With a great lineup of world-renowned composers and soloists, from Ireland and beyond, the festival opens on Friday 17 June at St Nicholas Church of Ireland in Dundalk. There’s a repeat performance there of Linda Caitlin Smith’s “Meadow” for three string players. LCMS put out a recording in 2020 of this miraculous wander through green pastures of harmony, and it’s become an international hit.

Also catching up with music from lockdown, there’ll be a chance to hear Sam Perkin’s “Flow” live. This is similarly for string trio, and similarly a piece whose LCMS recording has been making waves.

On the same programme are new works by Irish composer Andrew Synnott ( I follow, I follow) and by one of the foremost composers in England and internationally, Gavin Bryars, whose music always comes from off-centre to take you by surprise.Gavin's new work is called Wittgenstein Fragments with words by Vincent Woods. It is based on Wittgenstein's time in Ireland. Among the performers are the outstanding soprano Juliet Fraser, Irish string quartet, the Esposito and ace flautist Silvija Scerbaviciute.

Gavin's new work Wittgenstein Fragments will be premiered at the concert. The work with words by Vincent Woods is influenced by Wittgenstein's time spent in Ireland