The event, curated by composer Dr Hilary Mullaney, Lecturer in Music at DkIT, is a response to the wider issue of representation; imbalances exist in genres such as experimental electronic music, and often female artists are overlooked, and many forgotten historically. Given the strong team of female staff and students in Music at DkIT, and seeing the importance of exposing students to female composers and sound artists, Dr Mullaney dispatched an international open call for works, resulting in an overwhelming number of submissions from all genders. Given the wealth of both female composers and gender based research being conducted in Music at DkIT, this seemed like an ideal time to host this event.

MixTape at DkIT is a celebration of women's contribution to music globally,”

commented Head of Department, Helen Lawlor.

This event, curated by Dr Hilary Mullany, herself a leading composer, brings together a diverse range of music for this very special installation. Hilary has been pioneering in promoting electroacoustic music at DkIT through her teaching, research and composition work. We felt it was very important to mark International Women's Day on behalf of the Department of Creative Arts at DkIT to show support for women composers and musicians in our field.”

One DkIT student investigating this issue is BA (Hons) Applied Music student Ciara Power from Balrothery, Co Dublin. Under the supervision of musicologist Dr Ann-Marie Hanlon, Power is researching gender imbalance in the electronic music scene in Ireland, with a particular focus on music festival lineups, and the experience of female DJs. Research such as this, and events such as Mixtape raise awareness for everybody, on campus and beyond, about the importance of gender balance, while also bringing awareness to all music students so they can engage with, and understand, the issue, so after graduation they can be both prepared, and active, with regard to gender balance within their own careers.

Student works presented will include Conscious Thoughts, created by BA (Hons) Applied Music student Hollie Delahan from Balbriggan Co Dublin, where she explores issues related to body image and the term ‘fat shaming’, a very common issue on social media. Inspired by her experience of making this composition, Delahan is now writing her final year thesis, under the supervision of Dr Mullaney, on how narrative sound works can be used to help second level students explore and understand social issues.

Laura Fitzpatrick, currently studying for a Masters in Music Technology at DkIT will present Home, a soundscape composition influenced by her mother, and her love of their peaceful countryside home in Co. Cavan. Bronagh McCabe, a singer songwriter from Co Monaghan who is currently completing her BA (Hons) in Production of Music and Audio, will present The Rising, a perspective of the Irish Rising of 1916 through a reworking of Bruce Springsteen’s infamous song of the same name, which uses electronic instruments and samples, including excerpts from the speeches of revolutionary, Countess Markievicz, delivered in America at the time, alongside McCabe’s striking vocals. 

Ellie-May Bopp, a music producer from Co. Galway in Year 1 BA (Hons) Production of Music and Audio, will present Shallow Breath, an electronic track which the producer herself says is akin to ‘… if Mazzy Star and Nine Inch Nails had a baby and it started teaching itself how to use Ableton …’, a track where she merges her distinctive vocals and electronic music production techniques.

Works by both internationally established artists and emerging composers will be presented at Mixtape. Some of these include:

• Barbara Ellison, an Irish composer and sound artist living and working in The Hague, but originally from Co Louth.
• Francisco Lopez, internationally recognized as one of the major figures of the sound art and experimental music scene contributes untitled #362, an unreleased work created at Dune Studio (Loosduinen), in April 2018.
• Chris Watson, founding member of the influential Sheffield based experimental music group Cabaret Voltaire and sound recordist for BBC television productions such as Frozen Planet, and David Attenborough’s ‘Life’ series etc.
• Soramimi, an experimental composer, producer, sound designer, live performer and Dusk Notes record label owner based in NYC .
• EL Putnam, Co Louth resident and a visual artist and scholar working predominantly in performance art, video, sound, and interactive media, and lectures in Digital Media at NUI Galway.
• N. Adriana Knouf, a media scholar and artist, and Assistant Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Wellesley College in USA.
• Francis Dhomont, one of the early pioneers of electronic music and now in his 93rd year, has been witness to the developments of this genre from the beginning.
• The Space Lady, a pioneer who has been making what some describe as ‘outsider’ synth and psychedelic pop music since the 1970’s, with her career having a resurgence with a new audience in recent years.

The event is being launched by Dr Sheila Flanagan, Vice President, DkIT at 11am on Thursday, 7 March, in the PJ Carroll Building and the installation runs all day Thursday and Friday. Entry is free and open to the general public.

To find out more about the event, please visit: https://hilarymullaney.com/mixtape/

To find out more about undergraduate and postgraduate music programmes at DkIT please click below:
BA (Hons) in Applied Music
BA (Hons) in Production of Music & Audio
MA in Traditional Music Studies
MA/MSc in Music Technology