental and innovative live performances.

Notable artists among the likes of Nico Muhly, Terry Riley and David Lang have composed pieces especially for the group.

Over the years they have been joined by luminaries such as Gavin Friday, Julie Feeney, Bryce Dessner of The National and many more.

For the NCH's special livestream, Crash Ensemble will apply their prodigious talent to Julius Eastman’s Femenine - his ambitious fusion of jazz-informed improvisation and minimalism.

The black, openly-gay singer, pianist and composer challenged the conventions of New York’s musical output in the 70s with works such as Crazy N*****, Gay Guerilla and N***** F*gg*t.

Eastman declared “What I am trying to achieve is to be what I am to the fullest: Black to the fullest, a musician to the fullest, a homosexual to the fullest.”

Eastman died in 1990 aged 49 of cardiac arrest, although it is suspected that AIDS and exhaustion brought on his collapse. At the time he had been homeless for nearly a decade.

His death was not announced until it appeared in the Village Voice eight months later. He left behind few scores and recordings, and his music went all but forgotten for decades.

Femenine is an example of his ‘organic music’ concept, a version of minimalism which allowed for all previously played material to be present in later stages of a performance.

South African human rights activist Bulelani Mfaco is set to offer a personal response to the avant-garde work, after claiming asylum in Ireland in 2017.

Mfaco is seeking protection from violence and targeted killings of LGBTQ people, and remains one of the prime spokespersons at MASI – the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland.

He is currently campaigning for the right to work for all asylum seekers, and to end Direct Provision

Imagining Ireland embraces the cream of our emerging and existing cutting-edge talent, and this latest line-up announcement is sure to bring a new type of creativity to the forefront of the Irish arts scene.

Imagining Ireland is a partnership collaboration between NCH and Culture Ireland, and is supported by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The concert will be available to tickets holders for 24 hours following the performance.

Tickets for the stream are €10, available exclusively via Dice.